There was a dream ( What Happened To Vision 2020? Why did it Fail and Why is Nigeria Not Developed in Line With it?) -By Ambi Moses

Almost everyone is familiar or has heard about “American Dream”. The American dream is the idea that the government of the US should protect each person’s opportunity to pursue their idea of happiness and success. Unlike many other nations, you are not required to follow your father’s profession. Your destiny is not  determined at birth by caste, religion, or gender. There are still discrimination, but the law of the US protects that right

It is the national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals(democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success as well as in upward social mobility for families and children achieved through hardworking in a society of few barriers.

Once upon a time, not too long ago, Nigeria too had a dream. Sadly, it was only a dream! We were never there.

The year 2010 marked the beginning of hope for the average Nigerian as the president at the time His Excellency Umaru Musa Yar’Adua mapped out plans for an economic blueprint for the country with the set target for 2020. Nigeria was the 30th economy in the world, leading most of the European , Asian and African countries. Then, the vision 20:2020 was established with a view to putting Nigeria on the rank of world 20 best economies by the year 2020. Conceived by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2006, the blueprint of Vision 20:2020 was drafted and launched in September 2009 to the joy of Nigerians by late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration amidst celebration and fanfare.
I know this sounds somewhat unreal, considering the hell we currently swim in. But there was a time, not too long ago, when all hope was not lost in this nation.

The news of that dream shook the very foundation of Africa; made Egyptians blush in envy, South Africans shrivel in shock and Kenyans marvel in amusement. Here was a Black Nation that dared to dream big! What next? They imagined; Vision 10:2030? Vision 1:2050? Vision Superpower! We intimidated other African countries into submission with our unimaginable dreams and aspirations. But all that was nonsense.

India and Egypt too had dreams for 2020. They not only achieved their vision 2020, they have also been able to surpass their imagination almost in its totality. Year 2020 has come and gone. Sadly, we are not in any way close to achieving that dream. The question which always comes to mind is why have our policies as a nation always failed? Whilst many accuse the foreign and local forces behind our woes, some based it on ethno-religious differences, lack of education, insecurity and corruption. I also have my own view on it.

The long-term plan did not make a dent on Nigeria’s developmental challenges as many Nigerians are in worse socioeconomic conditions than ever before.

Nigeria now has the highest number of people living in extreme poverty across the world, with an estimated 86.9 million people said to be living on less than N381 a day. The World Poverty Clock said the figure increases every six months. That several economic malaises including insecurity, epileptic power supply, week infrastructure and institutions still plague the country suggests that the broader objectives of the goal are still out of reach.

Experts have pointed to a series of long-term trends, from poor execution to weak evaluation as some reasons why the vision failed to meet its mandate. But what actually happened to Vision 2020? This is a question even the advocates of the audacious goal are yet to answer considering the jubilation, passion and pageantry that heralded its offtake.

The leading problem is that every government would come up with programmes that suit themselves instead of being futuristic. Whenever a region proffers a solution to burning issues, another region would be turning it down. Developing a country is like a marathon, when you get to a point you give a baton to the next and the race continues until the finish line is reached. I’ve not really seen this in the case of Nigeria. If we had a sense of belonging, development would be easy and perhaps evenly shared. There would be no reason to kill, kidnap or behead our fellow Nigerians for no justifiable reasons. pipelines wouldn’t be vandalised. We would be praying for Nigeria and not cursing her, there would be no nepotism and bias in political appointments , square pegs would be put in square holes. Until the above are addressed truthfully, Nigeria’s development isn’t guaranteed.

Frank Tie-Tie, a human rights lawyer, described vision 2020 as a “one-sided” vision that was designed to fail.

“It failed because it was meant to fail. Citizens did not buy into it; they were not carried along,” he explained.

“There was a serious disconnect between the visionaries and the citizens. Also, the corporate citizens did not buy into it, the political class did not believe in it because they did not develop it, it’s more of a technical document and they don’t even understand it. “We have accidental politicians who often drive personal agenda over visions on a piece of paper. The target was only cosmetics and there was no commitment to making it a success.”

Lanre Suraju, an anti-corruption advocate, said the goal was “always propaganda and more of a campaign to gain some measure of credibility at both local and international level for them (government) to be considered to be working towards an agenda.” An analyst, Ayo Olukotun, in an article published by Punch Newspaper likened the audacious goal as a “beautiful architectural drawing that signaled the possibilities of utopia, bereft, however, of precise or significant steps towards laying a foundation, much less, building the proposed edifice”. ‘No clear relationship with similar targets’. One thing is for sure; Vision 2020 was a TOTAL FAILURE.

We have fallen on hard times over and over. Times that have made our slow march of progress, even slower. Yet Nigerians’ resilience has continued to drag her economy forward. Bloodied but unbowed. A lumbering giant that refuse to succumb to its wounds.

My Call to Action:

Dear Citizens, we must awaken from our slumber. Get our PVCs, join the right political movements, become passionate about saving this country, elect visionary leaders (with at least above average IQ). Come election days henceforth, let’s seize this country from Ruthless Cabals, Sinister Oppositions and all  Gathering Dark Forces. I know there are still ”fools” like me who believe this Nation can uplift the black race and survive and rise and conquer and become a beacon of hope for the African continent  – our very own “Wakanda” Republic.

Never, ever, ever should we give in
For all is lost, when hope is gone!