Moving Nigeria Beyond 2030

Moving Nigeria Beyond 2030

Danlami Alh. Wushishi

When late Chief Anthony Enahoro moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence in 1960, he did that in the best interest of Nigerians without a feeling that come 2030 the country should part ways. Similarly, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo boarded train from Lagos to Kano to campaign for Action Group in NPC & NEPU dominated city, he had the spirit of unity at heart irrespective of Ethno-religious difference. When Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto chose to work with late Chief Sunday Awoniyi, it was for Religious tolerance. When Nnamdi Azikiwe agreed to serve as ceremonial Head of government, it was for peace and unity not to forget those that laid their lives during the Civil war so that the North and South will remain one.

None of these Nationalist had premonition that their sacrifice will be threatened in 2012 that the dominant regions will be shaken by exodus of some Nigerians following threats and call that they should either relocate or face the consequences. Infact, it was their conviction that later generations will consolidate on these sacrifice for a durable National unity. Today, the corporate existence of the Country is being threatened even Scholars from United Stated of America are out with another shocker that Nigeria will become a failed state come 2030.

Initially, the country was said to be likely to disintegrate by 2015, while the current prediction by a group of Scholars under the Auspices of Centre for Strategy and technology (CSAT) in United States is that Nigeria will become a failed state in 2030. Positions I find stoutly disagree with, in view of the fact that my position has been a movement for a strong, united and Egalitarian Nigeria where milk and honey flow. I am a strong advocate of the view that the amalgamation of 1914 was not an accident; it was a divine arrangement that we should appreciate and live with. I also maintain that the first military coup and counter-coup that led to the civil war should be considered as incidences that should unite us as a nation. Because, after several loss of lives and properties, a truce was reached and since 1966 the country has remain a union of Ethnic groups and kingdoms, before the June 12 bitter pills and some ethnic feud across the country.

Nigeria, just like India has numerous ethnic groups with adherents of different Religions, yet they are living peacefully and carrying out numerous developmental strides. In Nigeria where issues are supposed to be treated amicably, it often takes a wrong direction thereby causing unnecessary apprehension. In the last couple of years, insurgence began to breed up as minor protests in some towns. For instance, a group of jobless Nigerians went to suburb in Damaturu in the Name of Nigerian Taliban, they were ignored. They are now said to have metamorphosed into Boko Haram. What also started as roadside misunderstanding by a passerby in Jos has become a serious crises spanning over years, this has also escalated to other states thereby creating a crack in the polity and insecurity in the nation with spontaneous reprisal killings.

Nigeria is said to be a land of Religious people, with the likes of Late Sheikh Ja’afar Adam and Father Mathew Kukah. Both Islam and Christianity flourish with good understanding of the Religious ethics and the need to coexist. Unfortunately, our country suffers sectarian crises from Kafanchan in 1987 to Jos, Kaduna, Zangon-Kataf and Kano. In the process, lives and properties were lost; women become Widow and children become orphans.

From the South-South, Drum-beats are in high frenzy calling for Resource control or True Federalism. Several groups have emerged in the bid to actualize this project. Unfortunately, the off-shoot of this project is the emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta with scores of kidnaps and pipeline vandalisation. Just like some people are calling for Implementation of Shariah.

I appreciate the enormity of unemployment in Nigeria particularly in the Niger Delta where 13% of Revenue is being allocated to the region. Yet basic amenities are grossly inadequate from Akure to Eket through Ughelli to Eket. This should not be a basis to call for separation. My fear for the intense call for Resource control is that it’s likely to be later reduced to local Government and to specific oil producing communities despite being in the same state. More so, the various “sons of the soil” who serves as Governors in the oil producing states owe their citizens convincing explanations on how the Derivation fund are expended, in addition to the allocation to OMPADEC and now NDDC. So, we must be careful in handling leadership problem in Nigeria. Today, Libyans live with post Ghaddafi era unrest.

On the demise of President Umar Musa Yar’adua on 5^th May, 2010, a big question arose on the issue of Rotational presidency arrangement. Some points were canvassed between the opponents and advocates of the arrangement. At the end “party supremacy” prevailed and President Goodluck Jonathan emerged. He contested for Presidency in 2011 unfortunately, some people were not happy with the outcome of the result declared by INEC, a reason for the 2011 post election violence that crippled activities in the Northern Nigeria. Political instability is a serious problem that must be addressed. The Electoral Act 2010(as amended) needs to be reviewed so that the public will appreciate the difficulties faced by our courts and why certain matters have to be decided the way the public least expects.

Over the years, corruption has remained a serious cancer in Nigeria. It has exposed the Anti corruption Agencies to ridicule. Some political office holders face different charges on misappropriation of public funds while in office, at the same time their successors are neck-deep into another round of fraud. All these jeopardize the future of Nigeria. Our Children becomes more impoverished despite being a rich country with a bleak future. The institutions to make life meaningful are in comatose. Today, fuel queues have returned at N120 per liter. Nigerians now go to Ghana for studies, what a twist of events? We shouted Ghana must go in 1983! In 2012, our siblings troop to Accra and Kumasi or Malaysia to obtain Certificates.

Let the truth be told, Nigeria is at a cross-road, our corporate existence has never been so threatened based on what we are passing through in the recent times. All these must have informed the pessimists to predict our failure as a State. Though we can still make amends, the situation in the country is not that bad.

It is illogical for a Nigerian to advocate for separation at a time a country like Sudan with similar trouble parted ways, yet crisis remain unabated. In Nigeria, we have a mixture of Muslims/Christians in all the six geo-political zones with a union of Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and minorities all over the North and vice versa.

Despite this indebt integration, Nigeria is being predicted to become a failed state in 2030? The reason adduced for the likely collapse includes institutional corruption, criminality, sharp economic decline, group grievances, institutional discrimination, and the emigration of the intelligentsia amongst others. All these are result of long term research conducted in Nigeria. But to my mind, events have taken another dimension despite Boko Haram fierce onslaught and the exaggeration by a section of the press that the North is against the South or Hausa are against Igbo. Calls have been made to make a truce with the sect. An option I equally endorsed.

During the Subsidy Removal protest last month, it was reported that adherents of Islam and Christianity shielded each other at prayer times at various Occupy Nigeria centers, visits were carried out to Mosques and Churches to reassure one another of social integration, pleas were being made for calm over speculated reprisal attacks, Nigerians spoke with one voice to overwhelming condemn the fuel pump price like, we all groan on how the nation is being milked, youths being the leaders of tomorrow are extending their lands of fellowship across states with the aid of social Networks. All these are positive indicators that the youths are poised to moving Nigeria beyond 2030 as one indivisible nation. As such we must ignore calls by self serving group of Individuals, and imbibe the spirit of unity as enshrined by our Ancestors. We must collectively condemn the injustice, corrupt practices, and discrimination. So that come 2030 Nigerian shall be the pride of All!

Danlami Alh. Wushishi is a Minna Based Legal Practitioner. He can be reached at danwushishi@yahoo.com