On October 1, 2010 Nigeria celebrated fifty years of national independence. What should we celebrate? Success? The absence of failure? That we did not break up and remain one (dis) united country? We are better than Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Haiti etc? We always step back from the brick? We have huge size, large population, big cities, many states, capital market, NNPC, many universities, polytechnics, teaching hospitals, general hospitals, airlines, seaports and airports, refineries and industries?
But then what is the point of many universities which don’t teach much? And whose graduates can hardly find jobs? Hospitals without drugs? Refineries which don’t work? A poorly-regulated capital market? Big unplanned urban slums? Large population, seventy percent of whom live in poverty and semi-poverty? Why stay as one country if every decision is subject to “zoning”, “federal character”, “quota” or “rotation”? Why stay together and kill yourselves every now and then? In short even those things which we claim to celebrate are questionable! Nevertheless I think we can celebrate our RESILENCE as a people …OUR SELF –CONFIDENCE, UNBROKEN SPIRIT …OUR ABILITY TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES. And to keep going!!!
Unfortunately, we celebrate SUB-OPTIMALITY! Why not channel these attributes to achieving success, rather than merely avoiding failure, disaster or even tragedy? My fundamental diagnosis is that Nigeria’s problem is ELITE FAILURE!!! A bureaucratic elite that merely stepped into the shoes of departing colonial civil servants; A political elite that retained all trappings of colonial government and failed to build an integrated national elite; A traditional elite who traded off their people’s interests first to slave traders…then colonial masters… and now their new indigenous political elite; A professional elite that adapted quickly to the demands of the new rulers-for bribes, complicity, silence, co-option…whatever!; A military elite that regarded their compatriots as “bloody civilians” just like the colonial army regarded us as “bloody natives”; a business elite that is rent-seeking rather than entrepreneurial; Ethnic and regional elites who prevented the creation of a nation and sense of national purpose; An academic elite that allowed its will to be crushed, its dignity to be eroded and became civil servants or politicians!
Are the elite the president, legislators and governors, politicians and civil servants, and the very wealthy? No. That failed elite includes all those who can read this article!!! As the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3: 23). We all think in ethnic, nepotistic and self serving perspectives! Most do not vote or even register to vote! We all do not want to die so we compromise, or keep quiet! As Fela sang, ‘I no wan die, mama dey for house; papa dey for house; pickin dey for house; I wan build house; I wan buy car’’. Most pay and receive bribes. We all go for holidays in London, NY, Dubai and never take local holidays! We accept mediocre services from public and private sector organisations! Most shun politics, civil society, NGO s etc and dismiss those who do as “social critics” We all acquiesce (and some actively participate) in election rigging!!! People embezzle IKOYI CLUB, Residents Association, PTA or other community funds! Most do not know their councillors, LG chairmen, House of Assembly members, Representatives or Senators! Some bribe teachers, swimming instructors at Ikoyi Club, school principals etc to favour our children! I hear some spend immense resources on primary and secondary school prefects’ elections to ensure their children win! We send our kids to school in other countries, and complain about the quality of education in Nigeria. At the very least, we usually do nothing except complain, or worse still just keep quiet.
In 2060, will we “celebrate’’ 100 years of avoiding failure, stepping back from the brick, being big and populous or just remaining one nation? Will our elite remain blind to its own self –interest and destructive in its short-termism and selfishness? Will we still embezzle health and education budgets hoping to send our family members to school or hospitals abroad? Will we refuse to put in place train systems and free up the roads for our exotic cars? Buy the latest jeeps and salons, but drive them on potholed roads because another jeep owner has stolen the money meant for road maintenance? Destroy financial and capital markets through sharp practices making everyone, rich and poor, loose massive amounts of capital in the process?
That is the challenge of the Nigerian elite as we ‘celebrate’’ this 50 year independence anniversary. Will the next 50 years be different……and better? Whether we like it or not, we are a part of that elite. By parenthood, education, professional attainment, employment, income and social status, we are part of the upper 5% of the Nigerian population that has failed to lead this nation in the right direction, The Bible says, ‘ By their fruits, you shall know them’’ So far, after 50 years, our fruits are not savoury. May be we can pull out the bad seeds, and plant again…. this time better seeds? Or may be, as usual, we will pray that somehow, miraculously, God will transform the bad seeds into goods fruits, which I believe he can choose to do, but I also know he says “faith without works is nothing!” Or may be we will just complain, or keep quiet and do NOTHING. Or MAY BE NOT!
