Time for Action!
Published by toyin on Tagged Action, Governannce, Lagos, Vision
Nigerians woke up to the news on the December 25, 2009 that a young man, aged 23 years from a prominent northern family attempted (and thankfully failed) to bomb a US airliner in Detroit, Michigan. With 290 passengers and crewmembers on board, this would have been a monumental catastrophe. With this occurrence, Nigeria, a country that has almost been thrown into international oblivion due to poor governance suddenly became the watchword in every ones mouths. As our government battled hard to come to terms with what happened, the US authorities swung into action and promptly added Nigeria to a list of ‘Countries of Interest’ in international terrorism.
While we fought so hard in the past to put Nigeria back into the front burner of international discourse and consideration, the current administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua whether by omission or commission contrived to reverse all the goodwill of the previous eight years. Lacking in vision, our foreign policies became a cloudy and ambiguous rhetoric. Till now, Nigeria does not have a substantive ambassador to the US. Our foreign affairs minister represented the country in the last two UN General Assemblies where Heads of governments hold sway! The continued absence of the president has not helped matters in any way. Various claims and counter claims have been made as to the well being and where about of the president but no one has come out to tell us in clear terms when our leader would return to active service and help in steering this drifting Ship back in the right direction. Most annoying is the fact that our politicians refused to step up to the plate and make nationhood their watchword. They are all comfortable with keeping their jobs. But these jobs are temporary and can never be permanent. The serious minded therefore should have an eye on what history would relay concerning them.
Constitutionally empowered, the Vice President would have been holding the team together in such a way that Nigerians would only have been more prayerful for the ailing President. Rather than this, the VP is left without any executive power, as his principal never handed over properly. The result of this anomaly is the swearing in of the Chief Justice of the Federation by another one. What a joke! But it is very clear to even the unlettered that one arm of government cannot swear itself in!
This is the reason why the President and Commander-In Chief is sworn in by the CJN. The President then inaugurates the National Assembly. All these are clearly spelt out in our constitution and yet some people think we are fools. The political arrangements of convenience and ethnic balancing brought us to the current state of lethargy. Need we continue to splash about in mire when there are clean streams for us to swim in?
We cannot afford to fold our hands and wait for things that are positive to take place in our nation. Deliberate, concerted and purposeful actions are needed to move this country forward. We can see it in Lagos, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom and a few other states. It must be clear to all that nothing works until we work it. The time is now to start taking the decisions (whether painful or not) that would lead this country out of the current doldrums.
A Nation that’s determined to progress cannot afford to be lethargic. Neither can it be found wanting in terms of security in all ramifications of it. Nigeria must be moving. This movement must be in the right direction and our politicians must know that the time is now to throw in the towel if they are not ready to flow with the momentum of change. Corruption, religious intolerance, tribalism, official highhandedness, unnecessary bureaucracy, nepotism etc must give way.
Having been tagged a terrorist nation; the onus is on us to do all within our capacity to show to the international community that we are not. Our government must engage the US at the highest level. Past agreements and cooperation must be highlighted. But the critical starting point is for us to conduct credible elections. Where the votes of the people do not count, the governments at the various levels cannot command any respect.
Nigeria, ordinarily should command great respect internationally but our past and current corporate and political elites have done her the damage of dubious credibility. Just as the banking rogues are being tried and reforms carried out in that sector, our political terrains must also be tried and tested. Anyone found wanting should be punished and people must be made to account for their deeds whether now or in the future.
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