THE PATIENT OLD NIGERIA
Nigeria is arguably the most misunderstood country in the continent of Africa, aptly construed as a problem to itself and a contamination to other countries. What people fail to realise is the major force that keeps it going even when experts conclude it’s an accident waiting to happen. Call it luck, grace or perseverance Nigeria remains marginally intact despite all its challenges mainly to its resilience and will to continue.
Looking back at the trend of social, economic and political challenges in parts of the country and flashing back at the regional based governance institutionalised by colonialists only a patient old Nigeria in partnership with God could whittle the dark dreadful storm of breakup. At the amalgamation ceremony in Zungeru, Niger state many opined that bringing together the monolithic North and South would only last for a few years, to fall in splinter on account of regional and not national interests.
Predictions have been made and some have bore near reality like the emergence of the three (3) years civil war. We have learnt our lessons, so we all think but the old patient Nigeria waits like a nursing mother with milk of love and kindness despite having offspring’s with dreadful hate for the next door neighbour.
Regional cleavage, our problem our gain, next year Nigeria would be a hundred (100) years old since it’s amalgamation on regional bases and our body language remains according to our cleavages. Our political elites have leveraged on the stretch-mark of divides to eat from the spoils of war the tension heaves on Nigerians. To the contrary this isn’t where we should be as a country, we are supposed to exploit our multiplicity to promote democracy, good governance and achieve collective development. Vintage patient Nigeria she waits and prays for better days.
Economic reforms won’t sail smoothly unless subjected to regional, ethnic and religious sentiments. That could be understandable if there is sincerity in the test for conformity especially that Nigeria is a nation that must grill its policies along all divides for balance and fairness taking all along. In the field of politics which is a major litmus test for Nigeria has unfortunately regional, religious pressure injected into the balloon craft flying Nigeria to its zenith of maturity. Already tension spots heat in parts of the country in vain struggle to protect cleavages instead of using same to promote major development thrust for the whole country.
In Nigeria, the politics of do or die has characterised changes in government where institutionalisation of rigging syndrome has formed a basic value system for political elites to foster themselves or cronies on the rest of the country. In recent past Nigerians were gullible receiving information hypodermically from ruling elites while systemic rot spreads through all sectors of the economy unchecked. Today, a revival with negative implication on lives and property engulfs the nation in protest of what appears to be deficit in governance. While other parts of the world mass demonstrations are used as veritable weapons to oust leaders, a regime of terrorism is sustained to register vexation against government in Nigeria? Rhetorical the question may appear but apt for all to ponder on.
It took the world one hundred (100) years to transform from what it was in 1912 to present day 2012, positive/negative but only 12 years to plunge Nigeria into its deepest depth socio-politically. If you ask yourself what went wrong then look up the answer from the perspective of battle for limited resources, struggle for political relevance and heavy case and feeling of marginalisation.
Long before youths got involved in acts of terrorism several leaders within and outside the shores of Nigeria have begged government at all level to stamp out poverty through provision of basic infrastructural facilities taking cognisance of endemic graduate unemployment with a view to change statuesque, bringing down escalating prices of goods and services for the benefit of the average poor in the country but all got no response. Successive governments seem to have wonderful plans that end up in smokes.
While most people believe the escalating pace of violence in the country shouldn’t be blamed on poverty we need to realise that only those born poor with little or no education and bleak future will exterminate their lives with the hope of praying change for the rest of the country. It is therefore sad for us to remain with the illusion that other factors far removed from injustices has brought the heavy challenge of social, political and economical upon us all.
This is the time our dear leaders must listen discretely to regional calls of reason to avoid feelings of marginalisation. Today the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) are taking the whips for attempting to report the worries of their region tomorrow it could be the turn of another oppressed region hence the vicious circle of marginalisation is entrenched with disastrous consequence. We must accommodate all views sieving reasonably instead of throwing away the bay and the bathtub.
The north no doubt is suffering and we must work together as a family to avert more problems. Only recently the NGF Chairman Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu asked for a review in revenue allocation formula, we all know what we said especially along regional divides protecting interests rather than issues. The region is not only ravaged by poverty alone but squeezed of juice by aftermath of poverty. Must we watch the binding strings tear off in tatters? We must arise to do the right thing for ailing parts of the country, we must eschew comments that will further escalate the present socio-political challenges.
The patient Nigeria watches for several decades as it’s been torn to ribbons at every slight provocation, without those professionally doing so ever being in fear for death of the very existence of the nation. Its patience defying all forces of natural endurance offers forgiveness and healing balm for immediate reconciliation and subsequent re-integration. It is however very possible the patience may wane we must therefore dialogue rather than war to make our differences gainful and not painful.
Written By Ayegba Israel Ebije