Follow Us on Google
Vision 20:2020, remember it? Only very few do. Even its drafters rarely talk about it now. They seem to have faint or no belief in the draft.
First things first, let me make a sincere confession. Yes, I am a thorough layman in this field. Yes, I have no “deep” knowledge of the subject. All the same, a swift reminder: The Vision 20:2020 was a dream statement that Nigeria would become one of the first 20 economies in the world by 2020. See how tall our dream was!
The proponents had confidently envisioned in 2007: “By 2020 Nigeria, will be one of the 20 largest economies in the world, able to consolidate its leadership role in Africa and establish itself as a significant player in the global economic and political arena.”
Its concept: “Nigeria’s economic potential is well recognised. It is the biggest economy in the West African sub-region. Given the country’s considerable resource endowment and coastal location, there is potential for strong growth. Yet Nigeria has realised very little of this potential.
“Previous efforts at planning and visioning were not sustained. The history of economic stagnation, declining welfare and social instability, has undermined development for most of the past 30 years.”
The vision was worded in a way to correct these anomalies. It was substantially the brainchild of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. He mooted the brilliant idea and sold it to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in his first term. Soludo was then Obasanjo’s Economic Adviser and chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC).
It ought to have kicked off in 2008, after its framework must have been firmly rooted by April 2007.
With that “laudable” mindset, three stages were crafted to develop the document and fulfil its letters. They included “building a solid foundation for Vision 2020” between 2008 and 2010.
The lifespan of the second stage was extended by one year from 2011 to 2015 in “achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).” The last stage of “becoming a top 20 economy by 2020” ought to have run between 2015 and 2020.
Then the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), was drafted into the scene. It was purposely birthed for the implementation and actualisation of Vision 20:2020.
Actually, there was an earlier economic dreamer, Goldman Sachs, in faraway United States of America. He took an uncommon interest in Nigeria, Goldman Sachs. He was a forerunner to Obasanjo and Soludo. He had his fantasy long before theirs in 2004.
In his dream, he saw a vision that Nigeria would emerge one of the 20 largest economies of the world in 2025. But Obasanjo thought a little bit differently. He was too impatient. He would not agree with Sachs altogether. He refused to take what Sachs said hook, line and sinker. So? He hurriedly drew the dream nearer. He picked 2020 and renamed it 20:2020.
Perhaps, that inspired Onyenekenwa Cprian Eneh. His genuine love for his country made him to undertake an impressive review of the vision in 2011. He titled it “Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 – Issues, Challenges and Implications for Development Management.”
Snippets from his intelligent presentation: “The vast majority of Nigerians are ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed and ill-educated. They live in the rural areas characterised by massive underdevelopment.
“Poverty is the basic malady of Nigeria, which is involved in misery-go-round, as part of the slum of the world economy. Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 is, therefore, too ambitious.
“And, against the backdrop of the antecedents of policy reversals, summersaults and failures in Nigeria, the vision is utopian. Recommendations include commitment of the leadership to sufficient discipline and political will to enforce development policies and programmes.
“The National Council on Vision 2020 (NCV2020) is the apex body of the operational and institutional arrangements for Nigeria’s Vision 2020. The President is the chairman. It is to provide leadership and direction to galvanise the nation.”
Unfortunately, the vision has become blurred with neither motion nor mission. It has practically not moved an inch since its conception. Its, is a speed of snail. In fact, it is rotting away in the dirty cooler of our ugly history. There, it is confined for life.
The concept was excellent, perfect and ambitious. You would think it was made in heaven. But we have turned it upside down with our actions and inactions. And that is where it ends, at least for now.
Unknown to us, the international community is interested in that vision. One such interest came from the United Kingdom, our former colonial masters. For good or bad, they still want to have a say in our affairs.
Eneh confirmed this as much: “The Mayor of London, Mr. Alderman David Lewis, said for the country to achieve its Vision 2020 objectives, due attention must be given to human capital development issues. He added that the vision would be a mirage if there was absence of sound and qualitative education, training and re-training.
“He stressed that Nigeria was a financial hub of healthy, skilled and creative experts who, if well articulated and motivated and with the right atmosphere, would be able to turn things around for the country.”
The implementers have turned a deaf ear to the mayor. They are actually turning things around in their own sordid style, but in the negative way. They are strenuously making a mess of the otherwise wonderful and exceptional document. They have turned it to a mere tall dream. And they want to make it so forever.
Those who should know are deliberately feigning wholesome ignorance. They pretend with disgusting arrogance as if nothing is amiss.
When last did Vision 20:2020 feature in our annual budgets? It has become a one-off thing. It has not been mentioned anywhere near any of our budgets these past years.
Now that 2020 is here, whatever happens to the vision; a huge joke! Our dazzling dream has turned to a nightmare, hallucination, illusion, delusion, mirage!
We tragically remain just dreamers. Nothing more. We love to dream dreams, but detest seeing visions. We are unlike the biblical Joseph the Dreamer.
Let us wake up from our deep slumber and do the needful. The earlier we realise this, the better for us all. Right?
