HOW TO RECLAIM NIGERIA WITH THE CHANGE MANTRA

By
Kwaghsende Jimin
The scramble and partition of Africa at an European conference in
Berlin in 1884 put the various nationalities in what was to become Nigeria
(Niger area) under Britain who was referred to as the colonial master. The
major objective of the colonizers was to exploit the economic benefits that
were found in their colonies. Nationalist were agitated about the activities of
the colonizers hence the demand for independence. We eventually got
independence but before the euphoria of the celebration of independence
could die down, the inordinate ambitions of the elite group brought Nigeria to
her kneels and she fought a civil war for three (3) years.
Since the civil war Nigeria has not remained the same. This is because;
all those issues of bitterness that led to the civil war have remained. It is
however very funny that those things that angered people to the extent of
disagreeing until it resulted into a brutal confrontation which claimed millions
of lives are still with us to date, such that many who are sincere have regretted
their actions.
However, it is unfortunate that the right leadership which would have
provided the type of governance that would put Nigeria on the proper
pedestal of nationhood has remained elusive hence Nigerias development
story has continued to be described euphemistically as more haste less
speed or yesterday was better than today."
The consequence of lack of the right leadership made Nigeria to
degenerate to the level that: families were growing wayward children; schools
were growing misfits; the public service was growing looters; the political
system anarchists etc. All these resulted into several ills such that the
social/economic system became comatose. It was in the light of this
hamstrung state of Nigerians that many saw hope in the change mantra of
the APC during the 2015 general elections and embraced it which led to their
victory at the polls.
When things go wrong, no nation has ever brought people from other
lands to effect corrections. It is usually among its citizens that some people
make up their minds to do the right thing in order to salvage their country.
The question of whether APC is made up of many PDP members and may not
be able to prosecute the mandate premised on this change mantra may only
be true if right from the onset they had not meant to change the status quo.

Political revolution is the most acceptable way of changing status quo.

It is most acceptable because it is usually devoid of bloodshed starting from
the change of baton of power which uses the electoral process to change in
policies and their implementation. What happened in Nigeria in 2015 was
indeed a political revolution but election is just the minutest part. The most
herculean part in the process of achieving the revolution is the driving of
policy formulation and implementation.
For the effect of a political revolution to be felt, there indeed must be a
paradigm shift. Things must have to be done convincingly different from the
old ways as things did not work for us after over fifty years of nationhood. This
is where the arrowhead in a political revolution counts. In the case of Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari is the arrowhead. His credibility is not in any
way lacking but bringing it to bear in the present situation in Nigeria is an
arduous task which he must take very seriously by consulting widely to
ensure that he adopts novel strategies as there is no single way of solving
political problems, hence even the Greeks who are considered to be the
cradle of democratic practice in the world have had their own share of
political/economic instability for years running now.
I salute the courage of President Muhammadu Buhari to have accepted
to embark on Corruption War in Nigeria. As a war veteran I wish to remind
him here that he must not forget that it is not only arsenals that make the
winning of a war possible but the strategic approaches and use of intelligence
gathered properly.
The resistance of the enemy camp (corrupt people) in this war is
understandable, because it has almost become a right for those who occupy
privileged positions in Nigeria to take what they call their own share from the
national cake. You are no doubt aware of this fact hence the need for special
strategies and tactics.
There is no one in Nigeria today that does not agree that we need to
change our ways of doing things. It is on that basis that I use this medium to
call on President, Muhammdu Buhari who is the arrowhead of the change we
yearn for to look at the following issues that must change if the movement
that he leads wants to recreate Nigeria:
1.
Electoral Laws: Government must make haste in the amendment of the
electoral laws more especially the aspect concerning voting so as to
include electronic voting which will solve the problem of election
rigging with its adverse consequences on us.
2.
Revolutionary Paradigm Shift Approach by Government Officials: Mr.
President, with due respect Nigerians demand for the following

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revolutionary paradigm shift approach by government officials if you

wish to make immediate inroads with the Change Mantra:
All Government officials from Mr. President to the least public
officer in Nigeria must use public institutions. I received the biggest
shock the day I learnt that Mr. President has taken his vacation and
will visit his doctor in the United Kingdom. The best leadership
charisma is that by example, anything short of that creates problems
of followership. We are all aware of the cost of medical and
educational tourism on Nigeria and with the current economic crisis
this practice must be curtailed. For us to be able to change the rot
of our public institution in two (2) years anyone who wants to be a
public official must use public health centres, schools, electricity
etc. I strongly feel that we are not joking over this change that we
embraced.
Mr. President all your officials must declare their assets publicly.
The situation where only you and the Vice President declared your
assets is not in consonance with the type of change that we desire.
The issue of saying that the declaration of the assets of your cabinet
members is discretional will not give the desired bite in this our fight
against corruption.
Corruption: Considering the fact that corruption permeates everywhere
in Nigeria Local, State and Federal Governments as well as the private
sector; the need to look for a Nigerian model in the handling of
corruption cases with dispatch should be explored. I strongly believe in
the thinking which says that, we do not change the past but it is only
our present and the future that can be changed. Considering time
factor, let us not over dissipate energy on the past but do our best to see
that henceforth people will not be able to do those things that they did
in the past by amending the relevant laws and building strong
institutions that will help us achieve such. We should be conscious of
not allowing a situation where after your tenure; Nigeria will slide back
into the pit of corruption again.
Structure of Nigeria: A comparison between our past when the country
had regions and the creation of states, show very clearly that the
regional structure performed better. Considering the above, I therefore
throw my weight behind the recent call by the former Secretary General
of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku on the need to divide the
country into six (6) regions. The creation of states has not served the
purpose which they were birthed. Instead, it has become an albatross

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which can be likened to the Biblical tower of Bable which was started
but the increase in languages divided the people and made it
impossible for them to achieve their goal for the project, just like the
more states were created, the more the country has become divided
and the desire for their creation cannot be said to have been achieved.
This can be seen clearly now as the unity of the country is currently
threatened
Abolition of Indigeneship: The government should immediately abolish
indigeneship and replace it with residency as a way of uniting Nigerians
to remove the discrimination that is associated with indegeneship and
its negative consequences especially the communal crisis.
Addressing the Visible Bitterness in the Mind of Nigerians: Nigeria is
indeed ripe for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission whose findings
would be swiftly implemented. This in my opinion is the only way that
all those with varying degrees of bitterness can be assuaged. At the
moment centrifugal forces seems to be more than centripetal ones in
Nigeria.
Community Policing: The present policing method has not achieved the
desired effect. Community policing should be encouraged. For
enhanced security, government must take the issue of proper policing
seriously.
Improve the Educational System as follows:
Strengthening of monitoring, inspection and supervision units from
primary to tertiary institutions.
Payment of special allowance to teachers serving in rural areas.
Establishment of vocational skills acquisition centres through
conversion of some already existing schools for easy kick off.
Federal Universities of Technology and Polytechnics should supply
the manpower based on proximity to the vocational skill centres.
All Polytechnics should be upgraded to Universities of Technology to
encourage enrolment and made to strictly keep to their established
mandate of practical application of knowledge from their graduates.
This is the only antidote to the achievement of technological
advancement that we yearn for.
Specialized schools e.g. Universities of Agriculture should be made
to pursue their mandates.
Government should review downward tuition fees charged by public
institutions as well as regulate the activities of private schools
properly.

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Correcting the Disconnect between the Federal Government and

State Government Educational Approach: For the Federal
Governments proposal such as School Feeding and provision of
Intervention Teachers to have meaningful effect, efforts should be
made to ensure that the issue of non-payment of teachers and
provision of conducive learning environment must be addressed.
Job Creation: SMEs all over the world are the greatest creators of jobs
in any economy. Government should therefore partner with SMEs in
addition to the other proposals already made by government.
Restoration of Confidence in Government: With due respect Mr.
President; the lack of belief in government by Nigerians is the biggest
problem that you face now. You must work towards restoring this lack
of confidence by ensuring that there is no politicking in governance; let
Nigerians take the government by its words. Whatever is not possible,
humbly report back to Nigerians. You must continue to prevail on
overzealous government officials, not to pass information across on
issues that government has not taken it stands on, hence allowing this
crisis of confidence to continue with negative impact on the process of
governance.
Use of ICT in Supervising and Monitoring your Officials: Mr. President,
without much ado to achieve more, use ICT in supervising and
monitoring government officials based on agreed time lines. How ICT is
being used in IPPIS can equally be used in projects monitoring and
general administration.
Local Government System in Nigeria: Mr. President, the Local
Government system in the country is not functional as was envisaged by
the constitution. The proper functioning of the local government will
reduce the present urban drift with its attendant negative
consequences. It is in the light of the above that I strongly call on you to
stimulate the proper functioning of our local government.
Payment of Salaries and Wages as a Priority: The first thing you did
which was very heart-warming when you came to power was the Bailout
that you granted to some states with the view of enabling them settle
arrears of salaries. It is however unfortunate that these arrears were not
settle in some states due to reasons best know to the Governors. It is in
the light of the above that I call on you to make it an issue of priority to
see that salaries of all workers in the country are paid. In this case I
want the APC states to lead. The present situation where many APC

states still owe salaries makes a mockery of the Change Mantra that is
the focus of our discussion.
Mr. President, I also have commendations to make on the following
positive areas that you have so far handled well:
Extension of bailout to some states.
Introduction of TSA.
Removal of the fraud that was called fuel subsidy.
Effective distribution of petroleum products.
Prosecution of corruption war.
Stimulation of separation of powers among the arms of governments which
we can see the benefit through proper scrutiny of 2016 budget by the
national assembly.
Mr. President, I want to remind you once more that, history beacons on
you in Nigeria. The part you have taken is rough but if you persevere and with
the right focus you will be able to reclaim Nigeria which has almost been lost
to the unholy alliance of the elites.
Kwaghsende Jimin, works with the National Examinations Council, Minna