Avoiding The Root In Analysis Will Be An Effort In Futility; Can We Have A Nigeria Of Our Dream? -By Mallam AbdulFatah Olalekan Egunleti

The #EndSARS protest that is looming over the country has of course taken another nomenclature. The appellation “EndSARS” erupted from the brutality and cruelty of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, under the auspices of Nigerian Police Force, which youth are -of course- the major victims.

The protest graduated from #EndSARS to #Endpolicebrutality, then #Endbadgovernance, which majority believe we are really under a bad governance and still support the course.

Concurrently, a lot of placards were displayed showing: “Buhari resign”, Buhari this, Buhari that. Some sincere protesters were on the street, but at a point lost the control of the protest, while some chose to unleash mayhem through their social media handles by spreading fake news in order to trigger the anger of fellow citizens which has transcended into destroying and looting properties. Only God knows their sponsors or ulterior motives…

Countless of write ups and talks from analysts have started coming out, analysing the fault of governance in the Buhari’s administration.

No doubt, President Buhari is the current President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and changes seem not to have been felt since his emergence. However, in my opinion, our problems should not be confined into his administration when analysing and finding solutions to the problems of this country called Nigeria, except the analysis isn’t devoid of hatred or being sponsored to stir orderliness.

In an attempt to holistically analyse our problems and fix the fiasco once and for all, after knowing our real enemies, I will like to guide your attention to some precedented facts about the country;

One of the major impetus of Nigeria’s misfortune is the corrupt adherence and unaccountable stance of majority of our leaders which has been in existence for as long as we attained independence. (You are at liberty to hang your opinion around the belief that; this administration is more corrupt or previous administration is).

Nigeria is indubitably one of the most fertile countries in the world and the richest in terms of natural resources, however, those free gifts of nature are not being harnessed to the benefits of Nigerians (fact).

The questions now come in; were those resources discovered during Buhari’s administration? Why have they not been harnessed to the benefits of Nigerians before now? Why have there been sufferings even before the Buhari’s time?

The oil that Nigeria relies upon was first discovered in 1956, the British set the country free in 1960, that was when the first oil well was dug in Nigeria. Since 1970 to date, Nigeria has made unimaginable trillions of Naira from oil, which has once made Nigerian average income to be the same as the average income of the whole of Africa. In this stance, Nigeria ought to have been competing with developed nations using the huge income from the oil. What has Nigerian government done with those incomes, even before this present time?

It was unheard of all through the colonial era that food was scarce on the table of families, but reverse has always been the case since independence as the gap of pervasive inequality between the infinitesimally few moneybags and the vast ocean of poor citizens of the Country continue to widen. Buhari didn’t start this (fact)…

The outrageous take home of politicians is another cancerworm of corruption that has eaten deep and become the overloading apron of Nigeria. However, from my last check, the set up committee that recommended this outrageous payment for  National Assembly members wasn’t set up during Buhari’s era. Thus, if we are truly determined to question the present status quo on their take-home, we need to go back and look at those who were parts of the committee, check their justifications and then challenge them appropriately. More so, the process should not be limited to NASS.

The system of governance that Buhari met and started operating upon is something that should also be looked at. One of the major faults of this administration is the change Nigerians expected from them, owing to their change crusade. Only for them to come and continue with the odd system.

On the stance of the forgoing and lots more, I believe no political party or an individual would see the present protest by the youths as a plus for them. This implies that, none of the past leaders should sit an watch the house of his closed neighbour burning without lending his assistance or feeling unrest. Forgetting that if the fire is not collectively quenched, his house is the next to catch fire.

THE WAY FORWARD

With the recent happenings in the country, especially the wake up of youths from their slumber, which #EndSARS protest is an indication, I strongly believe that Nigeria is on her road to Damascus.

‘The road to Damascus’ is an idiomatic expression that connotes an experience that results in a great change in a person’s attitudes or beliefs. The origin of the expression comes from the story in the Bible in which St Paul hears the voice of God on the road to Damascus and becomes a Christian (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th edition).

However, it is noticed that a lot of people agitate for a change of situation in Nigeria but fail to answer the question of ‘how?’.

In my opinion, Two major steps are to be worked upon to salvage our beleaguered nation and give us the Nigeria of our dream;

1. Changing the System.

2. Changing the mindsets.

1. CHANGING THE SYSTEM

The system by which Nigeria is being governed calls for a revisit. The question that troubles the mind is; How do we change a system that has long been the modus operandi in the country.

Albeit, we cannot go back to right our wrongs, but we can start newly and have a glorious nation of our dream. In our attempt to change the system, we must be ready to do the following;

i- Reduce and regulate the cost of electioneering process. This has always been an unprecedented way of inducing embezzlement in Nigeria, yet a constraint for credibility and pavement for mediocrity in the position of authority.

ii- All political parties should have workable blueprints for the country and some key developmental policies/projects should be interdenominational between the blueprints. These shall be presented to the National Assembly and approved for the betterment of the country after proper scrutiny, hence, it should be one of the prerequisites for a political party to get registered with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This should also be extended across all states. Any political party that so wish to deviate from the approved blueprint should be deregistered by INEC.

iii- Our representatives at the National Assembly, both the House of Representatives and Senate should be made to realize that they are there to represent their people in their respective constituencies, not their families or for personal aggrandizement. A section during the sittings should be about presentations by the members of the Chambers, where everyone will present the consensus of his/her people from his/her constituency/district on the contending issues in the house/country. This implies that every member will be under obligation to consult and have meetings with the people in his/her constituency/district, paherps every month or every three month. By so doing, every part of the Nigeria will contribute to the progress of the country and have a sense of belonging.

iv- The financial attachment to our political offices is ordinarily an apparatus of forgetfulness, which can make anyone deviate from the clarion call and get him obsessed by money and power. Their salaries and other financial benefits should be regulated to keep the service to humanity alive.

v- Our Governors, Local Government Chairmen and Councilors should be held accountable by the citizens for lack of rural development. Our focus should not always be centered on the Federal Government. We spare these people too much, so they do what they like.

vi- Where there’s no justice, there’s no unity, and Where there’s no unity, there’s no progress. Thus, every part of the country should be treated with utmost fairness. No region should treat Nigeria as their personal property.

vii- Nigeria constitution needs to be revisited. Nigerians are not made for constitution, rather, constitution should be made to fit Nigerians and Nigeria.

viii- From what has been experienced so far, I suggest that no political officer should go for a second term. We can increase the years in a tenure but no second term.

ix- A satisfactory modus vivendi across religious beliefs and groups should be considered when sharing the dividends of governance. No religious group or region should feel marginalised.

x- In ancient China, King Chik’ang Tzu, notorious for his corruption and profligacy, sought the advice of the famous Chinese philosopher, Confucius, on how to deal with thieves in his kingdom. The philosopher replied: If you, sir, did not covet things that don’t belong to you, they wouldn’t steal if you paid them to.

The response of the philosopher has encapsulated the inextricable link between the ways of the rulers and the followers. The conducts of the masses are only a reflection of those of their leaders. So, the frightening crime rate in Nigeria today is only a symptom of the criminality of the ruling class.

xi- A body of religious scholars who are upright should be set up to certify religious leaders who are to go on air or even preach at a worship centre. The effect of nothing having this may seem infinitesimal, however, the chunk of Nigeria leaders are either Muslims or Christians.

xii- Our judiciary should be reformed and be absolutely independent.

With those suggestions, our system can gradually change to what we desire.

2. CHANGING THE MINDSETS

National Orientation Agency (NOA) has a lot of responsibilities to discharge in changing the orientation or the mindsets of Nigerians. This may require the agency to seek the cooperation of religious leaders, community leaders and the media.

Honestly, the experience got through some youths holding offices or during discussion has made me realize that what we claim to be our problems are not our actual problems. Age, religion, tribe etc are not our problems, but our mindsets.

We need to reshape our mindsets towards a progressive Nigeria.

On a final note, let me blow your mind by suggesting that; if we have a trusted military, they should take over the leadership of this country for just six months to reset all these and come back for a new Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Thank you.