By AVM Larry Koinyan (retd)
1. A rolling stone gathers no moss, they say. Our country seems content with rolling on, without any sense of a specific long term/strategic direction. We seem quite comfortable, as a norm, with reacting to immediate and short term situational challenges, some of which, when left unattended to over the long term become survival threatening. At times, we leave undone, things that should be done routinely. At times, we embark on retrogressive activities that bring us very close to the precipice.
2. The chances are that, even with all the hype, after the excitement of the eagerly awaited 25th February/11th March elections and whatever changes that occur or do not occur in government thereafter, we are most likely to settle into our routine of rolling along any path that captures the fancies of those who quietly pull the strings in the nation. As it is customary in our nation, we may just make some progress here and there, in our overall national growth and development effort and we will be satisfied.
3. We have seen this, time without number. Contestants promise a lot. However, the narrative changes, from most of them, once they get into office. Some people, indeed a very few, will protest the change of narrative. That will be all. We all then settle down, into our routine of just rolling on, with varying degrees of underachievement. This settling down to our normal, not particularly productive routine, includes even those few who want to keep some of their campaign promises. Suffering and smiling, as one of our most famous musicians sang, a long time ago.
4. A rolling stone truly gathers no moss, where paradoxically in our own case, the stone itself continues to grow bigger! Our stone has many names, which most Nigerians and even non-Nigerians know. Yet, this is a nation where some outstanding things had been done in the past.
5. First, Saturday, 25th February, with all its excitement and expectations, is just weeks away. Of the 18 political parties’ sponsored presidential aspirants lined up for the contest, less than five seem to have some degree of national visibility, at least, as of now. Four have told us what they will do, if elected. With great passion, some people in the media are projecting the interests of these four, with all sorts of reasons, some quite contradictory. More contestants will probably show up on the national radar as we get closer to D-day.
6. The manifestos of some of the sponsoring political parties are in the public domain. Political campaigns, at various levels of intensity and impact, are going on, most vigorously in all parts of the country, employing all manners of tactics and strategies, yielding all manners of outcomes – worthy and not too worthy, comic and hilarious, saddening and depressing, etc.
7. Whom will we vote for? What will be the decisive factor(s)? Turn by Turn? Religion? Ethnicity? Regional/Geopolitical Interest? Party Loyalty? Candidate Loyalty? Self Interest (Whose, Yours or That of Somebody Else)? Grand National Hoodwinking? Grand National Illusion? Corporate Business Interest? State Capture? Power Capture? Anger/Frustration? Hegemonic Pursuit? National Embarrassment Strategy? Lies/Grand Deceit? Emotion Driven Carry-Go? Humongous Campaign War Chests? Massive Vote Selling and Buying (Who Initiates, the Buyer or the Seller)?
8. Vote, we must, with massive turn-out. INEC has assured us that our VOTES will count! For this we thank the steadfastness and doggedness of the current leadership and the combined efforts of some INEC members and some RECs, particularly knowing not only where we are coming from, of the election management process (with its very few and mostly very low points) but also most emphatically, how election results had been manipulated in the past. So whatever reasons propel you as voters, get your PVCs, go out and vote, in massive numbers. No voter apathy. No violence. Let us have a very peaceful and transparent presidential election.
9. On the same Saturday, February 25th, simultaneously with the presidential election, 1,100 and 3,233 candidates, respectively, will be contesting for the 109 Senate and 360 Representatives seats of the National Assembly. Unfortunately, not much is heard at the national level about these contestants, even though their very critical responsibilities include making laws and appropriating funds for the entire nation and over-sighting the work of the Presidency and all Federal MDAs.
10. We need to underscore the fact that the Members of the National Assembly have to undertake the above very important national tasks within the complexity of individually and collectively representing the nation’s six geopolitical zones, 36 states, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal consistencies, 774 local government areas, as well as members of the nation’s over 250 ethnic nationalities and over 100,000 grassroots/rural communities, etc. We should therefore go out, in like manner as for the President, and vote in the Members of our incoming 10th National Assembly, but insist that it should not be a rubber-stamp assembly.
11. We had seen traces of rubber-stamping in the past. Separation of powers, yes. Bickering between the legislature and the executive, of whatever description, no. What is required always includes mature engagement between the two arms, for the good of the Nation at all times and over time, for the good of all parts of the nation, without discrimination, favouritism or show of power.
12. Specifically, the President has his distinct job cut out for him, which it can be argued is an over concentration of power and at times not used in the overall national interest. The National Assembly also has its own job cut out for it, as has been stated above. Both are critical national institutions. Each, not only deserves, but must also earn the respect of the other. The National Assembly is not inferior and should not act inferior to the Executive. If a request from the executive is clearly to the detriment of what is good for the nation and all its people, it should be rejected. We have seen this before. Party loyalty should not be an excuse.
13. Before, we move on, we need to remind ourselves of the two extremes of how candidates for elective office emerge from sponsoring political parties. Recall that at some point in time, we had well over 70 political parties. It looks as if the process of the emergence of political party flag-bearers for elective office has not improved significantly.
14. At one extreme, some political parties shopped for flag bearers, a few almost desperately. In a few others, some individual, just like a small expectant business risk taker establishing a one man business/sole proprietorship, registers a political party, and naturally becomes its sole owner, its alpha and omega, its be-all and end-all.
15. At the other extreme, is the combination of high-wire political intrigues, plots and counter plots, horse-trading, over inflated and/or bruised egos, accusations and counter accusations, bad blood, defections and realignments, etc that accompany the emergence of the flag bearers of our major political parties. Most times the deep scars caused by these negative political activities remain for a very long period.
16. We should also not forget to pay tribute to some high benchmarks of the political parties of yesteryears (party hierarchy, management, organisation, discipline, focus, core growth and development programmes, democratic behaviour, ideological ethos) and some of the distinctive hallmarks of some of their political trailblazers (oratory, long term vision, foresight, top quality planning and mobilisation ability), etc.
17. We should also not forget that government at some point in time established two political parties, one slightly to the left and the other slightly to the right. (In effect, nobody or group can claim to be the founder or owner of any of the two political parties.) Remember also the paradox of the same government supervising a presidential election that was and is still acclaimed the most free and fair and then turning round to annul it.
18. We await Saturday 25th, February with bated breath.
19. Two Saturdays later, on 11th March, it will be the turn for the election of state governors and members of the state houses of assembly. This will involve 31 of the nation’s 36 states, except that governorship elections will hold in only 28 of the affected states. A total of 837 contestants, sponsored as usual by political parties, will contest the 28 state governorship seats, while a total of 10,231 contestants will vie for the state houses of assembly.
20. In one’s personal view, 17th March is as critical as 25th February, if not more so. In more serious minded nations, subnational groups are the real heartbeat of national growth and development, because it is the combined total of their hard work that truly showcases where the nation is in the world ranking of growth and development. We have 36 states, the FCT and 774 local government areas, covering every meter of the nation’s entire 923,768 sq kms.
21. All the 36 states and the FCT must put their individual and collective hands to the plough, using all the stupendous resources available to them. So also must all the 774 local government councils. We must not continue to allow them to be used as state capture pawns. They need full autonomy. This will also attract far more capable hands than we have hitherto, to be motivated to stand for elective office at that level. Local governments constitute the third tier of government. They should all function fully as such, not some as near outposts of the seat of the state executive.
22. One major edge, subnational groups have over the centre is that land, one of the most critical growth and development requirements, is vested in trust, on each state executive. Other reasons include their sheer numbers and spread, covering the entire country, their grossly underutilised potential to give even the smallest ethnic nationalities a sense of belonging, which the major ones assert at times, with almost arrogant impunity. So we also await 11th March, with bated breath.
23. Since election issues are on our minds, how many of us are baffled by our political party campaign mammoth crowd phenomenon? Party XYZ goes to campaign in City LMN. A mammoth crowd is at hand. Party ZYX arrives the same city, days/weeks later, a mammoth crowd. Apart from each party flag-bearer, his/her team and party officials, are the people in these mammoth crowds, majorly people of no particular political party affiliation/any gathering is fun/business type or two different crowds, consisting majorly of members of Party XYZ and Party ZYX, respectively.
24. Is there currently, any real sign of party loyalty? How deep down is the no party ideology cry. Is this just an elite thing? Will it ever go deep down at some point in the future?
25. At another level, should we not be worried about the constant use, for some self serving and selfish reasons, of courts by some class of politicians and political adventurers, to undermine the entire political process, from pre-election, election, to post election? Is the management system of most of our political parties itself not a major part of the challenge?
26. Should we also not be worried by the great passion and vigour with which the media is being used to project specific contestants, coupled with pollsters projecting some of these contestants as sure-bet winners? With all the generated frenzy, what will happen, if things do not turn out as projected?
27. What is the purpose of all of the above? Simple. We have a major post February and March, 2023, national assignment to execute. Recall, it was said at the very beginning that our country is rolling along, with no sense of an agreed and easily discernable national direction.Every group it seems, is far more interested in pursuing its own agenda.
28. It can therefore not be said too often that what we need most urgently is a coherent, all inclusive, perpetually forward looking sense of direction that will be beneficial to all and in which all people, individually and collectively, can also strive for happiness, progress and prosperity as well as build a progressive and prosperous nation, that is highly respected both within and outside.
29. We have virtually everything we need to pursue all the above objectives and much more.
30. Recall that as far back as in the DFFRI days (1986-1993), the idea of national greatness was strongly recommended. Recall also the “The Making of a Truly Great Black African Nation-State” contribution, (published in two nationalnewspapers – The Guardian and Vanguard) in October, 2015, as part of the NIGERIA AT 55! activities.
31. This however was definitely not a lone voice crying in the wilderness. Hundreds of thousands of other Nigerians, from times past and well into the immediate and distant future will continue to do the same, to ginger all of us, to make greater and faster growth and development progress than we are currently doing. We do not seem to be doing so, by any stretch of the imagination. Rather in many aspects of our growth and development endeavours, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction.
32. This necessitated the need to pause and think. Is greatness unattainable by any country in Black Africa? If so, why has there always been and will continue to be a cry by us for it? After all, there had been very discernible movement towards it, in parts of our country in the past. The problem seems to be much more fundamental. We seem incapable of doing the right things right and even more fundamentally, doing these right things right sustainably over very long periods, until they become consolidated routine. Then you strive for furtherimprovements and even other more creative ways of doing them.
33. It is this driving motivation that birthed the beginning of this contribution, LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN … SERIES years back, when our situation was not even this dire. Does this mean that development had not been happening before? Let us take a few examples to put what is being said, in better perspective.
34. We have been having elections since colonial times, with all manners of outcomes, most nightmarish, from when we took direct charge. We are assured that our votes in the eagerly awaited 25th February/March elections in a few weeks’ time WILL COUNT. We are mostly over the moon, with some cautious optimism by others, as to be expected. This is development. The next logical question : What will elections in the country be like in two decades from now? No, too far for us, in adecade from now? Consolidated and improved on or back to our so called “usual” ways of doing things? Remember elections constitute only one aspect of the political development process.
35. Some other examples. Promises on basic necessities of life – Food for all by …! Where is the food? Rather we import food. There is now plenty of hunger, all round. It was not like that before. Recall also that in colonial times, we used to be a world acknowledged exporter of some crops. Water for all by …! How many of us have access to portable water now? Health for all by … ! How healthy is our primary health centres? Education for all by … ! What quality of education is our entire education system, from pre-primary to post secondary, offering? Take any major aspect of your choice, from our national growth and development process and do your personal fact check.
36. The intention of the “LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN … SERIES” is for, us as a people, as a society and as a nation, to ponder most deeply why our nation, with all its humongous and highly diversified available resources, have not made any great and faster all round, all inclusive and sustainable growth and development progress?
37. Naturally and logically, the Series boldly provides a solution to our most fundamental problem of the lack of a very long term, strategic national purpose that provides a national sense of direction that all people of goodwill from all parts the country and all Nigerians in diaspora will gladly contribute to and immensely benefit from as well as make all People of Colour, anywhere in the world, proud. This national purpose, as stated in the Series, is to “Transform Our Country, Nigeria, Into A Truly Great Black African Nation-State”.
38. As will be seen in the Series Statement, the follow-up activities to the above, include some further details of background, how to strive towards achieving its various objectives, in an all inclusive, collaborative national effort, etc. As the interim coordinator and to show good example as an active participant, work had been ongoing, as contributions to the Series. These include draft manuscripts on “The Making Of A Truly Great Black African Nation-State”, “Laying A Solid Foundation For Nigeria’s Greatness”, “Which Way Nigeria?”, “Arise All Grassroots Communities”, “Again, A Case for Rural Development”, etc.
39. The Series Statements is being finalised and being made ready for publication.
40. There is very great confidence that the LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN … SERIES will help us to most sincerely begin to strive towards the achievement of our strategic national objectives :
• At each immediate, short, medium and long term situational level, and
• At each level of growth and development action – national, state, urban centres, local government areas, grassroots communities, rural areas, etc.
To do this, we need to do all that needs to bedone, individually and collectively, to ensure that the February and March 2023 Elections hold most transparently and peacefully.
41. We cannot continue along the same path that has brought us more sadness and pain, hunger and poverty instead of personal, group and national happiness and prosperity. Thus the 25th February and 11th March elections are awaited with great expectation, not for the general reasons that are usually associated with elections. 25th February and 11th March elections are awaited with great expectation, for them to be done with, so that we can settle down properly to undertake this really great and particularly critical national assignment.
42. We have made good progress in some specific areas and actually retrogressed badly in some other areas. Overall, however, after 62 years of Independence, we should have done far much better on all major national growth and development fronts : nation-building, state-building, economic growth and development, social development, political development, spiritual, ethical and moral development, cultural development, infrastructural development, integrated grassroots community and rural development, etc.
43. There are also challenges of orientation and motivation, organizations and mobilisation, planning and effective execution, proper and effective national and subnational coordination, as well as effective and efficient performance monitoring and evaluation and the most scandalous waste of all of our humongous resources, etc, all throughout the nation. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a solely leadership issue. It requires the buy-in and total involvement of all of us as individuals, as a people, as a society and as patriotic citizens, including those of our people in diaspora.
44. Finally there is nothing new here that has not been thought of, said and discussed ad nauseam at home and abroad. At the personal level, the driving motivation continues to be that this is not the country one was born into during colonial times, marched for as a secondary school student, with great expectations, at Independence in 1960.
45. This is 2023, more than 62 years after. This however is not a personal matter. There are millions of other Nigerians who share similar experiences. We all must therefore strive together, to make things much better for us all than they were at Independence, by transforming our country, into a Truly Great Black African Nation-State, through our collective hard work.
46. There is no reason whatsoever, for us to be where we are today, with or without all the fantastic resources that we are blessed with. True GREATNESS is our destiny. It will not come on a platter of gold. It will require collective hard work, it must be emphasized time without number.
47. So let us elect those who will not only buyinto this critical national assignment, but alsohelp us strive towards achieving its objectives in a well thought out manner. February/March here we come. No pain, no gain, they say. What about, no deep thinking, no success, which when periscoped to the national level, translates to no deep nation-centred thinking, no national greatness.
48. So, vote wisely at the February/March elections, for the very critical national task we have to undertake thereafter.
AVM Larry Koinyan, (retd) was former Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission