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The future is always ours, if we would have it. Having it requires that we confront lags and create proper strategies. In a previous article of mine, “Beyond Buhari and Atiku,” I expanded on how leaders are continually slowing down the development of the nation by investing in wrong sectors. Now I would like to say that leadership needs more analysis on what is called investment. Making right choices is investment. These particular investments will enhance the quality of the future and will not swallow up our future that is more important than money in the bank.
In the previous article, we examined the lag in governance. Some of what I expanded on were:
1. The lack of follow-through on different governance styles from different presidents or predecessors. Since the inception of SAP, all channels and leaderships have come with an agenda to do different things that were never accomplished, such as the Operation Walk on the Moon, the Walk on the Water Agenda, the Kill Poverty Agenda, and the like. These have yielded no results in carving the leaks that make proper agendas and manifestos.
2. Another lag identified is the existence of many unworkable industries.
In 1985, I was returning to Nigeria from Banjul. There were no planes from Bangul to Lagos, so I was asked to take a flight to Abidjan. On getting to Abidjan airport, I found three Nigerian Airways planes. One was going to Paris, one to Nairobi and one to Lagos. Back then, in 1965, there were 28 planes in our Nigerian Airways fleet. In those times, you were respected when you were called forth as a Nigerian. It closed because of debt. How could 28 functioning airplanes disappear into thin air? These planes were actually contributing to the economy. This wasn’t ideal given the fact that at that time the inflation rate had not crept up so high.
My second illustration is the collapse of motor assembly plants. There were different car assembly plants in the country at the time, from Mercedes to the Volkswagen to Peugeot, in conjunction with Nigeria. The plan was that, after 15 years, Nigeria could manufacture its own vehicles; but this sector failed even though it was very promising at the time.
The next is the story of the Nigerian steel industry. In those days, we had six Nigerian steel mills, and the steel mills were also responsible for producing the same simple parts for cars for the motor assembly companies. We had market demand and supply, yet it still crashed. What happened to the revenue? What happened to these infrastructures? Is it to say that they never made a single profit in a day?
The root cause, as identified in our last article, was lack of accountability by the leadership and the politicians. Over the years, various governments have come and gone, and none has been held accountable for not fulfilling the nation’s mid and long-term projections. Deficits have been found and simply waved off. No defence was given for the deficits found. Nobody was called to order for the deficits found. Various senators, contractors and politicians who took up different projects have not been sanctioned publicly for their actions, to the extent where their influence has reverted. No President that has passed through tenure has been held accountable for anything concerning himself or leaders under him.
Therefore, the most valuable advice to give Nigeria now is caution. To the new leadership that has emerged: caution. Let there be a consciousness not to repeat the same mistakes and indulgences of the previous leadership. Caution to those politicians that are supposed to be helping to build the nation but have done close to nothing. I and the entire nation appeal that you take caution so that there will still be something for your successors to run this country when you are gone. May it not be that the politicians that were born into Nigeria from the military regime are still the new breed of politicians that were and are controlled by the military and political tastes for greed to explore the national cake for selfish benefits and tenure mentality.
Methods of achieving these could be:
1. Proper Legislation on Political Parties
There should be implementation of certain laws that allow for balance. Laws that protect our future leaders, check the influences on them and ascertain their authenticity. This would allow these leaders to remain uninfluenced. In the last presidential election, various parties demanded huge sums to obtain forms needed to contest as President. A certain party demanded that a payment of N100 million be made by presidential candidates. There are very few political parties or even bodies that can generate such amounts, save by benefactors that demand for benefits not quite suitable. These things affect the purity of leadership. It will likely move good leaders to take up sponsorships that are not favourable to them or the country. The requirement for obtaining these forms should not be money first but how much development they have made by their influence, the influence on GDP in their community and lives of citizens. If a fee must be charged, it should be far reduced and directed to the political bodies. This is not spoon-feeding or unserious but the same protocols observed since the time of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Sultan of Sokoto Ahmadu Bello.
Another instance of lack of legislation is shown with the continuous coverup of dubious activities carried out by these political parties. There are always arrests of individuals carrying out violent acts in the elections but the parties that sponsored and made use of these zealots are not mentioned. There are coverups of all kinds. There should be parties called out as actors and penalised.
Either the government has failed to curb politicians and masterminds that swallow up administrative bottle necks or it is giving this country out on lease to powerful entities, which leads to misappropriation of funds. The truth always presents itself that government is not being fair to us. For our leaders, there is a need for caution here. It is seen that those who have been given the responsibility of sharing the national cake are eating the cake while sharing it. There are other reasons for these lags, probably the same greed that has always existed since inception. The words that cry out on the street is ‘blind theft.’ And a call, ‘while eating the cookie in the jar, look at what you are doing.’
A nation is built more on sacrifice and virtues than anything else.
