Experts blame poor priority, weak institutions, others for Nigeria’s development woes
A GATHERING of experts on governance, on Monday , in Lagos, made a list of contributors to the development woes of the country, while acknowledging progress since the return to civil rule in 1999.
Specifically, a Professor of Government from Harvard University, United States of America, James Robinson, who was also the Keynote Speaker, at the Wema Bank’s 70th Commemorative Lecture, titled: “Why Nations Succeed”, noted that poor prioritisation of development programmes has led low several countries of the world.
Citing example, he distinguished the communist government of North Korea, which mandated several years of military training for the youth, without incentives to personal development from that of the South Korea, which engages in development of science and technology, as well as incentives for individual growth.
Contextualising it to Nigeria, the expert said that innovation and entrepreneurship development is the great way to make a nation and its citizens wealthy, saying that government’s initiatives must incorporate positive externalities that are capable of generating further opportunities for wealth creation.
Notwithstanding the assessed progress since the return to democracy, especially in the area of private sector mobilisation, he said there remained a problem of functionality of the state as manifested in the inability to contain violence, institution of pluralism in democratic processes and rule of law based on universal principles.
“Inclusive economic and political institutions will create incentives and opportunities for the broad based mass of population, ensure a level playing field and rule of law that is based on universal principles.
“This will be opposed to extractive economic and political institutions that are prevalent in most countries of the world that are poor, where opportunities are for the few and non for the most; power in the hands of few, without constraints, checks and balances.
“Africa (Nigeria) is poor because it has suffered from a long history of extractive economic and political institutions; the devastating impact of slave trade; colonial rule and the legacy of colonialism since independence; and dictatorship and military regimes which weakened the state, making it unable to raise tax, enforce its own laws and control violence,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Ben Akabueze, said the topic of discussion was timely, as the country today, has fallen short of the expectations since independence from all human development indices.
“I don’t have the experience of leading the nation, but I have stayed at the leadership of the state for eight years and I have gained insight into what it takes to lead the nation. When a system is led by visionary, selfless individuals, with strong institutions, development will always be manifest,” he said.
Robinson however, said that the way forward remained a strong movement towards inclusive economic and political institutions to herald inclusive society, which will aid the economy to sort itself out, adding: “There is need for emergence of a broad coalition, which pushes for and underpins inclusive institutions.”
But the former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said the failure of the country was not due to its size and ethnic diversity, but lack of responsibility of political institutions and shared sense of purpose, hence there is no excuse.
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19 Comments
How about the fact that some regions like the SE want to remain a welfare state, because their people will not stay in their own states and develop it. This Ben Akabueze guy has been lucky to work with Fashola for 8 years and see how good governments work, now he can go back to his hometown and duplicate this effort, but instead he’ll rather sit in another man’s land and hope that his area will develop on its own. It will never happen, ibos have to develop their own land and stop migrating all over the place risking your hosts’ wrath. I pray God will get it into the ibo parasite’s thick skull.
I think your are disgusting. No sane Nigerian would stand with you. Period.
You react with emotions as usual, instead of facing the truth!
But I thought we are one Nigeria. why the Xenophobic utterances against your fellow country people?
Yes, we are one Nigeria, but that doesn’t give you liberty to come and overcrowd me in my land. Stay in your own land so that we can remain one Nigeria.
I am not in Lagos, and don’t like the city a bit because of the crowd as you said.
Good. Please stay in your state of origin in your region to develop it.
I think we can practice true Federalism and stay in our States or Regions, also use our resources to develop our States. With that many people and Industries/Oil company’s will exit Lagos to their operational States. Thus, Lagos will be depopulated I guess.
Exactly! That is what we want, Lagos for Lagosians (Yorubas) only. You can take your oil companies, your banks, your car dealerships, and your traders with you.
What is your name @Proud Yoruba.
Your real name.
Why would I tell you that? So you can take my name to your evil village people. Why don’t you just answer the questions of how your states will develop when you starve them of IGR by migrating from pillar to post and who will develop your land for you when you sit your asses in Yoruba land? This policy is clearly not working for ibos. But you will rather try to intimidate me and act with emotions. I at least tell you people what to do, unlike the South Africans who just want to kill you!
hahahhahahaha, you enjoy trolling then. My name is Anuli Nweze-Parker. I believe someone who is brave enough to make such statements should be courageous enough to put a name and claim with all pride that you made that statement as a proudly yoruba person instead of enforcing the notion that yorubas are called cowards while igbos are called entrepreneurs as you rightly justified in your original comment. No need engaging with you cos it means i have that much time to engage with a cyber non-existence individual.
Ibos are called parasites, not entrepreneurs, trust me.
Since you will not answer the pertinent questions about ibo migration and all your fake successes in everyone’s land but yours, and since diversion is a tactic used by ibos not to deal with any issues facing them, it stands to reason that you are the real cowards! I exist as a proud Yoruba in my own ancestral land, it is you that is non-existent in another man’s land. GOODBYE!
And this kind of gathering, should it not be held in the Nation’s capital, Abuja? Everything Lagos, Lagos, we indigenes are tired of all these strangers.
Fake experts. 419 Experts. They should all go to France. France took Russia’s money saying they will deliver war ships and kept the money. In Nigeria we call that 419. Have the French become 419 arms suppliers?
I think this about sums up the troubles with Nigeria from an intellectual point of view. I deeply appreciate James Robinson, and if anyone has time should read some of his papers concerning African development. I think we have a lot to learn from them in ways of restructuring our country to benefit the majority rather than a minority group. Specifically, we need to focus all our energy on building and strengthening our institutions.
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True and correct Dr. Oby, for too long Nigeria has been led by pauperised and vision-less leaders whose only ambition is to perpetuate the poverty against the people. That became exacerbated from 1999 when not even the Legislators could understand what leadership is all about without getting monetised. That made the Public Treasury an all comers banker and the rest is shambles the nation faces today where the corrupt are fully protected by the SANs and poor intimidated by the military and police enforcement tactics.
We will review and take appropriate action.