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Post-Obasanjo Nigeria: A thought By Abdulaziz Ahmad Abdulaziz Fagge
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow” -- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
As the pandemonium resulted from the erstwhile general (s) elections is dying down all eyes are now on the new administration to see what it will deliver to the people. What does it have for the teeming millions population of Nigeria, the yearning, pleading, anxious and waiting population of Nigeria? There are several thoughts, procrastinations, prognostation and heap of hopes on the newly administration headed by President Umaru Yar’adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
We must fervently pray that unlike the usual trend, the Obasanjo administration would not be better than the subsequent one(s) which hitherto is the phenomenon. For, any administration that performed poorer than the Obasanjo’s is nothing but a dead failure and shame of the nation. And lest we get a kind of this administration (God forbid!) then we start thinking if Nigeria is not a failed state or perhaps it is a curse that hunts it.
Post-Obasanjo Nigeria I dreamt will be promising, flourishing and massively fruitful. The different sectors of polity and bureaucracy are reformed, ameliorated and refined. The general administrative affairs and policy making got a new lease of life.
The education sector, as vital as it is, is rejuvenated from its present comatose condition and energises to accomplish the visionary plan for development. The five million Nigerians of primary school ages that are out of schools are injected into a redefined universal Basic Education programme to further actualise the second target of the Millennium Development Goals. Because of the improved quality of
Due to the concrete foundation at the elementary level, the students admitted to post-primary schools went there with sharper brains. On meeting generously paid teachers who are also willing to teach, the students engage in healthy competition at the end kissing the sky with colourful wings. The system therefore produces willing and brilliant students with excellent results, ready for any tertiary challenge ahead.
The universities and the higher learning institutions became accommodating, revived and well taken cared of. The lecturers’ needs of wages and general working condition are reviewed and revisited so that so they indefatigably engage wholeheartedly on their work. Due to the apt academic and administrative activities in the institutions, the present trend of excessive brain drain has drained in to the ocean of history.
The indispensable economic sector has also got imperative modifications thereby saved from its present moribund. There hitherto ‘deform agenda’ is completely reshaped to suit the level of Nigerian economic and social standard. Our local industries are invigorated to cater for our demands and on the other hand booming the economy of the country and reduce the high rate of abject poverty. The problem of erratic power supply, which had being the raging epidemic that halts the activities of those industries hence brought them to their knees is now only a history and remembered when talking of the Obasanjo’s era.
The health sector is not left beside, for, it also underwent rigorous modifications and everlasting improvements. The heath care delivery facilities in our rural areas are perked up and experienced medical personnel adequately provided. In due course, all the avoidable tropical diseases that kill significant number of our population by day are getting rid of. The horrifying issue of maternal health and child mortality which often claim a lot of lives have also being eradicated. Other killer diseases such as the HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, meningitis etc are all rapidly eliminated.
In the urban centres, the general hospitals and those of the federal governments (The teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres), are also made to be places to be. The hitherto obsolete equipments are replaced with modern ones. Satisfied with the new revolution, no one is ready to go abroad for any medication for, it will amount to nothing rather waste of resources since the hospitals here at home can also do it.
The deadly insecurity that bedevilled the citizenry during the Obasanjo’s maladministration is now history just like the embattled Berlin wall or the Nazi Germany. Now everybody is free to go wherever he likes, whenever he likes devoid of any frightening and fear. One can now have slumber with saliva as against the erstwhile one-eye-open-one-eye-close sleep we had. The cases of armed robbery are becoming scanty let alone the situation where khaki men take over the highways for offensive deeds. Everybody is now self assured of his safety and peacefully living.
Another impressive thing with the post-Obasanjo Nigeria is how the anti-graft war is given a new face. The parastatal in charge of that aspect is given full delivery autonomy to discharge their duties devoid of any sentiment or bias. Likewise, the leadership of the agency is given to someone who is neither a sycophant nor a partisan that adheres to the dos and don’ts of some ‘tin gods’.
It is very encouraging to see how Nigeria without Obasanjo propels, prevails, and prospects brightly on the reel of development. It is hoped if things go as they should, then there is a big anticipation of rapid development of the country. Because the finest characteristic of post-Obasanjo Nigeria is that; those on the saddle of power are not ‘garrison commanders’ or ‘do or die’ rulers but rather they are passionate, caring and focused leaders with clear and objective sense of direction.
It is my hope that these thoughts, these dreams, these hopes would not turn out to be illusions and/or daydreaming. It is my prayer that we would not get worse administration like that of Obasanjo again. I hope the succeeding years after Obasanjo will be years for redemption and recovery. I wish I would not write on the shortcomings or maladministration of any government again.
Abdulaziz Fagge, a social critic wrote in from Fagge, Kano.
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