To say that the quality of life of the average Nigerian is
low is to state the obvious. Whether one talks of education, medical
service delivery, security or the economy, every aspect of our life in this
country is in downward motion. The extent of poverty experienced by our
people is simply unacceptable. This country has more than enough
resources to make life livable. If there is so much discomfort, we must
interrogate those who manage the affairs of our country. Why is it that
government—federal, state and local—has failed Nigerians?
Every year, we witness the ritual of budget presentation to the National
Assembly by the President. The executive arm of government requires the
consent of those who represent the people at the legislative arm of government
before money can be spent. The 2017 budget was presented to the National
Assembly in the twilight of the year 2016. It was passed by the National
Assembly on May 14, 2017, more than five months into the year, close to six months
after it was presented. For a country that should be in a hurry to exit
Destitution Avenue, this is simply unacceptable. It is another instance
of failure of governance. Failure of governance is when government fails
to serve the people.
Nigerians should be worried about the way the budgetary
process runs in this country. In the period when the budget is yet to be
passed, how is government carrying out its functions? Who is accountable
to whom when it comes to how money is spent? Does this reflect a country
that really wishes to put an end to corruption? But while there was delay in
passing the budget, there is an early bird approach to the politics of
2019. The budget was not passed. But politicians were positioning
themselves for the 2019 presidential elections.
Now deprivation has turned into agitation. In the absence of a budget,
the economic conditions in which we live continue to bite. Nigerians are
hungry and angry. In their anger, they turn against each other in the
social media, using unprintable language, threats and violence to sought out
their differences. Young Igbo insult the Yoruba, young Yoruba insult the
Igbo, the north and the south have suddenly realized that they cannot live
together. In all this, instead of facing their common enemy, politicians
who abuse their offices and steal the wealth of the land, thus depriving us of
decent living, young Nigerians tear each other apart in a society where civil
discourse has become an unwanted alien.
We have said it before that we live in clear and present danger. We said
it when herdsmen went on the rampage and arms were being brought into Nigeria
by “ghost importers”. Now we should ask ourselves: is there a correlation
between illegal importation of arms into Nigeria and the drumbeats and dance
steps of war we are currently witnessing?
We in Nigeria once made a mistake—a grave one for that
matter—going to war when we could have resolved our differences
peacefully. The scar of the war remains. To avoid another war is an
obligation we all must assume. To avoid going to war is not
cowardice. It is to have the courage to subdue our ego and
negotiate. To go to war when we could and ought to have avoided it is not
courageous but reckless. To assume the obligation of avoiding a war,
we must refrain from revisionist accounts of the 1967-70 war.
A sober reading of history, and a sober reflection too, show
clearly that blame for that war goes to both sides of the war. In fact,
there is enough blame to share. Blame for that war goes especially to the
unprincipled politicians of the era who resorted to ethnic rivalry for selfish
purposes instead of nation building. It goes in equal measure to the
young military officers on both Federal and Biafran sides who mistook their
military training for omniscience in matters of state. It is a well-known fact
that the class of military officers that survived that war imposed on this
country the present constitution with its many landmines. They and the forces
they represent see no need for constitutional amendment.
We have also said in the past that Nigerians not only hunger for food, they
hunger for good leadership. In fact, failure to satisfy the hunger for
good leadership occasions and aggravates hunger for food. If every square
centimeter of a land is fertile and the inhabitants of the land are hungry then
one should inquire as to the kind of leaders they have. If indeed we had
good leaders, veritable statesmen and not ethnic warlords, our children would
not be tearing each other apart in cyberspace.
Some people do not want to hear of restructuring. However, for how long
shall we fail to see the urgent need for far-reaching constitutional reforms in
this country? The current arrangement is not serving Nigerians. The
relationship between the government and the citizen places the citizen at gross
disadvantage and the politician at undue advantage. Our young people are the
worst hit. They are unemployed, hungry and angry. They are venting
the anger on one another while we their elders are silent. Could it be
that some of us their elders are stocking the embers of violent disintegration?
In 1966, hate speech and propaganda preceded the needless and senseless war in
this country. In 1994, hate speech preceded the Rwandan genocide.
Would it not be wise to learn from past mistakes, ours and others? This is the
time to stand back from the brink. Let those who sincerely love Nigeria
read and act!
*Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Archbishop emeritus of Archdiocese
of Lagos.
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