Sixty-three years after Nigeria gained independence, the country is yet to fully realise the visions of the founding fathers.
Anthony Enahoro, one of the foremost nationalists who fought for the country’s freedom, moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence. The dream of the founding fathers was to secure a free nation devoid of any external influence, which will give its people a better life.
But Nigeria has, however, failed to achieve some of the goals of the founding fathers after 63 years.
DAILY POST reports that lack of good governance birthed by corrupt leaders has been one of the major problems bedevilling the nation right from its Independence in 1960.
In 2021, a global index, the Chandler Good Government Index, CGGI ranked Nigeria as the third worst country in the world.
Nigeria was ranked in the 102nd position out of 104 countries captured by the CGGI, which classifies countries in terms of government capabilities and outcomes.
The index focuses on seven pillars: leadership and foresight; robust laws and policies; strong institutions; financial stewardship; attractive marketplace; global influence and reputation; and helping people rise.
Nigeria’s bad reputation which has spread across the globe may not be unconnected to some of the age-long crises ranging from poor leadership quality, insecurity, dilapidated education amongst other things that have hitherto crippled the country’s economy.
General hardship
The hardship faced by millions of Nigerians skyrocketed on May 29 when President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy.
The subsidy removal, which aggravated the country’s inflation rate, has imposed unfavourable living conditions on most Nigerians.
In the next three days, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, may be shutting down the economy in protest of the inability of the federal government to put up measures that would mitigate the negative impacts of the subsidy removal.
DAILY POST reports that prices of staple food items and other essential commodities in the market had tripled following the high cost of fuel.
Several citizens lost their sources of income due to the unpleasant development as both intra and inter-state transportation fare jumped beyond the affordability of common Nigerians.
Aside from the price of food items and transportation fare, the removal of fuel subsidies apparently affected every other thing, including house rent, school fees, drugs and even hospital bills.
Security
The country’s security situation has, over the years, continued to deteriorate despite the efforts of past and present leaders.
Apart from the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents that are causing mayhem in the northeast, many parts of the country are still battling with the daredevil bandits who have converted kidnapping to a lucrative business in North West, North Central and other regions.
A report emerged in August this year that at least 23 local government areas in three North-West states are currently under the control of bandits.
The report underscores the gravity of the current security situation and harks back to the time terrorists ruled over 27 LGAs across the North-East.
Farmers and residents in 23 LGAs in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states have abandoned their farms and communities, fleeing rising bandits’ criminality.
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is not left out in the unfortunate security crisis as miscreants are on the rampage, committing several crimes, including kidnapping, robbery usually by the ‘one chance’ vehicle drivers.
Leadership:
After 63 years, Nigeria is still known for producing corrupt leaders who have over the years, allegedly mismanaged the country’s resources, leading to the nation’s poor growth.
According to an analyst and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State, Adebayo Mathew, who spoke to our correspondent on Saturday, Nigeria is blessed with rich human and material resources begging to be harvested by purposeful, creative and innovative leadership.
According to him, leadership that is based on the cultural values of the people and takes a bottom-top approach holds the key to unlocking the development quagmire Nigeria has found itself.
Adebayo, however, lamented that “this is not the case” due to leadership failure, corruption and bad governance.
“It saddens me to know that Nigeria, a rich country that is endowed by providence, with human and material resources critical for national development and advancement, is struggling after 63 years.
“Nigeria had very great prospects at independence and was even expected to lead Africa out of the backwoods of underdevelopment and economic dependency, unfortunately, the country is still stuck in the league of very poor, corrupt, underdeveloped, infrastructurally decaying, crisis-riven, morally bankrupt and leadership-deficient.
“Instead of becoming an exemplar of transformational leadership, modern bureaucracy, national development, national integration and innovation, Nigeria seems to be known only for bad things.
“The truth is that Nigeria is a victim of poor leadership and systemic corruption, which has become pervasive and cancerous to the growth of the country”.
President General of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem also told DAILY POST on Saturday that Nigeria is rather retrogressing than developing.
According to him, certain achievements the country made prior to 1960, especially in agriculture and other productions, had all fizzled away.
Ibem called on Nigerians, including leaders at various levels, to embrace homemade products, saying only through such moves would the country develop and grow economically.
He said, “It is very unfortunate that instead of us as a country to improve for the better after taking charge of our own destiny via independence, we are rather going backwards. Other African countries that got their independence just 20 years ago have overtaken Nigeria.
“We were manufacturing textile materials but now we are importing all forms of textiles. We used to be a major exporter of cotton but now, we are no longer planting cotton. We were assembling our own cars in Nigeria but now we depend solely on imported cars.
“We used to export palm oil, but now, we are even buying palm oil from Indonesia, a country that came to Nigeria to buy palm seedlings to plant in their country. What a shame!
“Some private manufacturing companies are manufacturing indigenous cars and vehicles, unfortunately the federal and state governments are not patronising them the way they should.
“High patronage of these locally made vehicles will boost our economy and also help create jobs for our teeming youths.
“Unfortunately, after 63 years of independence, we don’t have the belief and confidence in our own products. The President, Governors, Senators, Reps members, state legislators and other Nigerians don’t believe in what is being produced locally, rather they prefer to buy and use foreign vehicles and products.
“We as a nation should come back to our senses and start using products manufactured in our own country. That is true independence”.
However, DAILY POST reports that some citizens are still keeping hope alive as President Tinubu promised that his administration would do everything to ensure the revival of the nation’s economy.
Tinubu gave the assurance during the Federal Executive Council meeting on August 29 when he unfolded a three-year economic revival plan to address the social and economic challenges affecting the country.
“We shall evolve a homegrown re-engineering of our finances, a reimagined stewardship of our resources, and we will let the economy work for the people of this country.
“There are so many things we can and will do. Yes, some cynics will say it is impossible. But in your own dictionary of service, everything is possible, and it must be possible,’’ he said.
63 years after, Nigeria grapples with leadership failure, hardship, insecurity
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