We have had enough seminars, workshops and conferences on the problems of Nigeria. We have identified the problems, the causes and also know the beneficiaries of those problems. We have proffered different forms of solutions. Many other conferences, seminars and workshops in this area may be either to seek relevance or exploit the government or hoodwink the people. We are at the implementation stage. What do we do to salvage our country? It is through social reintegration and changing the mindset of the people.
The government should not be called to assist in doing this because they are the direct beneficiaries of these corrupt practices. They will frustrate every effort in this direction. The current political parties are designed to promote and sustain the current poor governance. Their selection process cannot promote equal opportunity for members. Their formation, administration, conduct of primaries, and delivery of promises is filled with deception, fraud and sleaze. Their aim has not been for the interest of the people but for their own selfish interests. So, asking them to be part of the solution is like pouring a cup of salt inside the ocean; it will convert and swallow it.
Many pressure groups, trade unions and NGOs have compromised their stand and the few new ones are following the footsteps of many of the existing ones. The academic, trade, religious, ethnic and social interest agitations have become weak and can no longer speak with one voice. Using them as a tool may not yield any meaningful results.
Before now, faith organizations usually lend meaningful voice to enthrone good governance in the country. They were respected and honoured because of their integrity. But today, the corruption cankerworm has gnawed into their system and many of them have compromised their once adorable and valuable stand. Therefore, using such platform as a tool for the enthronement of good governance may not yield meaningful results.
In the 70s, 80s, early and mid-90s, people speak with one voice. Organizations, ethnic, religious, professional and social groups prefer performance, ingenuity and patriotism in leadership selection to where candidates come from or where they belong. But today, people accommodate and defend fraudulent and corrupt leaders because they belong to their group and come from their tribe. Many people vote for people into positions of authority, not because of their qualification but because of what they stand to gain from them. So prospective leaders buy their ways to power and flagrantly exploit the people. They justify this with their buying their ways through. Will you therefore ask such people to be part of changing our country for the better? To these, it is impossible.
We were taught in those days that journalists are watchdogs on the society. To be a journalist therefore, you must be courageous and fearless. Investigative journalism was honourable and strongly appreciated. They were regarded as unbiased umpire. If you need to find out the truth, you’d be asked to consult the media. Any information from the media was authentic and for the good of the public. But today, the watch dogs have been compromised, not just with salty bones but with full plate of meal. Many of them have joined the bandwagon of national cake sharers and devourers. Many of them use their skills and writing to attract appointments to government positions. When they relieve them of such positions, they’d come out to tell us how tight their hands were tied to tell the truth. Some of them would return to be experts in governance and management through workshops, seminars and conferences. Are these the people you would use as tools to salvage Nigeria? This is why many people with air of frustration would declare; “Only God would save us!” God did not put us into this mess. We can redeem ourselves.
The most important authentic tool would be first to identify extraordinary people among the various groups mentioned above, who have shown sterling and outstanding qualities from every segment of the Nigerian society. These are the change agents. Their leaders are the potential reformers. Their core goal is to conduct a non-violent revolution through active and transformational reorientation of the people. They’d mentor the youths and other active and patriotic Nigerians. Through their outstanding behavior, they can be identified as standard bearers. This process may take time but it will work. It took time for corruption to spread among the people. It will also take gradual process to eliminate it. The second step is to review our electoral process. This is where the rain started beating us. If this is effectively carried out, the process will produce people-oriented leaders. This will eventually take us to the expected Promised Land.
