By Faith Abu
It’s another wonderful week again my fellow country people and I welcome you all to an entertaining read. As I was planning my daily schedule ,I decided to watch a program on television and it caught my eyes, a debate on restructuring Nigeria.
I have seen successive governments come with different wonderful ideas on how to move Nigeria to the promised land, but have also successively failed . Ranging from President Olusegun Obasanjo to the seven point Agenda man, President Umaru Musa Yaradua, and the The transformation Agenda “ Apostle” Goodluck Jonathan, we have always had shattered dreams and broken promises.
These administrations worked with some of the best brains in some appointed positions, the likes of Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the then Coordinating Minister of the Economy(CME) .She served under President Olusegun Obasanjo and was again recalled to serve as CME during Jonathan’s administration . We had people like Mallam Nasiru Elrufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who did a fantastic job in ensuring that the master plan of Abuja was adhered to by everyone in the Federal Capital Territory.
Although ,it didn’t go down well with everybody because he had step on toes , it was El rufai’s will power that the Federal Capital Territory is what it is today in terms of development. Also, we had a good CBN governor who by virtue of his intellect and training knew his onions . Prof. Charles Soludo who brought the idea of recapitalization in our banking sector made the sector thrive during his days in office.
Thanks to the recapitalization .Nigerians knew banks that were doing well those that had to merge with others to become stronger. We had the Minister of Education Oby Ezekwensili who in her capacity did well. Also Prof Dora Akunyili of blessed memory did a wonderful job at NAFDAC which the agency is still enjoying till today.
Due to her willpower and intellect, she was able to leave a definite mark in NAFDAC .She left a track record that in my opinion no other person that served in the same capacity has been able to surpass . I also saw in her a leader per excellent who did the best she could to project Nigeria when she became the Minister of Information. Dora initiated the program “Rebrand Nigeria”
President Olusegun Obasanjo also did the best he could during his reign. He executed some laudable projects and ensured that peace reigned in the country .Obasanjo also increased workers’ salaries and brought the GSM to Nigeria. But his best was not good enough for Nigeria.
I thought there would be continuity in terms of development with regards to Seven Point Agenda of late President Yaradua. Within his short stay in office, he granted amnesty to the Niger Delta militants before he passed away due to ill health. I saw in him a leader who had Nigeria’s interest at heart , but death cut short his vision.
Then emergedt Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, immediate past President . Nigerians felt they could identify with him. They gave him their full support as they saw him as a youthful President who had the interest of the masses at heart.
President Goodluck Jonathan tried his best as a gentle man to move Nigeria forward with his Transformation Agenda, but couldn’t deliver to the expectation of the general masses, Although he had good plans, but he lacked the will power to deliver his mandate . I blame him for the failure of the masses to vote him into office for second term because we had great expectations when we voted him in 2011..
Then came APC for Change. It was the same change we craved and clamoured for during Goodluck’s tenure that brought in President Muhammadu Buhari. Interestingly, Nigerians waited for so long to see the set of ministers Buhari would work with. To my greatest disappointment, he brought some people who have been in government before. Even at that, I expected him to still work with the former CME but no, he brought in a new Finance Minister. Although , Fashola did well as Lagos State Governor , I am yet to see him perform the same magic in the power sector. The former governor needs to do more in terms of electricity tariff and power supply which is one of the basic need of the masses. Nigeria can tap into solar energy to address our power needs.
We have over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria each of which has been marginalized in one way or the other. We have three major ethnic groups which are Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. Among these three, there has been a major marginalization of the Igbos, this is why they crying out for Biafra. The truth is that Nigerians are just simply tired of being ruled by a set of political elite who seems incapable of moving the country forward.
Like many ,I am calling for restructuring of Nigeria through a peaceful referendum so that people who are willing to work can move this country forward. I look forward to a Nigeria where the rule of law speaks and stands for the people and we can say bye to a legislative arm of government making a caricature of governance . We are also looking forward to vibrant Executive and Judicial arms that will be free of corruption.
Presently things are falling apart, we are battling recession as a nation, insecurity in the North and South, just to mention a few of our challenges. Who can help Nigeria and save us from our political elites and their collaborators?
I recommend that we should have continuity culture and also maintenance culture so that we can stop moving in the same circle. It is a shame that Nigeria is 57, yet we are still crawling in terms of development due to incompetence leaderships at the three tiers of government.
May God save and deliver us from greedy politicians
