Now That Nigeria Is 60, When Will Leaders Create Enabling Environment For The People? -By Isaac Asabor

As an African proverb says, when a farmer superciliously beats his chest at the market square and announces that his son would one day build him a better hut than the one he built for himself and later on in life give him a befitting burial when he dies, then one does not need a soothsayer to tell him that he must have, over the years, harvested enough tubers and invested same towards the child’s future. Viewed from the standpoint of the foregoing, it may not be erroneous to think that the late American president, John F. Kennedy was very confident of the enabling environment which the then American leaders created for Americans coupled with the investment made on their future when he said, in his inaugural speech as the 35th president of the United States, “…ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

The foregoing quote, which has somewhat become a catch phrase for motivational speakers and rhetoricians in this part of the world, is already been misinterpreted, mouthed and hyped as it understandably does not really fit into the pitiable situation of most deprived Nigerians whenever it is applied to calm their frayed nerves or to pep them up.

The reasons why the inspirational quote seems to be a throwaway to many Nigerians can be understood from the viewpoint of the fact that the motivational elements that consist of intensity, direction, and persistence are diametrically opposed to the unconducive environment that Nigerians operate in. Yet they have turned the saying by JFK to a mantra of sort. Whenever any agitated and depressed Nigerian is told “…ask what you can do for your country”, it is logical for him or her to sharply retort, “How is it possible for me to give back to the country that has not invested anything on me?” The reason for the unarguable mordant reply cannot be farfetched as many Nigerians today have resorted to self-help as they now on their own provide electricity for their households and business places since the government has somewhat relinquished the responsibility to them. For instance, in most communities, it is the people that contribute monies to safeguard themselves from attacks by criminally-minded people. In the same vein, most people in most rural communities, through associations, unions and other communal platforms have been involved in raising funds to repair bad roads, schools, hospitals and what have you.

Without any smidgeon of amplification, many Nigerians have every reason to be angry given the unwholesome realities that daily confronts them. For instance, for decades down the line, millions of our children that have been graduating from both various tertiary institutions of learning have been unemployed, while some of them that cannot bear the pang caused by unemployment any longer have resorted to become under employed by doing menial jobs, or accepting appointments in lower positions instead of staying at home doing nothing. Worse still, some of them that have been brainwashed by politicians have been literarily conscripted as leg-soldiers for electioneering campaign and thuggery. With all these, it is expedient to ask, what can Nigeria as a country at 60 offer the people for them to become like citizens of other countries that are in the mold of America, Germany, and United Kingdom among others?

The truth that is inherent in this piece is bitter as it is necessary now that Nigeria has attained 60 years to sound it loud to self-styled patriots of this nation. It is obvious that if the truth is not told, the myriads of obstacles that are standing in the way of the people may not be adequately removed for them to begin to experience better life or benefit from the so called “dividends of democracy”.

Without any modicum of exaggeration, Nigerians have for ages been subjected to the retrogressive factors of abject neglect by the government, exploitation by slave drivers and criminalization by politicians who are bent on winning elections at all costs in the spirit of “do-or-die.”

What can most Nigerians give to a country whose leaders have rendered them famished, incapacitated and demoralized so much so that many of them have resorted to beggarly way of living. Even some unemployed youths, who are invariably graduates from various tertiary institutions have taken to “Okada” and “Keke Marwa” businesses to keep body and soul together. Even some youths who went against all odds to become entrepreneurs without support from any quarters hardly have a reliable power supply to keep their businesses going not to talk of having motorable roads constructed to link with their places of business. Most of these creative and entrepreneurial youths are today out of their businesses owing to paucity of funds, a situation that when accessible, was worsened by high interest rates charged by banks. The banks themselves are operating in a non-conducive business environment. It is as bad as that! Then, what does the government want the people to give back to the country?

The need to express this opinion has become imperative because some leaders, such as motivational speakers and politicians, particularly now that Nigeria has attained the the somewhat ripe age of 60, seem to be abusing this saying made by one of the world’s visionary leaders that knew that the people needed to be equipped with enabling environment to thrive, and in turn give back to the country that gave them the enabling environment. To me, most people that are wont to mouth this inspirational saying are completely ignorant of the underlying motives of the saying. The saying is not meant for the Nigerians that have literarily being thrown into the cesspit of hardship. It is not meant for youths that are left to jay walk the streets many years after graduation. It is equally not meant for workers that earn 25,000 per month even when the payment is irregular.

To me, majority of Nigerians can hardly give anything to the country as they are yet to find themselves on the pedestal of an enabling environment. For instance, most artisans in the country are running their businesses without electricity been provided by the government. Rather, they are the ones running their businesses on generators. Not only that, most of them cannot access much publicized loans meant for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). If I may ask again, what has the government given to Nigerians so far for them to give back in return?

There is no denying the fact that the sincere Nigerians that have shown in interest in becoming self-employed or venturing into partisan politics are always frustrated by those who are somewhat the ones that proverbially have the knives and the yams. They are the ones that decide who to favor or who to frustrate. Nigerians are now in a society where tin-gods hold the sway both at the corridors of power and business circles. The maxim now is, “You-must-know-somebody-to-be-somebody. Majority of Nigerians have been zealously and patriotically showing interest of contributing their quotas to the national growth but they are not always encouraged or given the opportunity to do so.

At this juncture, it is pertinent to ask the leaders that are steering the ship of the Federal Government of Nigeria that now that Nigeria is 60 years of age, what kind followers do they really want, and what kind of gift do they really want them to give to the nation. In view of the above puzzling questions, our leaders are in a good position to choose the quality of contributions they want from the Nigerians who are yearning for enabling environment to thrive.

It is germane to point out at this juncture that JFK’s 1961 inauguration address was marked by sparkling phrase-making among which is “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” In the light of the deep wisdom that is inherent in the foregoing speech, one is tempted to ask what our leaders want from Nigerians. Is it violence they want from them? It is not false to say that they are getting enough of it from many of the youths in the northern part of the country that have unpatriotically and defiantly joined the dreaded Boko Haram sect, and some youths in the southern part of the country that have resorted to the ignoble act of kidnapping.

Still in the same nexus, if they want Nigerians to be giving back to the country by creating unsafe environment across the nation, they should be rest assured that they are already getting that from some vulnerable youths that have literarily strayed away from various institutions of learning, to the streets and clubs.

Finally, the essence of this piece is to let our leaders decide what they actually want from Nigerians. If they want peace, they should begin to initiate people-centered policies and programmes. On the other hand, if they want violence from the Nigerians it is left to them. They should not forget that the people cannot give what they do not have. Above all, they should realize that Nigeria is now 60 years. Is it when the country literarily becomes over-aged and old that the people will begin to enjoy the unquantifiable natural resources which God has in His infinite mercy blessed her with?