Mr Joseph O. Igwebuike is the author of “Nigerian Renaissance: A Holistic Approach to Socio-Economic –Political Development”. In this interview with Kemi Amushan, he talks about why he chose to write about Nigeria.
WHY did you choose to write about Nigeria’s condition?
I chose to write about Nigeria because from my studies, i discovered the great Nigeria potentials despite the deficiencies inherent in our system and how the Nigerian ruling class apply superficial remedies to Nigeria’s myriad problems ignoring the issues with our sundry socio-economic–political problems. Also, how successive administrations ignore the fundamentals of governance; thus, making the system vulnerable for those in government with sacred fiduciary trust to divert the nations resources meant for development for their personal gain. I set out to recommend alternatives to our predictable pattern of behaviour.
How long did it take in research and writing of the book?
It took over 10 years to conduct the research into why African nations with Nigeria her leading nation, were underdeveloped despite all the endowments in natural resources, geography, donor aids and human capital bestowed on us by the Sovereign Almighty God.
From your research what is the fundamental issue across Africa?
The fundamental issue across Africa is Unpatriotic Leadership. African leaders in 20th and 21st centuries are different from past nationalists that led the fight for independence. Today’s leaders seem to be more shortsighted in their approach to governance. We lack consensus-building skills needed for democracy and development. Africans tend to see power in term of absolutes, sacrificing national developments at the altar of narrow interests. Also, the world sees a picture of a continent in turmoil, a continent that does not understand the rudiments of governance, resulting in the narratives of poverty, war and refugees (internally displaced persons), substandard infrastructures such as schools, hospitals, running clean water, electricity, roads and railways.
What were your goals and intentions in this book?
The objective for writing this book is to start a discussion on the need to look at this country Nigeria as one entity, looking inwards for avenues to develop that entity with a different paradigm of collective welfare, rooted in egalitarian principles based on market capitalism open to all and not just a selected few.
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
Presenting a book that is thought provoking. I needed to write about what would inspire the young and old, students, researchers, academicians, political office holders and aspirants to start to deliberate on the recommendations therein.
What do you think is our biggest strength?
The Nigerian People.
What do you think is the biggest advantage Nigeria has as a nation?
Our ethnic diversity coupled with our different religious creeds plus topography. There is no country like Nigeria.
What did you want Nigerians to learn from reading the Nigerian Renaissance: A Holistic Approach to Socio-Economic –Political Development ?
The book highlights Nigeria’s problems and solutions. It presented steps we Nigerians, especially the ruling class must take to revive the nation in order to reclaim its rightful place as a continental power. Everybody who cares for the future of this nation and despairs on how to put the country back on track will be thrilled with the book’s recommendations for renaissance to occur in our homeland. He/she will recognize that our route to development is by holistic approach to restructuring and to abhor mediocrity, corruption, sectarianism and maladministration that result in underdevelopment, hunger, marginalization and needless conflicts.
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What do you think is the biggest obstacle for Nigerian Development?
Honestly, its the nations skewed structure that promotes nepotism, corruption and all other vices that exists in a third world country or other nomenclatures used in describing nations such as ours.
How can we solve our development problem?
Restructuring the Nigerian federation will bring succor to the aspirations of its constituent federating units, which will reduce militancy and agitations. Marginalization is real in this country- let’s be honest. Those on the receiving end know how it feels while our compatriots who profit from Nigeria as constituted see nothing wrong with the nation. They frown on the notion of restructuring and could not understand the rationale for it. Both sides have valid points, but there is another reason for structuring the nations’ geopolitical zones into regions and devolution of powers to those regions. Regionalism brought out the ingenuity of Nigerian people in 1960s and if not for the coup of 1966 coupled with the advent of crude oil, Nigeria would have advanced further than South Korea, Brazil and Malaysia in her developments goals. The other reason is that our current brand of democracy is very expensive and wasteful.
The call for restructuring goes beyond the advantages accruing to some in this our skewed federal structure. It’s all about development of Nigeria – the pride of the black race. Everyone will agree that restructuring will bring the Nigerian spirit back and quicken development in a holistic manner. It’s about Nigeria and our participation in the global marketplace instead of being a spectator. It’s about redeeming the black race to prove that blacks can be nationalist in our pursuits. It’s about controverting racists perception that blacks are selfish and unpatriotic. It is about proving that we have learned something about governance after suffering for more than 500 years of post -slavery under sub-human conditions and colonialism, wars, underdevelopment and corrupt self-centered leadership in Nigeria.
Therefore, restructuring is a must do now or we will be the architect of our own disintegration. It’s prudent to choose the model that suits our ethnic diversity and history. The nation will gain more than what is being gained today. Our current model of feeding bottle (allocation) from the center is expensive, wasteful, promotes corruption, suspicion and disunity. What do we want to bequeath to the next generation- a developed nation or an underdeveloped third world nation? We must develop because it’s too expensive to be third world country.
How do you grade the current administration and what will you advise them to do in line with your book’s recommendations?
My advice is in the epilogue section of the book. However, President Buhari has done well in trying to close the avenues of corruption by the TSA deployment and the on-going investigations and prosecutions of corrupt persons, he gets 60% for that because its on-going. He also gets 80% in security issues as far as Boko Harams insurgency in north eastern part of the country is concerned except minor blemishes in that record with unresponsiveness to the issues of security agencies, killing of unarmed peaceful protesters in Onitsha and terrorist masquerading as herdsmen, raping, killing, burning houses, destroying farms and crops of innocent citizens of this nation.
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APC government must subsidize food prices by providing cheaper foods around the nation as we wait for reforms to kick-in. Our priorities must change and it must start from Aso Rock by slashing food budget there and all tiers of government, security votes funds, allowances of everybody and reduction of the presidential fleets. We must reduce the number of SUVs in convoys and curtail salaries and allowances of government functionaries by 90% today. This administration must address hunger, fuel prices to avoid civil discontent and ex-judiciary killings and violation of citizens human rights enshrined in the 1999 constitution(as amended) by obeying court orders must stop. A nation that does not obey court order brings anarchy.
This administration must support opposition parties for democracy. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must get its act together to metamorphose into a viable opposition. It must be patriotic enough to confront maladministration issues with compelling superior arguments to the nation as a viable alternative in future elections. The time is right for our party politics to have based ideologies and merits not platitudes and rhetoric questions that insult our collective intelligence. This administration must start massive infrastructural works on roads & bridges, rail-system, airports and seaports, drainage system, waste management systems, pipe-borne water systems etc. in order to create employment as well as in farming.
Finally, the APC government must continue to prosecute corrupt practices across the board and continue to close loopholes in the fight against corruption. They must lead the way in restructuring the country to facilitate the buildup of institutions. For more, please purchase and read the book.
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