It boggles the mind that Nigeria, an oil-rich country, is responsible for some of the world’s most deplorable figures on the Human Development Index. A recent World Bank report says about 80 per cent of the citizens live on N250 per day even as the rate of unemployment hovers over 26 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. In a similar vein, infant and maternal mortality rates are inexcusably high while stunting, wasting, deficiencies of iron and iodine are prevalent amongst the under-5 children.
Similarly, Nigeria’s Gini-Coefficient stood at 48.8, as the country ranked 152 out of 183 countries, according to the World Bank, World Development Indicators (2013).That figure was worse than that of Egypt, South Africa, Ghana, Angola, Swaziland and even Rwanda. Gini-Coefficient is a measure of the deviation of the distribution of income among individuals or households within a country; from a distribution value of 0 for absolute equality, to a value of 100 for absolute inequality.
It follows therefore that any economic model/ mechanism, programme or project that will not substantially address these stark realities to return economic power to the people amounts to sheer self-delusion. Fighting corruption, noble as it sounds, is not a new song to the eager ears of the long-suffering Nigerians. A former Head of State, Gen. Murtala Muhammed (of the blessed memory) took up the gauntlet with a focus to cleanse the Augean stable riddled by the rotten eggs in the civil service. That was before Muhammadu Buhari (then a military dictator) in collaboration with his second-in-command, Brig. Tunde Idiagbon (now late) came forth with the War against indiscipline. Over a decade later Chief Olusegun Obasanjo instituted both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission. The salutary aim of both was to rein in the monster of corruption even if it was later viewed by some concerned citizens as tools of treachery and weapons of witch-hunt against perceived political foes.
But what would add a new note to the anti-graft battle cry is if it is blind to political party affiliation, all-encompassing and holistic, going back at least to 1999, without any veneer of base sentiments. That is what has endeared the recent call by a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, to the heart of patriots. And of course, ensuring that the recovered loot is judiciously expended, in terms of specific stable infrastructure and job-creation strategies put in place.
Our leaders are well-admonished to watch their dance steps to the deafening drumbeats of the Western world, lest we move from the sandy village square to the marshy miasma of the ocean shore. Self-interest remains the refrain of their clamouring chorus.
We keep listening to sound and robust ideas propagated every year by global experts at the National Economic Summit. They are proffered as lasting solutions to our multi-faceted and self-inflicted economic woes but domestication and implementation remain the missing factors in the socio-political equation. Therefore, as the Buhari government raises the proposed N25bn anti-recession fund, one hopes it has had a thorough thinking through. This has become imperative so that it will provide more stable infrastructure (electric power, water supply, good access roads and modern rail system) to open up the rural areas and facilitate job creation, especially via modern agricultural practices.
If indeed, we are truly desirous of moving this country to economic sanity, our political leaders have to toe the rough road of self-sacrifice, for now. The constitution must be thoroughly reviewed to enthrone true fiscal federalism. If the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led administration could institute free education in the then Western Region using revenue from the export of cocoa, how come that some five decades later, and with trillions of oil revenue earned, our successive leaders have failed to give us common stable infrastructure?
In the light of the insidious leadership failure, the Buhari- government has to revisit the 2014 National Conference Report as inspired during the Jonathan-led administration. Let us put political sentiments aside and call a spade by its name. Both political and more so, economic powers may have to return to the six geo-political zones. Let them control their natural resources and pay about 25 percent of revenue to the centre. This will not only engender faster-paced development at the state and local government levels but reduce primordial ethno-geographical feelings of mutual distrust. The persisting agitation for the realisation of the Biafra dream is a clear pointer to this assertion.
That done, not a few states would key into my continued suggestion that all political office holders should be placed on civil salary scales, at both the state and federal levels. Lawmaking should be on a part time basis. Our leaders must live with the people, share in their daily drudgery, feel where the shoes pinch them and do away with the obnoxious ego of using power purely for self-aggrandizement.
Also significant is for us to glean a lesson or two from other countries that have experienced economic recession and how they scaled over such hurdles. India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and African countries such as South Africa and Ghana are worthy models in that regard.
And even as we ponder over how to redeem the nation from the present economic woes, on the short run, let us restructure our current education system. The aim is to prevent our youths from falling victims of the self-inflicted ills of the older generation. We have to institutionalise skill acquisition with a focus on technical education as recently suggested by Professor Isaac Adeyemi,the Vice-Chancellor of Bells University,Ota. The increasing need for entrepreneurial studies should be encouraged and sustained but tailored to our immediate needs.
Besides, the true features of Nigeria’s history should be taught and made compulsory for students up to the university level. Our children should not repeat the mistakes the self-seeking elders have bequeathed to the redolent polity.
All said, economic recession is now a clear and present danger. It looms with the likely removal of the highly contentious issue of oil subsidy. It haunts us with some countries shunning our crude oil. It beckons with trillions of naira spent on combating the Boko Haram insurgency. It boggles the mind with increase in all manner of taxes and their attendant spin-off effects on the prices of goods and services. So, how prepared are you, my beloved brothers and sisters?
Truth be told, recession will bring with it, hike in school fees that may affect the livelihood of the average Nigerian household. Labour crises will brew with demand for higher wages. There will be increase in heart-related illnesses such as high blood pressure, stroke and cardiac arrest that would be triggered by fear, anxiety and growing uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring. Crime rates may escalate and youth restiveness becomes an albatross. Are you still breeding more children than you can adequately cater for? Are you diversifying your business from luxury items to basic human needs? Are you saving for the rainy day? Do you have back up plans in terms of food security in the event that the worst happens?
Concluded
PUNCH
END
please repeat the interview with jimi agbaje