by Chinwendu Eze-Basil
Building an economy is not a spiritual edification neither is it a political concert; you don’t get things done through offertory or through praise and worship, rather you build an economy through concerted efforts at formulating policies and providing frameworks, structural adjustments and institutional reforms.
Since 1958 when oil was discovered, Nigeria’s economy lost direction and definition. We have never known or agreed on how best to utilize our oil wealth, the consequence of which has been disjointed and incongruous administrative voyages, one government to another. While we were at our useless best, our challenges were understandably and coordinately growing. Under-development, stagnation, decadence, criminality, corruption, intolerance, political uncertainty, etc, became much more prominent. Nigeria was crumbling before our eyes, but then…
…the oil boom of the 21st century came to our rescue and with it, promises of growth and fulfillment. In a democracy one would have expected that our miracle had arrived. We started recycling leaders each with an agenda different from the other, but clearly not in the interest of the country
From Babangida’s chop-I-chop policy, to Abacha’s do-as-I-command frameworks, through to Obasanjo’s godfather agenda, we grew from grass to grass and not a momentary leap in grace. Our states had become so lazy and only went for pilgrimage in Abuja at the end of every month for salvation. Every month-end became Christmas and Santa was on the throne of charitable donations. Like prodigal children as is usual with lazy people, whatever was gotten from the corner of the fire, ended up in a corner of the mouth. We lost every sense and shred of productive ingenuity. Our understanding of internally generated revenue (IGR) was PAYEE taxes and income taxes. Yet, our challenges continued understandably and coordinately!
By some stroke of luck on the political spin, in came Yar’Adua. Challenged by health and the knowledge that he was close to his grave, he decided to take the chance to leave a mark. A good mark at that. The then President began a slow and steady coordinated reorganization and reorientation of our body polity. From left, right and centre, the judiciary gained it’s voice and the governors that came in with him started looking inwards. There was SHIRE in Rivers State, Delta Beyond Oil in Delta State. Uncommon Transformation in Akwa Ibom and a Revolution in Kano. Lagos thought real Commerce, Trade and Investment. Jigawa was on the rise, so was Ondo. A few were still without direction, but we were hopeful they would soon come around. In Owerri they were still quarreling with Catholic Priests, they were running from Courts to Shrines in Anambara, while Abia was busy dismantling Orji Kalu and erecting billboards of Ochendo. Yar’Adua talked it, worked it and his body language transmitted it.
Yar’Adua attacked our corrupt electoral process and cut down cost of governance. He clearly articulated his policy framework in his 14 points agenda and everyone could see where the nation was headed. For the first time, hope had done a U-turn at the boundary and was returning home.
…but you know life and it’s intrigues. Yar’Adua died sooner than he and Nigerians expected…
There came onboard, his understudy. A certain Goodluck Jonathan from the creeks of the Niger Delta. Naive and inexperienced at Nigeria’s national politics, he managed to emerge Acting President, after a period of intense shenanigans and political mutiny. Yar’Adua’s little time had left a huge legacy and Jonathan’s national appeal all left him with the challenge to write his name in gold or in ordinary delible ink. Which choice did he make?
Aside his many human deficiencies and atypical politics, he put together a 21st century cabinet and asked the critical questions.
– which way Nigeria?
– how is the way?
The answers seemed in these directions:
Capacity building
Infrastructure
Institutional reforms, and
Efficiency in implementation.
Then, save for the rainy day.
The consciousness grew from boundary to boundary and Africa was on the path of growth, but Jonathan forgot…
He forgot that he is a naive and inexperienced chap from a minority region.
He forgot that change is burdened with sacrifices.
He forgot that it is only the man who lives that can fulfill his dreams.
He went about carelessly and without regard for his political safety and that of his 7point agenda. And the wounded power brokers cashed in, supported by an able ally in America and UK, the conspiracy heightened. America knew that if Africa gained economic independence, she was finished. UK knew that if Africa grew, nonsense would be made of their imperiality. Like they did in Libya and Iraq under the cover of fighting insurgency, they found willing tools in the desperate power mongers in the North and the gluttony of the cabal in the South.
The petroleum subsidy removal was successfully resisted…
The sovereign wealth fund (a reserve for the rainy day) was dismantled and the savings shared…
Insecurity and all sorts of distractions were energized…
AND OIL PRICES WERE DROPPING!
Today, reality is here with us and so is a new government. The government founded on conspiracy and other nations political expediencies. An old and tired horse of a retired politician belonging to an era of yesterday was dragged out of the stables and imposed on the lane of a fast paced economic environment. A race too swift for his epic joints and too modern for his infamous ideas of 1983-1985.
The result has been confusion everywhere:
Today a statement is made and before dawn it is reversed.
Today we are all criminals and before dawn we beg investors to come deal with us.
Today there is no economic team or direction, but we have a full regalia of media snipers and assassins.
Today we hear promises, but before dawn they are denied.
Today the the currency is exchanging at N425 to a dollar (America gains) and N505 to a pound (UK gains), yet there is no remedy or a plan towards remedy.
Today we have a budget proposal soaked in the worst kind of corruption since Nigeria’s independence, yet we are busy chasing rats.
Today court orders are flagrantly disobeyed by the Federal Government and no one dares criticize it.
Today our weather has become so hot, a situation that will surely affect farm yields, but the Minister for Agriculture and his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment have not found this an issue.
Today Boko Haram is stronger and have wrecked more havoc in 8 months than they did in 4 years.
Today the Chibok Girls are still missing and we only talk about them in whispers.
Everyone knows Agriculture is the only sustainable safety net we can immediately embrace, but we have a Minister whose only statement since assuming office is putting blames on Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Program of 30 years ago.
It is almost a year since President Buhari arrived, yet he and his gladiators continue like they are still campaigning.
Which way, Nigeria?
Someone needs to tell President Buhari and his cabinet that the leadership of a nation is not the art of global junketeering, nor conventional tourism. It is time to bring to the dining table, what he has been cooking since his 12 years old attempts at being President.
The time to get to work is now!
Chinwendu Eze-Basil is a thinker, business development and sales expert, campaign strategist and political analyst. He lives and works in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He can be reached by email HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
