Ostensibly, talking about leaders and governance Nigeria is grossly unfortunate. Though blessed with abundant means to prosperity, devil-agents are the ones who rose to leadership positions among us that upon assuming power, they turn themselves into monstrously greedy self-seekers and destroyers of their own land and people.
Governance, said to be a social contract between the elected and the electorate; incorporating sets of rules and laws that govern a society; guaranteeing equal rights and opportunities to every citizen irrespective of his or her economic or social status; and specifying the roles and responsibilities, which require the exhibition of ethical behaviour that demand transparency and accountability of citizens and government officials – elected or appointed. Nevertheless, when the elected indulges in corruption in preference to upholding the social contract, governance fails in its purpose and responsibilities, as has been the sad story with Nigeria. Hence there has been failure of governance in a nation that abundantly flourishes in huge wealth of finest natural and human resources quantifiably measured in comparison with the wealthiest nation on earth.
It is a basic social responsibility of governance to deliver social infrastructural amenities to enhance citizens’ wellbeing and alleviate their standard of life. To deny a people the comfort of life is nothing but a hideous crime against humanity and God. On this note, if you join them in saying that cases of Dasuki, Metuh, Dokpesi, Allison-Madueke and every other person who personalized our national cake is a witch-hunt, I have reported you to Ogun (god of iron) and Sango (god of thunder). If I have reported you to Christ, he may forgive you.
What exists in Nigeria I could say, is a government of irresponsibility, and this irresponsibility could not be portrayed more as reflected on state of roads that have become death traps to motorists; dual carriage highways have been turned into single-lanes because motorist avert bad spots, such as the Port Harcourt to Enugu, the Lagos to Benin, and many more. What motorists see on these roads are occasional patchy works, which are broken soon completed, thereby making the patch work a never-ending activity and financial pipeline of stealing the borrowed monies.
The Nigerian government is concern about how much to borrow and how much to loot through spurious contracts that leave Nigeria pegged in a debt hole. I see a nation where stealing and looting is the main objective of going into politics that even when the treasury has been suckle-dried; they borrow money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, etc, just to steal.
Families, in daily occurrence, lose their loved ones and breadwinners to road accidents and armed robberies on these roads, yet regime after regime remain insensitive to the heartbeat of the suffering of the people. For your conscience, another casualty of a failed state under your watch is that of Doyin Sarah Fagbenro, the 25year old Nigerian lady who spent twenty-three of her years in the United Kingdom, upon concluding her First and Second Degrees in Law she decided to return permanently to Nigeria. But Nigeria killed her on the Lekki/Ajah expressway around the Lekki Phase1 some weeks after she returned. She was a great potential.
Let us check through the history of the world, there would have been countries warned frequently and persistently about their impending collapse as Nigeria is being warned. Both at home and in the Diaspora, very many persons, ranging from statesmen, intellectuals, journalists, diplomats, historians, ordinary people like Donald Trump, etc, so many people with goodwill who are interested in Nigeria’s well-being and success are warning, emphasizing and re-emphasizing that Nigeria could soon disintegrate all in the name of ‘leadership of corruption’. Unhappily, the men and women who guide the Nigeria ship chose to ignore all these warnings. They are determined to continue managing the affairs of their country in their accustomed destructive-ways. It looks like a huge and malevolent force had grappled Nigeria in its grip, pushing and pulling Nigeria through an evil whirlwind towards some sort of predetermined cataclysm!
Mahatma Gandhi could not have thought less of Nigerian society in his philosophical mind when he warns against “seven social sins”, namely: politics without principle, wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without ‘conscience, education without character, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice’. According to Gandhi, corruption triumphs where these sins exist. So has been with Nigeria where politicians throw morality to the dogs and cover faces with pig’s shame in competition for who loots more in a system of ‘lootocracy’.
In the background of all our lives as Nigerians these days, the unbelievable drama of influential Nigerians raping and degrading Nigeria goes surrealistic. It is as if we Nigerians are a sub-human or sub-species of the human-species, incapable of recognizing, appreciating or desiring the higher values of human life, and confidently absorbed in snatching at, scrambling for, whatever is low and degrading, and only appetite-satisfying, in the making of man. Because our leaders and rulers are too busy salivating at the sight of the enormous cash flowing daily from our revenues, and too engrossed in schemes for stealing the money, they have no room for concern for the destruction of this country that is growing up daily.
Funnily enough, Olisa Metuh, alleged of stealing of country’s money was brought to court handcuffed, then it was we poor masses that started crucifying President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of ethnic bigotry, have we lost our senses? When shall we start looking at things with a perspective of “One Nigeria”? So, it’s now a thief that determines how he should be dressed and addressed? Even in the history of Slavery, the slave that threatens hid lord is always being given a special attention, he’s always being chained.
Where are the rights and liberty of Nigerians? Have Nigerians been intimidated to the point of “zombie” mentality that they do not question unethical acts? Why must Nigerians be frightened like caged animals to speak out or protest for their God given human rights? Sadly, the people have unfaithfully accepted that life is nothing but worthy of living in crawling poverty and crippling diseases – the notion of fear and defeat.
Nigerian citizens must be responsible for their development and wellbeing in order to attain freedom and dignity. Citizens must be willing to stand up to reclaim the worth of their life that has been inhumanly shattered. The solution to corruption cannot be found in never-ending prayers without works, but in actions of citizens that reawaken their faith in themselves to bring about change that would reset the tide of corruption that rapidly destroys a people and a continent. A people may be politically oppressed and deprived of freedom and liberty to share in equal opportunities of the wealth of their nations, and economically inflicted with poverty, but when filled with rage of emotions for change the demand for good governance and freedom from dust bowl of poverty spring within ball of fire for change, so is true of social revolutions taking place in various countries across the world – from east of Europe in the heartland of the Baltic to north of Africa in the fringes of the Mediterranean.
Above all, we commoners’ must begin a march to save the country so that their children’s children will eventually have a remnant piece of a landmark to pledge allegiance to as a country. We must recognize the fundamental truth that development depends on good governance. May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain!
To me, there is any valid question in saying that President Muhammadu Buhari would bring about the ‘change’ he promised? Would he get our money back from its looters or that Nigeria would regain its lost glories soon? I refuse to be fooled you know, repeated examples have shown that government does not have good intent for probe panels; it is only a smoke screen to appease the masses when outcry against corporate corruption becomes loudest. The big question is how different Nigerian people will respond this time. O ye Nigerians, Cry! Our hands aren’t beggars’ bowls, but owners’ bags and purses! O ye Nigerians, Cry!
Lastly and off-context, I would love to say that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may receive all the awards in the world, but the fact that he is not returning to lead Nigeria gives me joy, hope and peace of mind. I mean, the main aim of going into politics should be to influence our communities and country positively; not to make money or allow people make money.
By: ABDUL-AZEEZ, Burhan Olaitan
(300-Level, History and International Studies, University of Ilorin)
