What we have had in our country since we got independence could be anything but definitely not governance. We have a poor and very ineffective governance system in place, all because we have allowed an ill-equipped few among us to climb the hallowed chambers of power and authority from where they successfully planted the desecration bug that is eating up everything and everybody.
During the past week the main issue that took centre stage outside the challenge of growing insecurity was the dominance of negative political culture, terrible political behaviors we all thought we had outgrown but which began to rear their ugly heads. In fact, they took prominence and left the far greater majority of the citizens to wonder if we had not begun the journey to Golgotha.
In the past few days two governors elected on the platform of the main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Umo Eno and Sheriff Oborewvori of Akwa Ibom and Delta states respectively came out with a surprising political move that has significantly reshaped political thinking, discussions and calculations.
Eno told the public he has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office. He would line his support behind the President in the 2027 general election still retaining his membership of his party. He called for the return of Senator Godswill Akpabio, now Senate President. His Delta State counterpart went further, taking everything about the PDP – cabinet, party officials and local government officers – to the ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC). Naturally this is the major development for the week outside the growing insecurity plaguing the entire country. So as it has become our custom, the pledge of support and defection should constitute the basis for any discourse this time.
But I have chosen to differ or better still run away from the norm and my reason is the bizarre developments which are for me symptoms of a deeply rooted disease. The main challenge is systemic. We have over the years been delighted in distorting sound processes and procedures that have been of good use to people elsewhere. We have introduced so many contradictions and turned them into state policies and now we have gotten to the point where the evil seeds our leaders sowed have grown and are producing after their kinds.
We made jokes about the foundation of good, effective governance. No wonder the foundation is virtually out of order. Kings are walking on foot and many of them are even naked. We have men and women whose souls have become seared by the devil. So, wickedness with all shamelessness attached has become the new normal.
No nation operates without holding very high the banners of integrity, but we made away with that once we got independence. We said morality doesn’t have a place in politics. The result is no honesty.
Leaders say the ideal in public speeches but in action implement something different, mostly things that have to do with narrow interest and objectives. From independence till today it is about tribe and religion. Look around, the supremacist agenda is not only running, it is assuming a frightening dimension with attacks by terrorists spread across the entire country. No one class is spared.
Citizens’ full participation in governance is critical to effective governance practices. In our case the citizens hardly have a role in how the political parties are formed. That has become the exclusive preserve of the oligarchy. Part of the ugly outcome is lack of internal democracy in the so-called political parties which also are not driven by any set of principles at all. We have heard some of those who left strategic public offices say ‘I put this man in office, without me this one couldn’t have been.” Those who are critical wonder about the place of the electorate.
One of the many consequences of this detestable trend is the transactional politics we see where it has become normal for members of a political party to just wake and announce the switching of party loyalty. Worse would be the case of those who won offices on account of one party jumping to another keeping the power won on the philosophy of another.
One could now see why the defections we see or cross party support that should be something that attracts opprobrium doesn’t but instead would elicit cheers and hailings. If we had agreed that the leadership recruitment process is very vital and so must be protected and had taken pains to frame our laws to be in line with our expectations, if we had clearly stated, “No one holding office won on another party’s platform can defect holding the office” many bad political misbehaviors would have been nipped in the bud. But we didn’t and our politicians are dancing naked in the market squares to the shame of all us and of course destroying pillars of development and throwing the entire country into darkness.
Why are we not insisting that our country be reverted back to full federalism and let the structure and pillars of federalism be immediately installed across the land.? Aren’t we fed up with the troubles of the unitary system for a highly plural country? A critical component of rewarding statecraft is equity and inclusiveness. Almost 65 years after nationhood, diversity in the most creative and profitable manner has become like rocket science. Every leader feels comfortable and secure around his religious and tribal people.
Discriminatory infrastructure location, differentials in cut off marks for admission into educational institutions, employment and public appointments. Couldn’t we have run a merit-based system without infusing young minds with discrimination and hate from their adolescent years?
A relation of mine who returned to the country three months ago from overseas expressed surprise at some of the ways we carry on with daily activities.
He said, “Ralph, one of our leaders driving past in a long convey almost sent me and my children to an untimely death, two of the cars in the convey almost hit our car off the road.” The surprise is that in other climes, leaders are servants and they move in that nature. He said where he came from nobody is above the other. Everyone is first and foremost a citizen of equal status and rights. When it comes to the rule and review of the process for appointment of judges, match the adjudication of very critical cases.
Talk of effectiveness and efficiency of state institutions. We privatized electricity supply and began seeing service tied to high tariffs with no corresponding improvement in quality. We still don’t have a national carrier, a sector where less endowed countries have excelled.
Jihadists in our midst have increased our woes security-wise but things would have been different if ours were to be a nation that uses reason and structures to keep hawks at bay. State and community policing, and even corporate security set up would have put irredentists who unfortunately are so many in the country in their proper place. If governors would abuse the state, is it possible to sit down and articulate in what possible ways and then make a law to either take away those responsibilities or regularize them to fall in line with best practices?
The plain truth is that we don’t appear ready to develop our space. If our leaders applied the same efforts and dexterity they apply to seek public offices, to find pathways for development, we won’t be in the situation we have found ourselves in today. Now if we refuse to do the right things, nature would be forced to do it. One thing regrettable about the later path is it can introduce great pains and dislocations. Really, the choice is ours.
Credit:The Sun