Former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at the Annual Lecture of the TheNiche, with the Theme: “Why We Stride and Slip: Leadership, Nationalism and the Nigerian Condition”, on Thursday in Lagos, declared that the Nigerian Union as a nation remains imperfect. He noted that the country is still weighed down by prejudices of ethnicity, religion, regionalism and others.
The former minister stated that while out of government, people make noise for reforms, but when in government they become comfortable and remain silence on issues they wanted the government to change, noting that such elite were not doing so because of nationalism but personal interest.
Amaechi noted, however, that the military on coming into partisan politics, attempted to restructure Nigeria to stabilise the polity, and in the process centralized the federal structure.
The former Minister stated that geographical restructure of Nigeria began with the creation of 12 states by General Yakubu Gowon from the four regions.
According to him “Creation of states was adopted by the military as instrument of stability. The military set up command structure.”
Amaechi highlighted that the National Grid was established in Oshogbo, Osun State, from where electricity is being distributed to the various parts of the country. He listed other national assets that were centralised during the military regime, as well as the nationalisation policy of the military government.
Speaking on “Democracy, leadership and nationalism” Amaechi reiterated the exploitation of the masses by the political elite. He pointed out that the elite exploit religion to gain access to political power; adding that the same with ethnicity and regions.
The former minister also noted that the framework of civil democracy in Nigeria has not yielded liberal democracy, neither has it delivered the fundamental responsibilities of government to the people.
The former minister reiterated his pessimism about the framework of civil democracy in the country, declaring that “our democracy has not matured; votes are being purchased…” According to him, “the electoral system alienate the people.”
The consequences of the anomalies, he said, are the rising violence and crimes in the country.
The former minister said that people can no longer walk freely on the streets without fear of being shot or kidnapped. According to him, the only two cities where citizens safety can be guaranteed in Nigeria today, are Abuja and Lagos, saying that people have become imprisoned in the two cities, staying there for year without going home.
He maintained that the country has become plagued by militancy, upsurge violence, kidnapping, decrying that new forms and waves of crime have emerged across the country since the contemporary democratic dispensation.
Amaechi asserted that leaders have failed to tackle these problems.
The former minister was of the view that “the problem with Nigerians is Nigerians themselves.”
According to him, “Nigerians do not react to anything. There is nothing new. Nothing bothers you. Which politician is not a thief? “Nigerians take everything as it occurs and feel it does not matter.
“It is a hopeless situation.”
He reiterated that the people are the problem, saying people accept things that citizens of other countries would ordinarily rise to protest.
[NationalDaily]