NIGERIA AT 62: WHICH WAY NIGERIANS
Margaret Akpa
I must point out that the time for the blame game is over, and a paradigm shift in thinking, policies and actions is needed across all sectors of the country, to put Nigeria on the forward path.
The solution to Nigeria’s problems is as complex as the Nigerian context. However, we will touch on a few points. First, visionary, and transformational leadership is the way forward. It is leaders who set and create the right environment for people to give their best. Nigeria needs innovative leaders capable of articulating our common aspirations and creating an overarching vision of a Nigeria of our dreams.
Sixty-two years ago, there were celebrations across the length and breadth of Nigeria. In every hue and corner of the new country, people were brimming with happiness at its prospect – being born through heavy birth pangs and the struggles of leaders of the time to give freedom to their people. The founding fathers had big dreams for the country, captured in the national anthem written by Lillian Williams, which stated that: “though tribes and tongues may differ/In brotherhood we stand/Nigerians all, are proud to serve/Our sovereign motherland”. They were proud to be Nigerians and had great hopes for the future. The problem was that the future they longed for seemed to have eluded them.
The current realities are stark and very disturbing. This situation is even more painful, given the efforts of the current administration to make things better. , yet they are not making the needed impact. Nigeria is still reeling from the pains and devastation of insecurity, abject poverty of most of its citizens, and corruption of monumental proportions.
Despite these harsh realities, Nigerians are celebrating Independence, at least knowing that the country is still one; we are still running a democracy;
It is our aspiration that Nigeria becomes an economic giant respected among other nations of the world. The most excellent resource that Nigeria has are its people. By who make up the citizenry determines the country’s level of development. Both the leadership and followership in Nigeria emanate from the people.
The solution to Nigeria’s problems is as complex as the Nigerian context. However, we will touch on a few points.
First, visionary, and transformational leadership is the way forward. It is leaders who set and create the right environment for people to give their best. Nigeria needs innovative leaders capable of articulating our common aspirations and creating an overarching vision of a Nigeria of our dreams. We need transformational leaders to set our priorities right, enthrone meritocracy, do the actual work of inspiring the people and allocating resources to accomplish our shared vision. Without a responsive and responsible leadership, Nigeria will remain in a quandary with all its potentials. It is time we got men and women of character, competence and leadership skills in all facets of our national life and economy to work together as a team to salvage the country. The truth is that we do not have enough of such men in leadership today. Our politics does not allow it. Our role as citizens is how to change this so that we can raise a critical mass of leaders who can do things differently. We can get these men and women from the private and public sectors, and even abroad. We must instil meritocracy and shun all forms of bigotry. The world is a global village, and competition is rife. We must use our best intellectual capital to run things, if we must be competitive and grow. Once leaders set the tone and pace, citizens are likely to follow. Any person bent on rent-seeking and self-aggrandisement must have nothing to do with leadership, which is an opportunity to serve that must be made less lucrative.
Second is education. Education changes people’s thinking, mindset, value system and productive capacities. Nothing prepares the next generation more than education. It enables in them the ability to change society. I am talking about education that makes youths more curious, more innovative and gives them skills and not just certificates. Our educational system and output is one of our albatross as a nation. Till we fix education, the future we want will only be an illusion. Education and development are two sides of the same coin.
The third is productivity, rather than depending on rent from natural resources. The only known route to development is productivity. Production creates value, which leads to growth. Diversification of the economy is compulsory, and it must be in the ‘real and service’ sectors. Alternative energy, Information Technology and export driven production of intermediate products should replace oil and the dependence on primary products. This may create employment, and the unintended effect is that it will ameliorate the social menace caused by youth unemployment and poverty. Nigeria must be on this path from now on.
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