Zoning or merit: what path Nigeria?
By Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani
Nigeria, the most populous African country: endowed, cerebral, and should have been one of the most promising countries in the world has democracy as its form of government.
This has not always been the case for a country that will be celebrating her 61st anniversary as an independent country on October 1, 2021. Nigeria’s path to Independence was rather long, laced with procrastination, and unlike most of her fellow African countries. Some of them getting Independence earlier than Nigeria, even when Nigeria was more prepared to handle the travails of life in a newly independent country.
Some of the founding fathers of Nigeria, especially from the northern part of the country had a hand in how this panned out. So many accounts point to the fact that they did all that to protect the interests of our compatriots from the north, who were lagging behind in education, what is referred to as western education, especially in northern Nigeria to differentiate it from the Islamic education, which the north was already well established as a region, with the Kanem Bornu empire having a documented history of more than a millennium in Islamic scholarship.
Thus, some of the founding fathers thought that having independence at one point in time would have affected their region in managing the affairs of an independent state. They worked and took their time in preparation for having what it took to run self-government, which in the end delayed our independence from colonial rule. I hold no brief for any of them despite the fact that I will always have utmost esteem for all of our founding fathers’ because of their contributions to our dear country.
Six decades after Independence. We have tested disparate forms of government and systems. In these periods, Nigeria has seen what it means to be under any of these. It has taken us a long time to settle for what we today practise: democracy. Having experienced many civilians and military regimes in Nigeria. This civilian, democratic dispensation has lasted longer than any in our quest for true nationhood.
When on May 29, 1999, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo mounted the podium to take the most sacred oath of office, as the President and Commander-in-chief of the Nigerian armed forces. It was not only in fulfilment of the legitimate aspirations of Nigeria for a sound democratic country but also the inherent freedoms, respect for rule of law, justice, and all ensuing benefits of living in a country where a much-revered document, the constitution explicitly guaranteed all rights that preserve as well as uphold the dignity of all citizens irrespective of faith, region, gender, age, social status, etc.
22 years afterwards we are yet to decide on even the most salient of issues, which deciding who governs the country forms a big part of it at any given time. Since the zoning lexicon was introduced in the 2nd republic by the iconic Dr K.O Mbadiwe, zoning has taken centre stage throughout. Becoming more prominent by every electioneering even when it has been assumed erroneously to become less crucial. In fact, zoning in Nigeria is like the proverbial cat with nine lives that has refused to die.
Zoning of positions has taken an integral place in the political office sharing formula prior to elections and endorsements among political power cycle whether subtly or glaringly. It has reached a point where zoning has almost become a norm. Even though, it is not enshrined in our constitution or clearly stated in the constitution of any of the major political parties in Nigeria to the best of my knowledge. But there seems to be an unwritten rule vividly engraved in the minds of most of the major political actors, followers, average politicians, political pundits, etc. It is a stark reality that there is a gentleman agreement that drives agitation for zoning in the political sphere of Nigeria. This has continued to lead the quest for power at all levels: regions, zones, states, local governments, districts, wards, villages, etc.
Yet, we have failed as a nation to give zoning the priority it deserves in our political discourse. As far as Nigeria is concerned, we are living in self-denial as regards zoning. Zoning is abhorred, cherished, and even discussed when political interests are at stake on many occasions without the pure intent of the interest of the masses at heart. Examples abound in many states of Nigeria where people could study and comprehend zoning. I will dwell more on the presidency, which today is the focal point of strong proponents of zoning who have resolved to ride on the back of it to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, the Nigerian President’s official workplace and residence.
‘The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region,’ said in a communique issued at the conclusion of the meeting of governors of Southern Nigeria at the Lagos State Government House, Ikeja, Lagos State, on Monday, July 5, 2021, Nigeria.
While the same journey to the coveted Aso rock villa has invited the wrath of the sudden champions of merit over zoning, or any political consideration, the problem is that one doesn’t just grasp anything when zoning is the topic of discussion. For the same proponents of zoning today who believe it is the flawless solution to our difficult decision of the leadership of our country at any given time, most of them were the people who were absolutely against it and clearly asserted that it impedes our progress as a country. They believed only the best deserved to lead this country.
‘The Forum observed that some Northern States Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three Geo-Political Zone in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the Nation. Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemn the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South. The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall:- score the majority votes; score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation. In the case of run-up simple majority win the election,’ one of the resolutions of the Northern States Governors’ Forum meeting with Northern Emirs and Chiefs held on Monday, September 27, 2021, in Kaduna.
Today, the views remain astoundingly the same but the majority of those who shared them have seamlessly changed positions from Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria, which has sizeable influence in the political scene. Afenifere pan Yoruba socio-political group. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is the apex Igbo socio-political group. Northern Elders Forum, Southern Governors forum, an avalanche of powerful politicians from all over the country, and just recently Northern Governors Forum followed suit, etc.
When former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan succeeded his boss, late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua I could vividly recall the north was against his candidacy, especially the PDP chieftains from the north who said it was the north’s tenure. I recounted the national press is awash with news that concentrated on the candidacy of the then occupant of the Presidential Villa, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. I remembered one of the popular songs then, which was urging him to contest. ‘Run, Goodluck, Run,’ which the amazon Onyeka Onwenu MFR recorded and released in 2011 in support of the former President’s electioneering.
Most of the people who are ardent supporters of zoning today are from the south and they were blatantly against it then and had the unconstitutionality of zoning as their chief reason. Of course, because it didn’t favour them. While those who are mostly antagonistic about it today, are amazingly from the north and have similar motives like those, who were against it then, certainly because it doesn’t favour them too now.
As it is President Muhammadu Buhari who hails from Katsina State, the northern part of the country finishing his last tenure. Should the next President come from the south, we would be back to this same situation in eight years time, if the needful is not done now. That is if we don’t make zoning constitutional now. We have to tackle this issue once and for all. If we fail to do it now, the northern and southern parts of Nigeria will simply change stance without any shame let alone remorse whenever it suits them. What country do we want to bequeath to our children and the future generations indeed, that is if we survive all these self-defeating and self-destruction onslaughts against the country? We must ponder on these things.
It must be noted some of these organisations I have mentioned above are not directly political in nature while others are. But they all have joined this discussion with all vigour, tenacity, and everything they have. This obviously shows that the issue of zoning in Nigeria has transcended political membership and affiliations. It has gone far beyond that.
Take the two different governors fora whose members come from different parties namely: the leading, All Progressives Congress, the main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance. This speaks volumes for anyone to understand that zoning is what should be thoroughly discussed. For it is what the politicians talk about all the time and reject it only when others are to benefit from it. It is laughable, worrisome, and unfortunate. But it is the most consistent thing about zoning I have painstakingly observed over the years in Nigeria. Take your time, follow, observe, and study Nigerian politics with an emphasis on zoning you would arrive at my point. Nigerians must not shy away from discussing zoning. We have to talk over it with a view to finding lasting solutions.
Over the years, I have constantly advocated for merit over zoning. I have remained consistent on that with copious evidence. But I think there is a need for acceptance of a little change or even outright in my position with the benefit of insight. Time and again the idea of zoning remains constant in Nigeria, while politicians decide what the masses support more often than not without the people having a clue that they are being sacrificed on the altar of self-serving political goals.
Yes, to be fair to them there are quite a number of politicians who are genuinely interested in the sincere and fair sharing of power at all tiers of government. This is a huge reason for us to push forward for a critical discourse that treats this matter frankly with the ultimate goal of eventually completing this seeming personal jigsaw that has refused to fall in place or more correctly we haven’t done much as Nigerians as regards to this.
‘As I ponder on today’s event, I remember with great euphoria that one striking beauty of democracy is the glamour and solidity of majority rule in which the greater number of the people participate in the decision-making process of the system. Hence, de-emphasizing majority rule is a strong negation of democracy and an attempt to deprive the society of that unalienable privilege. However, there is also, the other side of the coin in this discourse…’ because the classical democracy oversimplified its essence to the exaltation of the tyranny of the majority and to the chagrin of the oppressed minority. Thus it is the effort to diminish the tyranny of the majority that people came up with various ideas of which consensus democracy and zoning of political power, etc. are part of.
‘Nigeria’s multi-faceted problems can be encapsulated into economic, cultural, religious and political, but I am of the opinion, that if we can be able to get our politics right, the others will follow suit, this is because, no Nation can be able to achieve meaningful national development if the polity is corrosive, structurally imbalanced and defective, no matter the amount of abundant resources at its disposal,’ Senator (DR.) Ben Ndi Obi CON said, in a seminar organised in 2017 on zoning in Anambra State, Nigeria by Anambra State council of traditional rulers.
Nigerians have to comprehend the peculiarities of their country. It is a unique, complex, diverse, sharply divided along ethnic and religious lines country. If you are a Nigerian full aware of these and all the consequences of these, how best do you advocate that we address this? Do you think after seeing this issue arising over and over again that the best way is to remain static and gloomily speculate that things will change on their own? This is apparently not the best route to take.
Nigerian lawmakers must make new laws or enact ones that will make zoning constitutional until we hopefully reach a point where Nigerians comprehend that only the best or those we believe to be the best based on their proven records of excellence service regardless of region, faith, gender, etc deserve to lead us. I pray that time comes in our lifetime. I hope we all match prayers with great efforts to see it through.
For now, we must address this issue based on the urgency, the state of our polity, and our realities permit. I propose that zoning be institutionalised in Nigeria. This should be made by amending the Nigerian constitution to incorporate zoning into it. But this idea should experiment within some specific years. There should be a well-defined scope of the zoning. I suggest it should be first among regions and then geo-political zones. Regions here means the north and south. Geo-Political zones here represent the northeast, the north-central, the north-west, the south-east, south south, and south-west.
Everyone must be carried along if we must close loopholes that politicians exploit. What is good for the north should definitely be good for the south. What is bad for the north should surely be bad for the south vice versa. If this country should thrive, we must eschew all sentiments and pursue causes that aid the whole country. We must have mutual respect, understanding, and love for one another. It doesn’t help any of us being acrimonious.
So many Nigerians may not agree with what I proposed. As I earlier stated, I was not a supporter of zoning. I still prefer merit to it. But in a country like Nigeria with the level of ethnic tensions, misunderstanding, mistrust, mischief, polarisation, evil machinations, etc: it is for the best that we make sacrifices, test new ideas, or old ones we have shied away from in our aim to get a workable solution for the country we all love.
Nigeria needs an accommodating, more inclusive, and better polity that gives room for everyone, even if it means getting it turn-by-turn. With time, we could reach the level where Nigerians will decide that we do away with zoning. Our level of understanding, maturity and development will warrant that one day. Policies, legislation, laws, and whatever are there for the purpose and time they best serve. Once they are no longer fashionable, they don’t address issues they were made in the first place to; amendments or new ones outrightly will be employed.
Nothing is too complicated, overly strenuous, inconceivable, or even impossible to explore in the quest of building that truly great nation that will be the envy of other nations and a clear example of the incredible success that could be achieved when we get it right. I work and I long for the day we will get it right as a nation. Happy 61st Independence anniversary Nigeria. God bless Nigeria.
Abdulrazak Iliyasu Sansani wrote from Turaki B, Jalingo, Taraba State. He can be reached via abdulrazaksansani93@gmail.com.
Hausa language translation grows bigger in Kano
By Abubakar Muhammad Musa
The Nigerian Institute of Translation and Interpreters (NITI) formed Kano State Council*
Shortly after the International Translation Day organized by the National body, then a three member committee (the NITI National President Prof. Hafizu Miko Yakasai, NITI Publicity Secretary Mustapha Adamu Indabawa and Associate Professor Isa Yusuf Chamo HOD Linguistics & Foreign Languages, Bayero University Kano) coordinated the formation and inauguration of Kano State Council of the Institute. The following executive members were unanimously elected:
1. Mustapha Adamu Indabawa, MIIMA, MNITI – Chairman, Kano State Council.
2. Muhammad Sagir Abdullahi, MNITI: 1st Vice Chairman.
3. Dr. Halima Umar Sani, MNITI: 2nd Vice Chairman.
4. Yagana Ali: 3rd Vice Chairman.
5. Abubakar Muhammad Musa (Saraki), MNITI: Publicity Secretary.
6. Nadiya Muftahu Garba: Treasurer.
7.Dr. Isa Muhammad Inuwa, MNITI: Secretary General.
8. Ibrahim Is’haq Ɗan’uwa Rano: Assistant Secretary General.
9. Prof. Mustapha Ahmad Isa Former Vice Chancellor Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano: Ex-Officio.
10. Dr. Aminu Bello Muhammad, Registrar Kano University of Technology, Wudil: Ex-Officio.
Similarly, the NITI Kano State Council had seen the need for the formation of two special committees that would handle organization of the ITD at State Council level and Trainings for members of NITI at the State Council level. Thus, the two special committees were formed as follows:
i) A special Committee on International Translation Day, with Malam Nura Ahmad of Arewa24 as Chairman, while Malam Badsha Mukhtar and Patience Abo would serve as members of the Committee.
ii) Training and Capacity Building Committee: This Committee would handle seminars, capacity building workshops and professional trainings on translation and interpretation or anything relevant, this Committee would be under the watch of Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi, as Training Officer I and Dr. Jamilu Abdullahi – Training Officer II. Plus two other members fom the media.
Abubakar Muhammad Musa (Saraki), MNITI, Publicity Secretary NITI Kano State Council
What independence do we celebrate?
By Muhammad Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan
I still wonder about the “independence” that people celebrate on Social Media. Are we independent? Anyway, that’s a topic for Postcolonial theorists. However, I pity the barely Nigeria-educated boys and girls who blocked our roads yesterday shouting with fanfare about that “Independence”. Are they celebrating the blessed geographical entity called Nigeria or the non-working national system that was poorly set on the landmass exactly 61 years ago?
I for one find no reason to celebrate these years of bloodletting, corruption, political prostitution, misgovernance and economic mismanagement that destroy education, healthcare, transportation and hope. To respond to some commenters, I do not I receive “free education” from “Nigeria” nor pay very low tax. We all receive the education we pay for and also pay the tax that is barely seen in government’s projects.
We all pay school fees. One may argue that it is low compared to what is paid in other countries. However, the quality education that students receive in those countries is commensurate with what they pay. Here, we pay less money and get less, poor education. I believe he is sick in the head whoever thinks that parents should pay huge amount of money to enroll their children into the highly dilapidated public schools that have no toilets, no seats, no chalkboard let alone marker board; no teachers, no laboratories, no security and any academic aura.
Similarly, do we get electricity, roads, hospitals, schools, etc, from the little tax we pay? What we pay is even bigger than the little they give in return. Whatever subsidy that a government puts in place to ease the life of citizens does not exist in Nigeria. Yet some people tell you that Nigeria is the best country to live in. I pray may God heal their hearts!
The Peace and Unity that end our National Anthem are never true to the nation today. No region is peaceful or united from within let alone with other regions around. Everyday dozens of people die like fowls; tens are kidnapped and billions of Naira are embezzled and misappropriated. Still we lie to ourselves about the nation and even celebrate it’s “independence” day.
What is it to celebrate in Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Borno and other places where thousands of women are made widows and their children orphans, still, running into thousands in IDPs? As such, is the celebration not a betrayal of our humanity? Are we truly celebrating this independence that equips bandits, kidnappers and other terrorists with more state-of-the-art weapons than the Nigeria Army?
We are not well-meaning Nigerians by mere celebrating independence day and sharing the “un-presidential” speech of the president who has been cocooned from the real world for years. Poor opportunists! We are not well-meaning Nigerians until we share the tragedy of every Nigerian. Similarly, we could only be Nigerians by fighting injustice, misgovernance and insecurity in every possible way.
Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan is a socio-political analyst. He writes from Kano, Nigeria.
Nigeria and the need for food security
By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
The right to sufficient food is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent international law. Food security is regarded as a situation whereby all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs for a productive and healthy life. Food security is ensured when food becomes available, affordable and accessible.
However, it is good to note that food security is not simply having sufficient quantities of various staple foodstuffs. It also entails access to the entire citizenry to these food items at affordable prices. It further means that we must not only engage in mass food production but also ensure that Nigeria has sufficient purchasing power to acquire food items that guarantee good feeding and nutrition.
Food security has to do with the absence of threats of hunger or malnutrition people face in their lives. In a broad sense, it entails safety from basic physiological needs. The lack of safety will be manifested in chronic hunger or starvation and malnutrition.
The majority of the rural populace depends on Agricultural related activities for their livelihood. The appraisal in the past showed that successive administrations in Nigeria had initiated programs towards ensuring food availability and accessibility for the teeming population in the country.
These include; the National Accelerated Food Production Program (NAFPP) by Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) by Murtala/Obasanjo Administration; River Basin and Rural Development Authority (RBRDA), Green Revolution and World Bank-funded Agricultural Development Project (ADP) by Shehu Shagari and Babangida’s Directorate for Food, Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) among others.
Despite these efforts, Agriculture has been constrained by numerous challenges such as rural-urban migration, insufficient infrastructure, poor agricultural inputs, reliance on oil economy, over-dependence on rain-fed farming, environmental degradation, inadequate funding, poor socio-economic status of farmers, poor mechanization, climate change, corruption and poor commitment to the implementation of agricultural policies.
Yet, the most grievous bottleneck facing the agricultural sector today in Nigeria is the mass abandoning of arable land by farmers due to security challenges. These security threats include but are not limited to insurgency, banditry and kidnappings, killings and farmers-herders’ clashes. Consequently, all these turmoils lead to a deficit in agricultural production.
Nigeria still has the potentials to be food-secure through the adoption and implementation of strategic measures for the peasant farmers to operate in their farming activities through ensuring rural development, provision of easy access to basic farm inputs, adequate budgetary allocations to agriculture, particularly to the food crop sub-sector, enunciation of appropriate policies for food crop sub-sector, political stability, reduction in rural poverty, and peasant farmers’ education among others.
In response to that, the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has initiated multiple agricultural programs aimed at ensuring food security in the country. Notable among them include the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) that commenced in 2015, which provides farm inputs both in kind and cash to smallholders farmers to boost the production of agricultural commodities. Tremendous success stories were achieved through this program, especially with breakthrough rice production in Kebbi State. The Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) was launched in 2016, a partnership between Nigeria and Morocco to make fertilizer available to the farmers. In addition, farm Youth Lab (FYL) is another Initiative of the Federal Agricultural Ministry to train Nigerian youths on livestock production and sustainable urban agriculture.
Additionally, the Presidential Economic Diversification Initiative (PEDI) was also launched in 2017 to support the revival of moribund industries, especially agro-processing ones, through facilitating investment, reducing regulatory bottlenecks, and enabling access to credit.
Moreover, in March 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the National Food Security Council (NFSC). The council was mandated to develop sustainable solutions to farmers and herders clashes, climate change, piracy and banditry, as well as desertification and their impacts on farmland, grazing areas, lakes and rivers. All these efforts are aimed towards increasing food production in the country.
The latest version of National Security Strategy 2019, a document released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Retired Major-General Babgana Monguno, noted that with the drastic reduction of food importation, the government would continue to develop agricultural potentials to attain self-sufficiency in food production as well as exportation. “The government will further consolidate investment in agricultural mechanization, irrigation and infrastructure to mitigate the risk and uncertainty occasioned by seasonal rainfall. In addition, modern techniques will be adopted to improve beef and dairy production and consolidate strategic food reserves to ensure that the nation is prepared for major emergencies and shortages”.
The latest Federal Government directives on the establishment of farm estates in 109 Senatorial districts across the nation deserves an accolade. This mandate is to be realized by the recently resuscitated National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), which has already commissioned its first integrated farm estate in Katsina and other states. Across the country, each farm is expected to engage in the rearing of poultry, fish and livestock, apiculture, crop farming, packaging and processing, respectively.
With this development, it is hopeful that the country will achieve food security and self-sufficiency in food production within the near future.
Nonetheless, even if all the policies mentioned above are implemented unless strategic measures are put in place to curtail the rising security challenges bedevilling the country, otherwise, the wish of the country to become a food-secure nation will never be realized.
Thus, peaceful environments should be created for farmers to resettle and muster more strength towards cultivating the vast abandoned arable lands in order to boost agricultural production in the country.
Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi writes from Kano. He can be contacted via ymukhtar944@gmail.com.
PDP can still zone presidency to the North
By Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim
Zoning, especially of the presidency, is not a product of a national consensus but that of certain political parties’ internal dynamics. It is pertinent that we understand that. Nigerians did not sit in a national conference and agree to zone or rotate power. So it is not binding on the broader national politics.
The idea of zoning started with the PDP in 1998, it was entrenched in PDP’s constitution in Article 7, Section 7.2(C), and it prescribes that “In pursuant of the principles of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committees at all levels”.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a southerner, became president in 1999 and prevailed as president for two terms representing eight uninterrupted years. In 2007, Umaru Musa Yaradua was nominated to fulfil this zoning principle and rotation of power to the North. Hence, he was supposed to also prevail as president for eight uninterrupted years as the president of Nigeria.
Unfortunately, he was only able to serve for about three years due to his ill health and subsequent death. As a result, president Goodluck Jonathan, who was the Vice President, assumed office as Acting President through the invocation of the “Doctrine of Necessity” principle and completed the term, which was supposed to be between May 2007 to May 2011.
However, according to the zoning agreement, it was still the turn of the North as a Northern President was supposed to go for eight uninterrupted years. But Goodluck Jonathan was not going to have it; he insisted on contesting the presidency, thereby jettisoning the PDP’s zoning principle.
A serious crisis erupted within the party, and a section of the party’s membership was hell-bent on adhering to the zoning agreement and even went ahead to endorse Atiku Abubakar as the Northern Consensus candidate to complete the North’s uninterrupted eight years.
The stalemate prevailed until a case was made that Jonathan would only be completing the Yaradua Ticket, which he was initially part of. And it was agreed that Jonathan would only be going for a single term. The decision still contravened the zoning arrangement, but Jonathan had his way; he contested and won the 2011 elections.
Jonathan, however, went back on his promise and still contested for the 2015 elections even while it was supposed to be contested by a Northern candidate as per the 2011 agreement and the broader zoning principle. And he lost.
Hence, it is only fair that the presidency is rotated back to the North “In pursuant of the principles of equity, justice and fairness”.
So no matter where the party chairmanship is zoned, the party’s zoning principle will still favour the North for the Presidency. And come to think of it, the circumstance is not novel, for this is not the first time a Northern Presidential candidate would emerge during the chairmanship of a Northern Party Chairman in the PDP. Col Ahmadu Ali was PDP’s Chairman from 2005 to 2008, and Yaradua was nominated to fly PDP’s flag and was voted to office in 2007 while Col Ali was still chairman.
Coming back to the National outlook, the (unofficial) zoning agreement in the APC favours the South for the 2023 elections, while that of the PDP favours the North. And this is where the calculation is!
Peradventure the parties adhere to these zoning agreements, and we get a PDP Northern Candidate (for example, Atiku Abubakar with a running mate like Peter Obi, Nyesom Wike or Okonjo Iweala) and an APC Southern Candidate (for example, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a running mate like Babagana Zulum, Maimala Buni or Boss Mustapha), who would the calculation favour?
Answer this, and you would understand why PDP would want to lure APC into fielding a Southern candidate!
Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim is a political and public affairs analyst. He writes from Zaria and can be reached through haleemabdul1999@gmail.com.
Atiku, Kwankwaso, Tambuwal, others shut out as PDP zones national chairmanship to North
By Ibrahim Siraj
There are indications that Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), would zone its presidential ticket to the Southern part of the country. This follows the decision of the party to zone the national chairmanship seat to the North ahead of its national convention coming up later this month.
Although the party is yet to formally decide on the zone that will produce its flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election, the latest decision provides some clue because, based on convention, the party has never zoned the two coveted offices to the same region.
Announcing the decision Thursday, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, who is also the Chairman of the party’s zoning committee, said the decision was arrived at at the end of his committee’s meeting.
He said his committee was not mandated to zone the presidential ticket. According to him, “The mandate of the committee does not include zoning of the president, vice president and other executive and legislative offices of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The decision of the party to zone the offices, the Governor adds, “is in line with the constitution of the party on zoning and rotation of party and national offices in the interest of justice, equity and fairness”.
By implication, the decision by PDP to push the national chairmanship seat to the North is likely to dash the hope of politicians eyeing the party’s presidential ticket from the North. Going by tradition, it is almost impossible for the party’s national chairman and presidential candidate to come from one zone.
Prominent among those affected by the party’s decision are former vice president Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal and former Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. These four politicians are among many others of Northern extraction who dominated the party’s presidential convention in 2019, with Atiku Abubakar eventually emerging as the winner. However, Mr Atiku was defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling APC to win reelection.
Atiku unperturbed – Campaign Group
Speaking to The Daily Reality on the development, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulkarim Gama, leader of Atiku Arewa Reporters, a campaign group rooting for the candidature of the former vice president, said his principal remains unperturbed. He said as far as they are concerned, the decision of the zoning committee is not final and only reflects the position of PDP governors. Moreso, he said, the Governor Ahmad Fintiri-led Convention committee is yet to conclude its assignment and submit its report regarding the party’s convention. He maintained that scheming for the party’s presidential ticket would continue until the last minute.
Situation sceptical yet no cause for alarm – Kwankwasiyya leader
On his part, Dr Aliyu Isa Aliyu, a leading Kwankwasiyya member in Kano, warned that the situation remains sceptical even though no cause for alarm as far as Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition is concerned given that the party has not formally taken a final position on the matter. He cited a situation in 2007 wherein late President YarAdua emerged as PDP’s presidential candidate and went ahead to win the presidency even though the national chairman at the time, Col Ahmadu Ali (Rtd), was also a Northerner. Col. Ali was replaced in 2008 by Chief Vincent Ogbulafor following the zoning of the position to the South.
Agitation for power rotation not in the interest of Nigerian masses – Don
PDP’s decisions came when the North and the South are deeply entangled in a heated agitation for power rotation. The Southern governors have, on several occasions, made it utterly clear that power must shift to their region, and the North must shelve any thought of retaining the presidency beyond 2023. This position was, however, countered by Northern governors who consider it as “foolish”, “unconstitutional”, and “undemocratic” any attempt to dictate to the North who to vote for as president.
At the end of the governors’ meeting earlier this week which other leaders from the region also attended, the governors advised their Southern counterparts to explore dialogue and compromise as against confrontation and undemocratic tendencies if they are really interested in securing the support of the North for power to shift to the South.
As the political tug of war between the North and the South continues over the zone that produces the next president, a university don has warned that the rotational presidency is undemocratic and thus has no place in Nigeria’s Constitution. Answering enquiry from TDR, Dr Riyauddeen Zubairu Maitama of the Department of Political Science, Bayero Univerisity, Kano, explains that although so much importance has been attached to the issue of power rotation, what should be more significant for the citizens is justice and development. Of utmost importance to Nigerians, he said, is choosing a leader who will tackle corruption, poverty and widespread insecurity irrespective of the political party or the region such a leader comes from.
Dr Riyauddeen further lamented how politicians from both divides are becoming more preoccupied with zoning and power rotation at the expense of the welfare of the Nigerian masses who voted for them. He described the agitation for secession championed by the likes of Sunday Igboho as Southern Nigeria’s gimmick to harass the North and to exact political concession ahead of the presidential election.
Crucial months ahead
With less than a year and a half to Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, the next few months will be crucial as zoning, and other issues are expected to dominate the discourse on the political scene. While the major political parties continue to gear up for their separate national conventions to choose national officers, Nigerians will continue to observe with keen interest how political events will unfold in search of President Buhari’s successor in 2023. The pertinent question for now is: can zoning succeed in ultimately sealing the fate of those presidential hopefuls from the North, or would they be able to come up with something dramatic to turn things around? Only time will tell!
Are we the leaders of tomorrow?
By MA Iliasu
This question has grown into a full-blown critical question among Nigerian youths. And from the way it exudes the aura of anger and despair, it’s evident that generational frustration and offence seem to take over at the mere mention of the question. The anger and grief are mainly directed at the core of the established ruling class, who aren’t growing any younger, whose incompetence also seem to grow with their age.
“We were scammed. I don’t believe we’ll be the leaders of tomorrow. Obasanjo was the president when I was born. Today it’s Buhari. Both are older than my grandfather. And tomorrow it’ll be another older man in the villa. How does that show any trustworthy sequential line of succession?” a very vibrant, 22-year-old young man who loves to discuss national politics tod me. Clear as the sun, he was angry.
I murmured. To an extent, the young man had a valid point – after all, who doesn’t want positive, fresh energy and change in the leadership capacity. Meanwhile, if there’s another thing to be exploited from the frustration of our youths that often warrants utterances, such as that is the plentiful poverty of imagination and painful obsession with literalism. And that alone can explain why young blood is absent in the establishment of the highest political echelon.
“Is the definition of leadership really that narrow?” – I asked the young man.
Indeed, if what is leadership and who is a leader is restricted to presidential, gubernatorial or representative chairs and who gets to sit on them, then it’s only expected that we don’t care to responsibly fulfil the vacuums of class captains and school prefects, students union governments and community initiatives, let alone develop the ambition of leading the pack in trillion-dollar conglomerates, become the CEO’s of medium and small enterprises and head of profit and nonprofit organizations. That, too, is leadership and perhaps even a more fulfilling one. But, sadly, it’s so vivid that in the mind of Nigerian youths, politics is the only method of the ladder to, and only acceptable definition of, leadership.
Meanwhile, if leadership is really that narrow, in any country of a hundred million population, only less than 0.01% would be leaders over the course of a century. Did the person who first said that never knew this? Far from that. The issue is on us and us alone. Today, in Nigeria, we develop the habits of taking phenomena out of context and converting positivity into negativity. Overwhelming positivity does indeed cause a crushing crisis. But one thing history teaches us is that prosperity has never blossomed in a negative mindset.
With over a billion population, the Chinese wake up every day to tell their children they’re the leaders of tomorrow. Do you know how many people led China in its 76 years of official declaration? The US, the arena of blockbuster politics and democracy, with a population of over three hundred million, was ruled by less than fifty people of its official existence. And any other person outside of the presidential list was once told they would be the leader of tomorrow. The Soviet had significantly lower, as does Russia and Saudi Arabia and Japan and any muscly country.
So maybe the frustration isn’t in the saying but in our interpretation of it. Perhaps we simply lack imagination. Perhaps we’re just lazy. Because if we think as the forward-thinking do, we may have enough to realize leadership begins by being a good husband to your wife, excellent father to your child, a kind friend to your neighbours, a just leader to your community, an empathetic and responsible Godfather to your employees, an excellent teacher to your students, a good HOD to your department, a good dean to your faculty, good examination officer to your school and even a trustworthy representative to the wealthy man who assigns you to distribute occasional stimulus.
That your grandmother called you a leader so that you’ll make the name proud and raise children who’ll change the world. That one day, you may become influential and inspire lives forever and not necessarily a political leader if you become that too brilliant. But there are other prerequisites. And if alive, every sane and healthy human must pass through. If you reach there, you’ve fulfilled your inevitable destiny of becoming a leader. And how you exercise the right defines you even in the sight of your Lord (SWT). It’s not a consolation, neither a justification of a rotten system—only consolidation of reality and highlighting the fallacies engraved in our sorry definition of leadership.
So again, one may ask, “are we the leaders of tomorrow?”. We must “yes” to that question even with an overwhelming affirmation. It’s a natural order that we were all born to be leaders. We were, we are, and we’ll be. The best wish is to ask Allah to make us the best our generation will ever see.
MA Iliasu writes from Kano. He can be reached via his email muhada102@gmail.com.
Nigeria’s constitution translated into 3 major languages
By Muhammad Sabiu
All is set for the launch of the copy of the Nigerian constitution (1999), which was translated into Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba by Prince Ade Ajayi Foundation Centre for Constitutional Literacy and Civic Education.
President of the foundation, Mr Ajayi, made the disclosure to journalists in Lagos on Friday.
He said that the translation work into the three languages, whose launch is scheduled to be held on the 25th day of November, took them six years.
According to him, the task aims to promote unity, national orientation.
He added that a book titled ‘I Love Nigeria, My Country’, would also be launched in the hope that national cohesion would be enhanced.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted him as saying: “Of 4,000 Nigerians randomly sampled in urban areas, over 80 per cent had never seen or read in whole or part, a soft or hard copy of the 1999 constitution.
“Of those who had, more than half could not recall what they had read. The statistics in rural areas are abysmal, largely due to literacy levels.
“We believe that the first step in national orientation is adequate civic education. This cannot take place where citizens do not have access to the one document that can most wholesomely, inform them.”
Nigeria @ 61: I will not celebrate sickness
By Aliyu Nuhu
At 61 years of age the only progress Nigeria made is in population growth, something that is not properly managed. It jumps from 36 million people formerly, we are now approximately 200 million. A clear case of quantity without quality.
What do we have to celebrate while Nigeria today is in company of Somalia, DRC, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Niger, Iraq, Pakistan and host of other failed states in terms of development?
According to UNICEF about 20 million Nigerian children are not attending primary school, about 6 million that are attending will still come out illiterate due to poor quality of teaching. The worst is that the government pretends that all is well and is doing nothing about it. Almajiri system of education is still in practice and not properly managed. It is one of the indicators that Nigeria is not serious about its future.
Another tragedy is that, around 80 million Nigerians are unemployed, in fact about 98% of Nigerian youths are all without job or any form of social and economic engagement. Suddenly, Covid-19 came and made matters worse as more people are losing their means of livelihood. Banditry and kidnapping have chased people away from their farmlands.
Nigeria is without electricity, roads, railways, good airports, clean water and sanitation, public toilets and all other critical social and economic infrastructures.
The government naively claimed that the economy is growing forgetting the relationship between economic growth and job creation. How can growth be justified with 80 million unemployed citizens? How can growth be justified with 3000mw of electricity? That is far below what South Africa generates from renewable energy. According to the Ministry of Energy, South Africa’s total domestic electricity generation capacity is 51,309 megawatts. About 91.2%, or 46,776 MW comes from thermal power stations, while 4,533 MW or 8.8%, is generated from renewable energy sources.
How can growth be justified with industries failing, the entire Northern Nigeria is without viable industry! All the critical sectors that make a nation strong are either absent in Nigeria or in shambles. The chemical, commercial, communication, manufacturing sectors, dams, defense, emergency services, energy, banking and other financial services, food and agriculture, health care, information technology, nuclear reactor, material and wastes management, transport and waterways, all and sundry are either not working or completely corrupt and dubious.
Don’t roll the drum to celebrate, as a matter of fact we should remain in our houses and mourn our collective failure as a nation.
The Mo Ibrahim foundation just placed us among the 10 worst governed countries in Africa. The Economic intelligence Unit (of the London Economist) placed us among the world’s failed nations. And these institutions are not the opposition, it is not PDP that is giving this grim picture of our country.
It is easy for Nigerians to rise and say we are not a failed state, but going by the definition of state failure, a nation that fails to discharge its obligation to its citizens, is indeed heading to the direction of a failed state.
Everyone knows Nigeria cannot provide basic security to its citizens. We have hundreds of thousands of people displaced by insecurity. This is the kind of story associated with state failure because the state, after failing to secure lives, will also not be able to bring the criminals to justice.
We are never worse in terms of security, people are killed daily in our cities. They are kidnapped and attacked in their homes. Corruption has never been worse, yet the courts have simply joined the thieves. In Nigeria today, nobody gets jailed for corruption.
To me there is no need to celebrate, we should all put our hands on our heads and cry. Our leaders, both past and present should bury their heads in shame for bringing our country to its knees.
Nigeria is also practically not good for the poor and vulnerable. If you can’t get plum government appointment, just be rich.The rich are allowed to claim fuel subsidy, evade tax, have import duties, manipulate commodity prices, bet on stocks with privileged information they get from golf clubs. The equivalent of all these or even less, when done by the poor, is called stealing. And the poor also had their bad ways as well. Leaders looting by example while followers learning by instinct.
Nigeria allows great deal of latitude to the rich. The courts are even scared of them. This is our way of making up to them for creating a society in which everything can be done for money, while nothing is worth having at all.
I can only say happy independence to the Nigerian rich, they, along with our leaders, help in ruining this nation. They are now reaping the fruits of their labour. As things get so bad, there is no peace for them to enjoy their wealth. They are an endangered species on the highway. Kidnappers are looking for them the way hunters look for antelope. At home there is no peace. Even behind heavily fortified walls, they sleep with open eyes. It will continue to degenerate because peace exists only in a society that has shared prosperity among its people.
Sadly again, Nigeria is the most badly governed and mismanaged nation on earth. Most poor and backward countries owe their present condition to war, natural disasters, geography and size, but it is not the same with Nigeria. It is its people in the hierarchy of the leaders, the rich and the poor masses.
Vietnam was in a state of war for 20 years. Korea was at war for three years. Today they are developed economies.
Nigeria only witnessed civil war for three years and remained in peace for the best part of its 61 years existence, earning about $1 trillion from sale of oil. Yet with all that money it achieved nothing in terms of development. Most of it has been shamelessly mismanaged or stolen!Today Nigeria is 61 years old. Here are some reasons for sober reflection and adjustments by our leaders.
1. In 1960 Nigeria has only 2 universities. Today it has 40 federal universities, 40 state universities and 61 private universities. However its people have to run to Ghana, a country with only 9 universities to study. The reason is because the 141 universities in Nigeria are below international standard due to corruption, mismanagement and neglect. The country, according to UNICEF has 10.5 million children outside primary school. It means in 20 years, about 30% Nigerians will not be able to secure employment as security men, because the job will require basic literacy as qualification. Public primary and secondary education system has collapsed in Nigeria. Parents spend their earnings to educate their children. This goes to say adding weight is not equal to good health.
2. Twenty years ago India has the largest number of pure scientists in the world but it was considered a poor country compared to China because the number of scientists did not transform India into net exporter of goods and services. It was until India changed its ways and started producing technicians like China that it began manufacturing goods and earned the respect of the world. Numbers matter but vision matters most. The Indians were not seeing the world as the Chinese. Like India and China, Nigeria has abundant human and intellectual capital which have been wasted by neglect due to poor attention to education. And because of that our numbers produce nothing. In this age with our size we cannot produce needles, toys and bicycles. These are simple products that don’t require rocket science.
3. Today we have 193,600kms federal highway. Out of that length, only 28,200 kms are paved in the whole 60 years of the country’s existence. The paved highways are death traps killing hundreds of people daily. Meanwhile in 1960 Nigeria had 8,800km of paved federal highways in relatively good condition. The increase in the length without quality today does not translate to progress. Nigeria is considered the worst country among it’s neighbors in terms of road infrastructure. Quality matters more than numbers.
4. In 1960 Nigeria had 118 mission hospitals, and 101 government hospitals. Today it has 22 Federal Medical Centers, 23 giant teaching hospitals, about 46,000 state owned hospitals/health centers and hundreds of thousands private hospitals, clinics and dispensaries. But Nigerians run to Ghana to treat skin infection and UK to treat ear infections! For most heart and brain surgeries we have to go to India or Egypt. Some of us go to Niger and other neighbouring countries!
5. In 1841 Britain and Wales had a population of 15 million people. However Great Britain virtually held the entire world by the jugular, colonising all and every important nation and defining their destiny. Dynamites come in small sizes.
6. Today the US has a population of 325 million people but controls and sets standards for the world with a population of 8 billion. By contrast Nigeria has a population of 182m and military of 400,000 strength but is overwhelmed by a rag tag Boko Haram with a strength of 16,000 followers or even less.
7. Nigeria has 91 million hectares of arable land of which it is able to cultivate only 42% of it using crude and simple tools. Industrial scale holding is nonexistent in Nigeria. Despite being able to produce large quantities of rice, beans, sesame, cashew, cassava, cocoa beans, groundnuts, gum arabic, kolanut, maize (corn), melon, millet, palm kernels, palm oil, plantains, rice, rubber, sorghum, soybeans, bananas and yam; Nigeria is not a net exporter of agricultural products and it imports food to feed its population. FOA report put Nigeria slightly ahead of Niger, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Burkina Fasso and Sierra Leone in food security. Today Nigeria is facing food crisis due to inflation. Most households cannot feed. Those barely eat, eat poisonous, damaged or expired foodstuffs.
It is not how old you are but how well you are. It’s not your numbers that matter but the quality. I feel we have nothing to celebrate. Let’s not be a bunch of jokers!
Aliyu Nuhu, a public commentator, writes from Abuja, Nigeria.
Nigeria @ Sixty One: Beneath and beyond 1960
By Abdulrahman Yunusa
Perhaps, at the beginning the journey was hectic, contentious, tough and apparently rough. But yet it appears to be seemingly successive at the end for the relentless effort of those that masterminded it. Meanwhile, it appears to be more dulcet at the end when a bettee take up the job. Amidst an era of human devaluation through filthy acts of enslavement, the roaring lions called “Pan Africanist” made a move towards emancipating their dear homes to which some lost their lives to this great struggle of African salvation.
To thoroughly and vividly give the chronicle of African journey toward the door of freedom, hardly one narrates the enticing account of how Africa was liberated from colonial masters without mentioning such outstanding personalities like of Du Bois, Nkurma, Nyerere, Pandmore, Zik among others. These intellectual Negroes were recognized as the pioneers of the African independence journey. George Pandmore was said to be the propeller of the movement and was among those who led from the front. This signifies the gargantuan role these men of honor and class undertook painstakingly and this role will forever be remembered, glorified and praised by every grateful living African child.
They fearlessly faced the fire of oppression and resisted it at the best time. Despite being the son of slaves who were transported through sea and under scorching sun through the hazardous Sahara axis, but survived all these ill-treatment.
They lived as kidnapped souls and wallowed in their in anxiety to set themselves free from the barbarism of their abductors. In the 1950s, the movement began to attract daredevil teaming African youths who ever ready to confronted the oppressors of their parents and grandparents.
Locally, after the continental activism movement the great Azikwe of the blessed memory blew horn self-governance. He search for young educated Nigerians whose minds were full with the idea of independent. The likes of Sardauna of Sokoto, Tafawa Balewa, Awolowo, Akintola, Anthony Enahoro and other people of impeccable character join the movement. They formed an unbreakable chain of unity, self-determination and nationalism to salvage their father land. They were not corrupt in mind and soul. They did it for the good of all within this geographical location. Nigeria was lucky to have those topnotch activists at the hey-days of colonialism.
However, prior to our independence, a lot of events unfolded and those who studied the situation will remember with nostalgia. The conference of 1953 was regarded as one of the major moves that led to the actualization of a sovereign Nigeria, as independence was attained around that historic moment. It was at the conference session Sir A Enahoro moved a motion that by 1955 Nigeria must look for her independence but Northern parliament humbly rejected it. The leaders said, “No, unless Northerners are educated on western education.” And God so kind the rejection was honored by the conference and 1960 was marked independence in line with another motion moved by Remi Fani Kayode, who stated that by April 1960 our independence should be granted, although there was some little modifications by the British government which elongated it to October 1, 1960.
Luckily enough, at the dawn of 1960, Octobern 1 the long awaited day manifested itself in a hugely decorated form. Nigerians buried themselves in the cave of exult and celebration as the country now become an autonomous state with full political, economic and cultural freedom.
Furthermore one of the ever memorable days for Nigeria has been discovered, felicitated and later sealed with the band of history. That was the beginning of the new chapter for Nigeria and Nigerians. Huh, what a joyous moment was that day!
Beyond that a series of both pleasant and unpleasant events took place, where some are of greater value to be remembered as a happier moments while the rest became the opposite.
The rupture of nasty sode of history began to thrive right after independence, the event of 15 January 1966 is one of the ugliest calamities to befall Nigeria ever and what the country is still paying the ugly price on its basis. Sadly as some self-tagged gang of miscreants sneaked themselves in to the group the selfless men of honor with terrible intention of bringing chaos to the country, unfortunately, later they have achieved their unwanted wishes by killing some top Nationalist with the sole aim of monopolizing the power and seizing the credit.
Day by day, things keep taking a weird shape simply because the toxic of identity politics couple with regional nepotistic wishes were at lead then. Up till today the ugly narratives keep unfolding incessantly, but many are with the opinions it’s the price of the heinous actions of 15 January that we are paying handsomely. Yes, we can agree with their version for none can commit a crime against God loving souls and scot-free and verily a price must be paid for that action. As at the middle of the journey a block of mistrust have been put in place by the enemy of progress, Nigerians continue to witness a series of myriad of sorry events. Some orchestrated them for political sake, some for regional; some for economic, while only few are being orchestrated for religious sake because the entire masterminds were after economic benefits.
Until we recently and recklessly reach onto a point where we voluntarily begin to tow the path of the sorry state of Somalia with regards to peace and security, become the facsimile of Zimbabwe economically and finally move to imitate the condition of Niger as a country with highest rate of poor living citizens. Who should be in question of our woes? The people or the leaders? Perhaps the leaders should take the burden of blame because in most cases they are the ones plotting for our mess.
Alas, as our leaders mind not to imitate the selfless and tireless spirit of the past heroes in the course of their leadership affairs, in contrary they throw the lessons which are being taught by the past heroes on how to make their nation a place of high repute, great and marvelous image in the international community.
A Way Forward
It’s a fact that a develop country can be achievable when there is an ingredients of utmost patriotism in the minds of its subject, transparency in their affairs, love and unity in their veins and most importantly when their soul is intellectually blessed with change ideas that can pave way to other endowed resources manifest themselves in a lustrous way. Same way a country of our vision can also be actualize when we elect analytical and leaders with foresight. These are the set of people whom can efficiently utilize the little resource we have to take us out and compete with the rest of giant countries out there in the international community; therefore leadership can play a vital role in actualizing this gigantic dream.
Well, as we can stand in a better position to narrate how sick our country is and how hazy the atmosphere is at this moment is which is occasioned by the shenanigans of our unfocused leaders who are excelled in exacerbating our sorry conditions instead of bringing an ease to it.
Therefore we can also have the gut to hold our clueless power mongers accountable about all the predicaments dragging Nigeria back. Their nefarious actions in nexus with the mendacious moves against Nigeria’s unity and progress is absolutely glaring as they have the wherewithal to ignite the flame of secession among the different regions of the country for their political gains and despite the potentials we have and they can also hijack any developmental gesture, we can further resuscitate and rekindle the spirit of one Nigeria thereby walking the ideas we have at hand. Thus that could only be possible when we use our knowledge wisely instead of glorifying money over rationality.
Moreover, we have been in the company of unpatriotic citizens, who has been trying to wreak havoc on the common man. Neither a northerner nor a southerner is free from their nuisances as agents of dooms, also a sadist as well.
Learning that we are being deceived countless times and most annoyingly being divided through the lane of political differences, religion, region and sectarian basis by some bad eggs among Nigerian elites, then it’s very pertinent for us to take a deep sigh, ponder and make a move towards self-extrication from the hole of artificial misery. This can however only be achieved through soul searching and introspection, and nevertheless through equipping ourselves with all the available resources. Of course, we do have the potentials and the materials to positively transform our country as well. But lacking the zeal, whims and helping hands that will assist us in creating a comfort zone for ourselves is the huge block causing us a great setback, the agent of dooms. Yet we are shamelessly flaunting ourselves as the “Giant of Africa”; has not this not sound so ironically? Imagine a country that that is left behind in the developmental indices ranking among its peers and still be naively parading itself as the mother of all African countries! Huh, this is a slap on our self and a huge mark on our eyes.
However, in spite of the odds bedeviling us, we can get things right when we mind to do away with our differences and set our foot towards the path of attaining self-perfection through collective efforts and setting a blockage to the enemies of progress whom happen to our modern politicians yet source of our tragedies. Thus, those monsters that have taken years rocking our ass and siphoning our treasury for their own gain, we must revolt against their devilish plans against us by educating our mind with strong course on Nationalism and by towing the path of rationality and fraternity of which the era of Zik and Sardauna towed upon, with such sumptuous philosophy we can get to the promise land.
Happy 61 Independence day!
Actually, Loving a country is beyond flaunting your nation and showering a falsely remark upon it and upon it past and current leaders at such memorable occasions; but it’s about having the raw faith and determination couple with zeal of moving it forward with all that you have thereby creating a conducive environment for one and all. That’s the only yardstick that can gauge one’s love in the eyes of every reasonable person.
But our level of complacency while dealing with bad omens and predicaments that might cripple us is what often reveals our bald ass. We false claim loving Nigeria yet it often appears impossible seeing every one of us wishing the same Nigeria a prosperous and happy future rather we often chose to side with it saboteurs in the name of political support and sycophancy in lieu of resisting to their act of madness and unpatriotic moves towards Nigeria. That’s one of the big reasons of our perpetual failure.
On a lighter note, it costs nothing to be optimistic. On that regard, i do believe through fervent prayers, hardwork, dedication, soul searching and most importantly collective effort and team working, we can get the country of our vision achieved. Hence, as it has been narrated that “It’s in line with faith to have a love for your country’, in one Hadith though it authenticity is questionable, but it can stand here to justify our actions of being in euphoria for the sake of any milestone achievement recorded by country that born out of sheer love and patriotism.
Probably Nigeria might look so ugly, chaotic, a place of haphazard setting, an underdeveloped place and some may even espy it as a failed state from the lens of outright pessimism, but I can’t afford to burry my head inside the murky hole of sheer ungratefulness to wish a calamity to befall her or wish to change it as my motherland. However, all I get to do as a patriotic citizen of this great country, Nigeria will forever be seen as our Dubai, USA, England or China that we all yearn to be part of because for over years we lived inside her; she fed us all the succulent stuffs she had at her disposal and luckily despite me wearing an anxious face, she made us happier more than we could ever imagine, for that I can say Thank you Nigeria for that you have given me.
Moreover, as it’s obvious that Nigeria is year older now since her freedom journey, i can’t relent to pray in ecstasy that may those obstacles which strangle this magnificent developing country cease to exist, now and forever and may all the bounty of blessings which are hidden be visible to an extent that sad narratives will forever be a history upon which we shall only reminisce in the future.
Finally, we must happily dive into the ocean of hope and goodwill to have the prospects to triumph against our adversaries, with that, I can say, I’m certain that Nigeria will be healed sooner or later. That’s my utmost wish upon my beloved dear Nigeria.
I love you and I cherish anything about you except the woes hampering your prosperity are things I loathe utterly. May Nigeria Prosper.
Happy Independence day Naija.
Abdulrahman Yunusa is a political and public affairs analyst, he writes from Bauchi and can be reached through abdulrahmanyunusa10@gmail.com or 08106283412