Why is Nigeria referred to as a failed state? And how can it be reformed? Some said this can be done through regionalization and secession. One then asks, why are the agitators not united and share all things in common? Why are many people living outside their homes and migrating to other places? Different regions are currently governed by their people and are indirectly managing their resources.
Some say it is because the constitution needs to be reviewed to accommodate other things that are not contained in the current one. Then one asks, how many of the existing laws are being obeyed to the letter? Are there standards set for the full implementation of the laws? Are they properly measured and evaluated?
Some say it is a result of religious and tribal differences. It is difficult to accommodate people from different religious and tribal groups because they behave differently. But it is known that religion came into the country and was adopted by the people. Many people from different religious backgrounds are conveniently and comfortably living together. Nigeria, according to the constitution, is designed as a secular state. What this means is that no religious group is upheld above another one officially. It is illegal to formally recognize any religion and adopt one. Another challenge is that the religious practitioners are not showing practical examples. So are not role models and standard bearers.
Some say it is because Nigerians do not have good leaders. Who are good leaders? What motivates good leadership, and where are they produced? A society has leaders it produces. This means that if Nigerians want good leaders, they must produce them. If there is faulty selection process, then it will produce faulty, inefficient leaders.
Some attribute the nation’s failure to political parties. Meanwhile, these political parties were formed and made up of Nigerians from different tribes and religions in the country. If they set a standard practice, the parties would produce leaders who would eventually change the country positively.
Some say it is a result of lawlessness and corruption. This is absolutely correct, but how can this be contained or stopped? There is no nation without lawless and corrupt people. Corruption has eaten deep into the nooks and crannies of the people and the country. Reducing them would take some time, just as it took time to enthrone.
For the solution, many are saying that violent revolution should be adopted. But who would take up the responsibility of conducting a violent revolution, and who would be the victims, since many from the public have contributed to the destruction of the country? In addition to this, revolution usually comes spontaneously and is not planned over time.
Some have left the country as a solution and abandoned their roots. Many of these people are not really comfortable in their new places of abode. Many are doing menial jobs, while some are depending on scraps they are importing back to the country. If the situation is amended, they may find it difficult to fit in once again.
A nation without standards is a failed state. What is standardization? How can it be carried out? What is the process, and how can it be measured and evaluated? How can it be improved? Many people no longer use the standard marketing strategy but rather prefer the informal method of bribery and inducements. The educational process is no longer followed. The political process is no longer applied. Corporate organizations no longer follow the standard process. Same in medicine, law, shipping, manufacturing, production, industrialization, trading, etc.
How can the processes be reinvented and followed? Before now, people learn the marketing process and policies. They learn how to develop standard practice. But today, the standard process and practice have been destroyed by the political leaders. They lead people through the wrong means to poor standards in education, wealth creation and acquisition, religion, corporate organizations, family and institutions, and, more especially, politics.
The best way to recover these will be to set standard practices and design appropriate methods of measuring and evaluating these. A quick way of doing things without process should be eliminated.
Nigeria should be run like a corporate organization. The leadership should be chosen or selected from among the best who applied for the job by independent professionals. They should be paid salaries as contractors according to their performance. It should not be a lifetime service and should not be pensionable.
There should be a standard practice, as stated earlier, in all sectors with performance indicators, checks, and balances. There should be products and services that will attract customers. The measure for renewing the employment or service should be the performance.
