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By Daniel Kanu
Renowned educationist and writer, Prof Remi Sonaiya, was Nigeria’s only female presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential election under the KOWA party.
She has loads of issues on the Nigerian condition which she shared with Sunday Sun, ranging from the ineffective political structure, frustrations of women in politics, need for restructuring, and bad leadership, among others. Excerpt:
Let’s begin with the protest by women to the National Assembly on the rejection of the five gender-based bills by lawmakers…?
(Cuts in) They did wrong, that action is condemnable, ain’t we supposed to have an inclusive system, an integration that will also bring out the best of the women’s potential to contribute their best to development. It is not right that Nigeria that has so many capable women who are demonstrating their capability in other places; in the private sector, professionally all of that, and even internationally. Two of the most important positions in the world are occupied by Nigerian women. The head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is Dr Okonjo Iweala, that is a very important position worldwide, and then the UN Deputy-Secretary General (Amina Mohammed), that is also a very important position. So, if Nigerian women can be trusted to give leadership in all these other areas, both internationally and within the country as CEOs of companies, Vice Chancellors of universities, and so on, why are they not fit to be in our National Assembly? Why can’t they be adequately represented there (National Assembly)? They know better where the shoe pinches on issues concerning them. But beyond women’s issues, they are equally capable of handling other critical issues for genuine development. They keep saying that they (women) should compete just like anybody else, but we know that this political system that we are running is not based on merit. It is when everything is based on merit, when there is a level playing ground then Nigerian women don’t need any concessions, any special consideration, the women will perform. But the political system that has evolved over the years is skewed, and you see that it is not based on merit. It is based on who you know, consensus…You can see what is happening with the All Progressives Congress (APC) at their convention, they don’t want people to contest. Somebody just wants to decide who they want to put there, they just impose somebody and this is what they have been doing. It is the reason the women have not been there. If it were a level playing ground for everybody, we would have had a lot of Nigerian women displaying quality leadership there. So, all these issues are important and that is why the women had to stand their ground to speak out that it is a shame that we still have to fight for such things at this time.
So, you are urging the National Assembly to revisit the issue?
Isn’t that obvious? It is not about me. Isn’t that what the women are asking for? What the National Assembly has done is not right; let them do what is right. That is what the women are asking for.
If you look around the country today, you will see that a lot of aspirants, especially presidential hopeful have started showcasing their potential, and what they intend to do if voted into office. How do you rate them? Do they give you hope that we will get it right in 2023?
Well, my hope is that they are not the ones who will get there. I have hope for Nigeria, but my hope does not include these ones getting there. My hope is that somehow, we will be able to get it right. That Nigerians will decide that enough is enough. That we have served this political class enough, they have shown us that they don’t care for us, that they care only for themselves, so I have a lot of hope, I am very hopeful for Nigeria because I believe that these people are not the ones who will keep governing us.
Do you have confidence in the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)?
I believe that INEC is interested in improving our elections. Yes, I believe that INEC is interested, but there are many other things affecting the performance of INEC, but the Electoral Act is a step forward, it has not solved all the problems, but at least it is an advancement. Although there are people who are saying that Nigeria should not go into the next elections with the current constitution that we have. It is a pity that we have not had leaders who are bold to take fundamental decisions that should have been taken, but let’s see what will happen.
What are really your fears for Nigeria?
I am not afraid, I don’t have fears because fear paralyses. People who are afraid are paralysed, they don’t do anything. When somebody is afraid they go and hide their head, so for me, I am not afraid like that because I know that our problem must be addressed someday, nobody is going to come from the moon to solve it for us.
Okay, let’s not use the word fear let’s use worry…?
(Cuts in) Whether it is worry or whether it is fear I don’t entertain all of those negative feelings because when you entertain them, as I said they paralyse you, whereas you are supposed to be working. If a student is afraid or worried about exams, and that student reads or studies properly even if he sits down in front of the book nothing will make sense because he is already paralysed. What we are supposed to do is: how do we turn things around? What are we supposed to do? Those are the things that should occupy our minds. All the people who are contesting, it’s all about personalities, personal ambition and so on, oh it has been my lifetime ambition as some would say, to be President of Nigeria. How does that concern me if I vote you in? So, you just get there you have fulfilled your lifetime ambition, you are not telling me or telling us (Nigerians) what is your plan for the country, what you are going to do for my future, for our future, you are just talking about that you have personal ambition. What kind of leader is that supposed to be?
What is your take on zoning as it is generating huge controversy as to where the presidency should go in 2023?
It is because they are all selfish people. When they have an agenda that zoning will support they will be shouting in support of zoning, but when they have an agenda that zoning does not favour, they will begin to kick against it, they will say what they want is merit, it is then they will remind you that zoning is not in the constitution. This shows you people who are just self-seeking. That is all, it’s about themselves, so far it will favour them they are okay with it. For me, I honestly wish that you journalists will begin to ignore them and try and bring out for us people who are discussing the future of our country and not waste our time constantly talking about PDP, APC. What are they doing that is of benefit to anybody? All their fighting, their going to court, their zoning or not zoning; how does that improve the lots of Nigerian citizens? It’s high time you journalists just left them alone, let them sort themselves out, but help us to focus on people who have ideas. We have an uncaring leadership.
But the ruling APC-led government has beat its chest on the infrastructure they have put on the ground…?
(Cuts in) I think you journalists are so fixated on them, so go ahead, it’s not of benefit. Is it all that is to governance?
What do you think is the solution to Nigeria’s problem?
We should restructure the country, that is my honest opinion. This centralised government that we are running has killed the country; let us return to where we are coming from, where we had authentic, almost independent regional governments so that people can develop themselves at their own pace. All this show of everybody running to the central government in Abuja to divide or share money and things like that is enough; it has not led us to a good place. You just have a loose Federal Government, not this heavily centralized setup where nothing can happen until you see the president. What kind of a system is this?
