How To Make Nigeria Work

By Ebenezer Adurokiya

MOST Nigerians, when asked if Nigeria can work well, effortlessly, respond negatively.

Nigeria, to them, cannot only work but may never survive as a nation. Their reasons are borne out of the seemingly unremitting deceptive dispositions of the ruling class towards the plight of the downtrodden masses. Govenrments have come and gone, with all their promises of ‘heaven and earth’ for the masses, none has been fulfilled. Rather, it has been business as usual, thus, acclaimed bitter lessons –not to trust any leadership in whatever garment. They are seen as wolves in sheep clothing.

If Nigeria must work as some of us still believe it will, then, some drastic and cogent steps must be taken with all sincerity of purpose. At all levels, political offices should be made less attractive as it is in the Western World, which we claim to constantly emulate. Political posts, especially at the levels of the local govenment, state House of Assembly and the National Assembly should be on part-time basis. Only sitting allowances should be paid to the lawmakers as it is done in Britain. It is obvious that the do-or-die affair of politics in Nigeria is as a result of the sumptuous benefits attached to the offices.

Political office holders see their offices as job opportunities that are rare to come by. Hence, they unleash all means possible to get there even at the expense of preicous lives. Also, being well-placed in political office in Nigeria is as a result of the sumptuous legitimate and illegitimate benefits attached to the offices. The immunity clause in the constitution for the governors, for instance, readily comes to mind. If politicains are aware that their being in office notwithstanding, they could be brought to book, for any wrong done, perhaps, the level of rot in the system would go down.

Related to the above is the entrenchment of the rule of law. When the rule of law is in absolute operation in a society, such a society will move forward. The call here is for everyone in Nigeria to reap what he or she sows without prejudice. This should start from the top since it is believed that when the head is rotten, the rest of the body follow. This means that the third organ of the government, the judiciary, should be purged of bad adjudication.

If every member of the ruling class is made to account for their actions and inactions, the trend will permeate all other parts of the polity called Nigeria –the followership will be watchful and inordinate quest for political offices in order to drain the treasury will be curtailed. As it is now in Nigeria, vices soar higher in every facet of the system because there is no fear in the hearts of Nigerias. Fear is the antidote for people who have been disorientated or reorientated to believe that to be celebrated is to do evil.

People must be made to pay for their deeds no matter how highly placed. This is a crusade for President Umaru Yar’Adua to lead.

The foundation of any nation is paramount to its survival. The quagmire, which Nigeria has found itself, is as a result of its shaky foundation. It is no longer news that the amalgamation of the Nothern and Southern protectorates in 1914 by late Lord Lugard was a lifetime mistake hurriedly made. But it can be corrected. Let a true sovereign national conference comprising all ethic nationalities be conveyed.

The Obasanjo’s constitutional conference is not the type Nigerians are clamouring for. The type clamoured for by Nigerians should start from the grassroots, then to the state and federal levels. This is the only veritable way to x-ray and proffer solutions to the unremitting doldrums Nigeria has found itself. It is thorugh this conference that the educatioal system in Nigeria which is at its lowest ebb, could be addressed unemployment and ethnic agilations, among other debacles would be countered.

For Nigeria to work, the youth, who form the engine-room of the nation, must be refocused.

Adurokiya is on the staff of Saturday Tribune