Reinventing Nigeria: Issues and strategies
Introduction
This communiqué is one of the highlights of an eventful 2-day retreat of the Choba Academic Research Initiative (CARI), which took place at Mess-Tro Hotel and resort, no. 10 Onugboji street, Ahoada town, Rivers state, Nigeria from the 26th to 27th of August, 2022.
The Choba Academic Research Initiative is an organization of forward-looking individuals comprising academics, businesspeople, and civil servants drawn from across Nigeria. Non-religious, non-partisan and non-tribal, CARI has as its core objective the promotion of inclusive peace, growth and development in our communities through research-driven interventions. We are committed to helping individuals to achieve set objectives in the greater interest of society.
Reinventing Nigeria: Issues and strategies
After a lengthy brainstorming session during which we critically x-rayed the current state of the nation and explored the possibilities of reinventing Nigeria, we reached some painful conclusions: Nigeria is at the crossroads between survival and death, and with all the trappings of a failed or failing state. Simply put, Nigeria is at the precipice.
The level of poverty, corruption, unemployment, hopelessness and division in the once rich and peaceful country is alarming. This is a recipe for further crisis of armageddonic proportions. The “we versus them” syndrome is at an all-time high in the history of our country
The emotional cum cognitive references to Nigeria by Nigerians and other people around the world is totally negative and unacceptable. From being the giant and hope of Africa, Nigeria is now called such derogatory names as poverty capital of the world, zoo, and the like. The feeling and thinking by majority of ordinary Nigerians is that because the country does not care for them, they in turn, do not love and do not care about her. Patriotism is zero or near zero among Nigerians today, including the armed forces.
The good life promised by democracy remains elusive, and both the leaders and the followers are to blame for this; leaders have abused the trust, power and privilege bestowed on them, while followers have displayed bastardly levels of docility and helplessness.
Our ideas and claims to nationhood and constitutionalism are questionable and perverted. Not Only is Nigeria a mere nation state, it is also not on the road to nationhood. The operational 1999 constitutional is fraught with a lot of challenges, especially the fact that it is not the people’s constitution per se. This has hindered the possibilities of having a system that is truly governed on the principles of rule of law and democracy.
Strategies
As we march towards 2023 elections, the task before the contending parties and candidates include, but not limited to the following:
Nigeria should be restructured immediately along the lines of true federalism. The very idea of the federating units of the country (states and local governments) queuing up in Abuja every end of month to share the national revenue, based on a warped sharing formula that has created disincentives for competition and efficiency, MUST stop forthwith. We believe that all and every president of Nigeria will fail unless Nigeria is restructured.
Constitutional, judicial and electoral reforms and the courageous cum consistent implementation of same to guarantee a comprehensive and effective leadership recruitment process and system of accountability MUST be pursued with courage, dedication, and high patriotic verve.
We believe strongly that everything rises and falls on leadership and a nation cannot rise above the quality of its leadership. The economy, education, health care, infrastructure, security, and so on can only be fixed by a competent and patriotic leadership; one that is able to mobilize the people and resources of Nigeria for her greater glory.
Conclusion
We are super confident and optimistic that Nigeria, like the phoenix, can rise again from the ashes of its self-inflicted ruin. Hence, we are calling on Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to hearken and commit to the heaven-inspired national anthem of Nigeria:
“Arise, o compatriot
Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.”
Long live CARI
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Signed for and on behalf of CARI
Hon. Gift O. Worlu, MBA, PhD (Chairman)
Mr. Valentine Nwanze (Gen. Secretary)
Chief Ovunda Ihunwo, PhD (Convener)
Dr. Henry Dienye (Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee)
Prof. Friday Nwafor (Secretary, Communique Drafting Committee.
Prof. Emmanuel Emasealu (Member, Communiqué Drafting Committee)
BEING A COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED OF BY THE CHOBA ACADEMIC RESEARCH INITIATIVE (CARI)
