Re: Nigeria And The Generational Challenge Of State Building

I read the piece with the title above by Amb. Godknows Igali former Nigerian ambassador and Federal Permanent Secretary. The piece which to say the least is inspiring and challenging for any person or nation desirous of progress is really a must read. But unfortunately, we have a nation with crop of leaders that hardly read not to talk of reading intellectual works like the article in question. The home video phenomenon has also made our youth to lose interest in reading books and if what Sam Omatseye wrote of in one of his contributions in his Column for The Nation newspapers that a leader’s taste can be gauged by the kind of books or articles he reads, then we know just where we are heading to. 

After a critical analysis of the issues raised in the piece, I believe that Nigeria which unfortunately has been enmeshed in the cesspool of maladministration can become a great nation that can turn around the fortunes of the African continent if we have the right people in office. The transformation of the countries talked about especially Singapore which hosted the historical meeting between the United States and North Korea did not come through magic wand but through a leadership that was steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that future generations don’t suffer the fate they suffered. This is contrary to what obtains in Nigeria where there are no plans for future generation. The glaring insensitivity to the plight of the future generations is evident in the bogus borrowings of the government to fund projects that will not help the future generations but feather their gluttonous nests while expecting the future generations to repay the debt incurred. Another case of insensitivity to the plight of our future generation is the devastation of the environment without regard to policies. The major oil companies have flagrantly flared gas into the atmosphere in disregard to stipulated dates to stop the flaring. The arrival of the gbom fire or local bunkering as others may call it, has heaped greater danger on the environment and while governments with foresight are doing their best to tackle the issue of the environment through policies and enforcement of laws, ours have not shown any commitment due to the kind of leaders we produce.

Nigeria as a country is not cursed. The country is just a victim of inept leadership foist by a greedy few with what some conspiracy theorists will allege has the backing of the West led by the British. With a population of over one hundred and sixty million persons, arable land mass, rich flora and fauna, excellent weather condition not to talk of mineral and human resources; I will always disagree with people who say the country is cursed.

Singapore which the writer made reference to had a leader who did not fail to make use of the opportunity that presented itself with the opening of the Suiz Canal that bolstered trade between Europe and far east Asia but unfortunately for us we have not been privileged to have such leaders at the various tiers of government that are willing to stick out their necks and grab the opportunity that will bring about social and economic transformation of the society save to some extent for Lagos state under Babatunde Raji Fashola and the present Governor Ambode who are harnessing the opportunities in the system to make Lagos one of the biggest economies in the continent.

I may not want to dwell so much on the failure of the Nigerian leadership which has been hampered by ethnicity, religion, mediocrity and other retrogressive factors but that of the state governments who have relied so much on the center for everything not realizing that the effective and efficient performance of the governments at the state and local government level will help propel the fortunes of the country. 

Without trying to be scurrilous but I am of the view that it is a shame that no state of the federation aside may be  Lagos can claim to have developed an industry that can compete regionally. The Niger Delta region with its vast petroleum resources has not built a strong industry that will grab the opportunity of their God given resources. The northern states with its vast agricultural potentials have failed to make the country a hub for agriculture and not depend on small countries to feed us. The west has also not done better. I ask myself where is the famed cocoa industry in the west? All these are happening because of the leadership system that continuously thrusts up.

The Niger Delta region which incidentally the writer comes from happens to be the worse culprit of the failure of state governments to help rescue the country.  Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom states receive billions of naira from the 13% derivation formular and if the trillions they have received since 1999 is juxtaposed with the reality on ground, one will have no option than to declare the governments of these states as a monumental failure. The level of defalcation in these states is at the high side. The venality of public officials especially at the interventionist agencies has helped stall development at the areas I mentioned.

The problem of governance in most of the states is the failure of the governors to marshall out policies that will bring about all round development of the states. Rather than just feel contented with receiving monthly handouts from the federal government in the name of allocation, the governments in the states have failed to look inwards and make investments that will create job opportunities and aid wealth creation in their areas. A state like Bayelsa state with its oil money and relatively low population has not done enough to grow the state economy through massive investments in industrialisation which many people expected of a rich state like that. A situation whereby most of the things needed in the state are brought in from outside speaks a lot about governance in the state.

As Dr. Igali has posited in his write up, what is needed to change any society is leadership and leadership does not come cheap. It takes commitment by the people to bring in good leaders that can in turn precipitate the transformation of the society. The present governor of Bayelsa state may be trying his best and will soon leave office in a couple of years having completed his constitutionally guaranteed two tenures in office but it can never be enough. What I think the people of the state just like other states in the country should do is to begin to insist on having the best candidate with foresight that can bring about progressive change.

Dr. Igali is a man I have come to admire for the creativity, commitment and finesse he has shown in all the offices he has handled in the past. I may not know his ambition today but I do believe he has the passion for progress if he is given the chance to do anything. His article on Nigeria And The Generational Challenge Of State Building is not just a piece in theory. It is a piece from a mind that wants the country and his state to change for the better and the country cannot transform if we fail to encourage our leaders Igali inclusive to stand up and be counted when it matters the most.

The country can become great like Singapore, United Arab Emirates etc but we as patriotic citizens must show the courage of wanting to see it grow especially in our various states. The progress we need will not come from wishful thought that manner will fall from heaven it will come from a set of leaders that will be willing to make the best use of opportunities as it presents itself.

Comrade Nwokoma Messiah is the National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation and contributed this piece from Abuja