Nigeria Among the Top 20 Nations in 2020?

By

Joachim Ibeziako Ezeji

I was stirred to write about this top 20 nations issue and Nigeria in 2020 after hearing both President Obasanjo and his party’s presidential flag bearer Mr. Umaru Yar’Adua talk about it repeatedly in various events in the recent past.

The PDP presidential candidate Mr. Umaru Yar’ Adua had promised to develop Nigeria and place it among the 20 most developed countries in the world. He made the pledge in Jalingo, when he paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas Tafida. At that meeting Mr. Yar’ Adua had reiterated that the plan to place the country among the 20 richest nations by 2020 was realizable. He also said that if elected that he would ensure peace, reduction of poverty and empowerment of the people. He firmly promised not to betray the confidence reposed on him, but would serve the Nigerian people diligently and honestly.

While at the immediate past convocation forum of the Ahmadu Bello University in Kano, President Obasanjo has re-echoed the same pledge and even went further to identify education as a basic leverage for the realization of this lofty plan.

There is no doubt that promises and pronouncements such as those of Mr. Obasanjo and Mr. Umaru Yar’ Adua are on its face value very plausible. These comments relatively to a large extent underscore a vision and a desire for better life for all Nigerians. However, well informed Nigerians will certainly take these pronouncements with a pinch of salt and surely will dismiss them as mere political rhetoric. For sure, there is presently no sustainable road map towards the attainment of such a lofty milestone.

One would have expected that the 8 years rule of Obasanjo would have enabled the premise vital for this, but this has sadly not been the case. It is sad to stress that anything built on fake foundation hardly survives. This is reflective in the manner and method adopted by Mr. Obasanjo in picking his party’s flag bearer whom he wants to succeed him at all cost. His style of exoteric maneuvers that intimidated other top presidential contenders and eclipsed them from the race is a clear manifestation that Mr. Obasanjo has little or no respect to democratic norms. Such a streak in a supposedly democratically elected leader not only undermines the institution but belies his genuine intentions.

However, before President Obasanjo and his protégé goes about deceiving Nigerians with such banal promises, they should have  taken extra pains to marshal out and convince all and sundry on the steps already evolved towards  actualizing it. This is true because the top 20 countries of the world as at today have consistently maintained excellence in cardinal sectors of human development such as population growth management, education, health, infant and maternal mortality, poverty control, social services and industrial development. These are often vividly manifested in better political rights, higher living standards and more diversified economies as a key in reducing the risks of poverty and instability. The result has been progressive prosperity, national growth and development.

In Nigeria the macabre show of shame amongst our top politicians does not rekindle any hope of better days in the days ahead. The result is that most Nigerians have now resorted to self help with greater proclivity to individualism. An example is manifest in the increasing insouciance of the government to effectively address and manage issues as common as energy and clean drinking water supply for its people. The unmitigated failure of government in this regard has led to the avalanche of the ‘affordable it class’ of citizens and corporate groups resorting to bridging interventions such as electric generators and water boreholes. As at today, nobody really cares or pauses to x-ray the long term implications of the effects of such deprivations on the environment as well as on the psyche of many of the poor i.e. the ‘unaffordable it class’. Most of these people despite their high educational attainment are still poor because of the abysmal and poor governance on reign in the polity. The result is colossal waste of human capital through bourgeoning frustration, ill-health and concomitant sense of inferiority as well as obscurity.

The Nigerian scenario cannot evoke any thing other than sighs to many and this is worsened in instances where recent reports such as those of the United Nations shows that in quality of life, Nigeria rates below all other major oil nations, from Libya to Indonesia. Nigeria’s annual per capita income of US$1,400 is less than that of Senegal, which exports mainly fish and nuts. The World Bank categorizes Nigeria as a “fragile state”, beset by risk of armed conflict, epidemic disease, and failed governance.

How then do we overcome all these challenges and rise to take a place among the top 20 countries in just 13 years from today? This is practically impossible and all those raising such hopes through un-researched and misplaced optimism are either simply ignorant or are deliberately revering in arrant mischief. It is not only bizarre but grossly shocking that Nigeria has crashed from being a potentially model nation via avis all the promises and hopes it raised at independence in 1960 especially with all its abundant natural resources and human capital, to now become a dangerous country where human dignity is on exile; hunger is pervasive; poverty on absolute reign and where human life earns little  or no respect; where criminals are permanently on unfettered sprawl and where dictatorship and personal hubris and idiosyncrasies have become a new standard order.

To salvage Nigeria from this suicidal plunge, there is now more than ever before in the history of this country, to put in place proactive measures that will build political accountability and equitable power sharing, starting with the public service. Better governance should aim at the 3E’s of; Empower citizens; Enable government and; Enforce law. There is also the need to put in place innovative structures that will facilitate broader participation and representative governance at all levels, national and local.

Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’ Adua should also be reminded that peaceful political succession requires a sound institutional base and commitment to democratic principles. This is a desideratum at this moment where President Obasanjo believes that the 2007 elections is a ‘do or die affair’ for him and his party. An addendum to the foregoing is the reminder that the rule of law is essential for a predictable and stable environment in which conformity to formal rules prevails.

The year 2020 is already a mirage like the then much touted better life of year 2000 that came and passed,  leaving many Nigerians worse than they met it. To really give meaning to any attempt for improvement or the attainment of any grace at what ever level today or in times to come, it is germane to remind the PDP government that public involvement is essential for reforms to be sustained, and institutional development must be embedded in broader political and governance reforms. Also a vibrant and diverse civil society is needed to hold government accountable. The same for the growing private sector which is expected to contribute to economic growth and better governance.

Anti-corruption strategies must be realistic, achievable and consistently implemented without any iota of favouritism or bias. The suspicious role of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in current political developments belies its genuine interests. It is also worthy to note that without higher pay, it will be impossible to attract, retain and assure the integrity of high skilled public officials. This is so because public agencies are likely to deliver results only if they have strong incentives to perform.

As the general election approaches, the major challenge to tackle by any favoured political party is to squarely address poverty and inequality. This must however be leveraged on economic growth that is created through the empowerment of the citizens via optimal democracy, entrepreneurship and social coherence. Growth is essential to reduce the bourgeoning number of the poor people as well as the removal of inequality. In doing all these, the government should bear in mind that measures to reduce poverty are neither a luxury nor a cosmetic application, but essentially for peaceful and mutual development. The path to achieve this is the Millennium Development Goals. Nigerian political leaders should first and foremost show, exude and exert adequate commitment to meet the well known Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target of 2015 as set by the United Nations. The MDGs from all angles is a less Herculean task than this unknown omnibus, hazy and bizarre agenda to greatness in 2020 we are being told about. Till we understand where we presently are, any other promise at what ever height is deceit and chicanery. Nigerians should all come out to shoot it down. It is sure to fail.