“An empty sack
will not stand upright.”
Ghanaian Proverb
It
now appears that the nation has missed the real import of the joint statement
released two weeks ago by former Presidents Obasanjo and Babangida. In the
period since the statement was released, it has been subjected to a deserving torrent
of analyses, critical reviews, condemnations and commendations, which is to be
expected. After all, this was a joint statement from two of the prime
architects of the state of our current political framework, in a context which
strongly argues that the present administration is more a victim of our
inherited limitations than their designers. Neither President Jonathan nor his
legion of spokespersons have even bothered to respond to the statement which
draws attention to serious threats to the security of the nation, and
widespread doubts over its ability to survive them. But we have heard
thundering repudiations against calls for the President to resign, or even, the
most laughable of all, against alleged calls by a Muslim group that he becomes
a Muslim or face unending violent challenge.
The
statement by two former Presidents who are walking encyclopedias on crisis
management and mismanagement was a warning that the nation is tottering on the
brink, and citizens need to step back and chart a course away from a future
which promises nothing but pain and privation. The statement said nothing about
the administration’s role in the perilous state of our security situation, a
political environment which progressively polarizes the nation, and an economic
management style which breeds unprecedented waste and corruption. Perhaps the
two elders felt it was not their place to join the bandwagon of critics which
President Jonathan seems to expand by the day. Or perhaps they have offered all
the advise they can in private, and have decided to absolve themselves of blame
for watching the nation burn and disintegrate in silence. So they turn on
citizens, victims of a very weak leadership, and appeal to them to raise their
levels of patriotism and commitment to the future of the nation.
Alhaji
Ahmed Joda also raised his voice, but he went further to make specific demands
on President Jonathan. In addition to convening a Constituent Assembly to knock
together another constitution which will more appropriately reflect the
concerns and challenges of contemporary realities, he asks Jonathan to fight
corruption, eliminate waste, improve the quality of governance, address
security issues more vigorously, improve the electoral process before 2015, and
renounce any intention to run as President again.
Alhaji
Joda acknowledges that President Jonathan’s administration has a major role to
play in the manner our current challenges are resolved; and his person and
political ambition are central to the resolution of these challenges in the
long term. Again, the administration has not uttered a word, not even the
customary condemnation of criticisms, in response to Alhaji Joda’s
reinforcement of the two former leaders’ plea. Instead, it is digging in on a
now familiar strategy of ignoring problems, or informing the nation that they
do not exist; and if they do, they were created by past administrations, or are
products of a northern-based insurgency; or are well on their way to being
solved.
It
is now imperative that the nation reassesses its approach to the many
limitations of this administration. Critics of the administration need to
re-evaluate their strategies, and in particular, ask whether criticisms alone
can influence the way President Jonathan governs this nation. The simple truth
is that the Jonathan administration is being swamped by the challenges it faces,
and its capacity to deal with them is woefully inadequate. An attitude which
suggests to him that he is doing well, but is not being appreciated by millions
of citizens will reinforce a mindset which encourages more of the same.
Similarly, critics who think pointing at massive deficits in competence,
integrity and vision will be sufficient to raise the bar, or create a critical
mass of hostility and resistance in the country are just as much a liability as
the administration is to Nigerians.
What
the nation needs is a strong push from politicians, civil society, professional
groups, organized labour and youth to create a massive momentum towards real
change, which will assist this administration with ideas, strategies, options
and support to address the most critical of its weaknesses. Instead of accusing
Jonathan of indifference towards a nation gradually falling apart, a political
summit should be convened by elder statesmen, active and retired politicians,
academia and civil society to attempt to rebuild bridges which have been
crumbling since 2009. The summit should address the manifest challenges from
the effects of JASLIWAJ (Boko Haram) phenomenon, the perilous state of the
political economy of much of the north, the incipient challenges to the unity
of the country from the south-south, and the issues relating to the clamour for
a Constitutional Conference. Former Heads of State and other elders can
spearhead this. It will be in the interest of President Jonathan and his
administration and his party to work with and in the summit. If he chooses to
ignore it, it should still go ahead, and let Nigerians know what it sees and
advises.
Instead
of accusing Jonathan of being clueless regarding the JASLIWAJ (Boko Haram)
insurgency, the Muslim leadership should engage itself in a search over what
could possibly have bred this insurgency; what its place is in mainstream
Islamic doctrines; and what needs to be done to engage it by Muslims,
non-Muslims and the Nigerians State. This challenge can be taken up by a few
respected ulama, leaders and groups, but it must have sufficient scope and
integrity to guide the Muslim community and the Nigerian state adequately in
terms of how to relate to it.
Instead
of locking ourselves up against resurging kidnapping, violent crimes, bombs and
bullets, our senior retired heads of police and other security agencies should
put heads together to examine the basic weaknesses of our law and order
institutions. Retired members of the judiciary should examine why our judicial
system is too weak to contain massive assaults on its integrity. We need expert
and experienced hands to tell us how to re-invent our police, and provide
answers to the many questions we ask over federal and state police, and the
near-irrelevance of the police as a tool against disorder and crime. Retired
Chief Justices can initiate this on their own. If the administration wants to
be part of it, fine. If not, let them tell Nigerians what they think is wrong,
and what can be done about it.
Instead
of lamenting the theft of our nation by pervasive and politically-entrenched
corruption, civil society, labour, professional groups and other patriotic
citizens should work under a C.S.O umbrella to examine the reasons why
corruption has enten so deeply into our value systems and institutions, and
what steps the administration should take to begin to roll it back. If the
administration wants to be part of this very important work, fine. If not,
Nigerians should be told what, in specific terms, needs to be done to deal with
current cases of corruption being investigated or being prosecuted, what needs
to be done to dilute the intimate linkages between politics and corruption, and
what needs to be done in the long term to reduce it to the barest minimum.
Instead
of lamenting the sorry state of our economy, its poor management and the
possibility that we will be up to our necks in debt once again, economic and
business interests should facilitate a thorough soul-search for what is wrong
with the way we manage our economy. We need answers to the impact of the size
of government on the economy; to our perennial failure to execute our budgets
as planned; to the persistence of an enclave economy which is dangerously vulnerable
to external stimuli; to decaying and inadequate infrastructure which cannot
support a growing economy; and to the search for vision and discipline in pursuit
of long-term economic goals.
Our
political parties should raise a think tank to identify the weaknesses of our
electoral system, and how it can be plugged. Other Nigerians with insights,
expertise or experience, as well as C.S.Os and professional groups should be
involved in providing a blueprint for a thorough overhaul of our electoral
system between now and 2015.
It
will be very dangerous to continue to leave the problems of Nigeria on the
doorsteps of this administration. The administration is likely to continue to open
the door, see the problems, and walk back in locking the door, and preferring
to believe it did not see what it saw. It is time for patriots, leaders and
those who know about our problems to step up. This is not a favour to President
Jonathan, and it should not matter that he may choose to ignore outcomes of
some of these activities. This is a service to the fatherland, and there may be
no other opportunities to salvage our nation. Those who are content with
opportunistic and sterile opposition lose the opportunity to insist that
identified viable and practical options must be pursued by the administration.
A groundswell of demand for purposeful and strong leadership, strategies and
options will provide the necessary pressure for the President to act more
decisively.
President
Jonathan needs help to govern. Those who love this nation should help him with
ideas, suggestions and inputs. The best guarantee that this nation can survive
its short term challenges lies in strengthening Jonathan’s capacity to deal
with them. We have no future as a united, secure and prosperous nation unless
we fix our current challenges. President Jonathan is one of them. He must not
be isolated and merely bombarded with criticisms so long as he is leading us.
Those who want him to go in 2015 may consider the thought that it will be
easier for him not to run again in 2015 if he makes a fairly good job of his
current mandate, than if he messes it up. Rulers who mess up big time tend to
want to stay on forever, lest they are called to account.
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