12 WAYS TO MAKE NIGERIA A BETTER PLACE
(PART 1)

In indentifying the way forward for our dear nation, it is necessary that whilst avoiding the extremes of optimism and pessimism, we begin to look at practical and realistic pathways to go forward. These pathways would entail taking initiative rather than passing the buck and looking inwards to think creatively rather than soliciting help from where a positive response is unlikely especially because of selfish interests and in the face of public corruption.
It makes sense to posit that if public officials are indeed corrupt, the answer to the nation’s problems especially from a radical and rapid point of view is most likely not with them. This is not because they lack the basic knowledge needed to bring about positive change but because they lack the moral and political will to do so. He who has soiled his hands cannot wash a dirty garment without making it worse. I am sure you know at least one or two individuals that have not only soiled their hands but have also soiled their hitherto upheld and good names. We sure cannot trust these ones with the much needed change we so much desire.

This article is not for them. It is for a set of people that are different and committed to the cleansing work. By being prodded, encouraged, informed, directed and empowered, this crop of people can represent the change that our nation cries out for. I only hope that by reading this piece you would join that group and quickly too. I really would love to drive to work from the Mainland to the Island in less than 30 minutes, to never set my eyes on a generator apart from in a national museum and not bother about travelling abroad for a degree because universities at home can compete with any all over the world. I have identified a couple of ways by which Nigeria can become a better place. I hope that you would be responsible for at least one of them.

Promoting alternative sources of energy: It is time we promote alternative sources of energy for our nation. Despite the change of name PHCN has remained a mess. Over 2 decades of living in the nation, I am yet to see 24 hours of electricity. For those who understand change, it only comes when something changes. With the wave of corruption going higher, leaving the wave of change to corrupt officials could only prove futile. It would be better to produce that change ourselves or source for it elsewhere. Solar and wind energy are alternative sources of electricity that could provide useful alternatives. With these sources of energy, power generation, supply and distribution can shift from corrupt hands to sincere ones. It would shift from public office to private companies and individual homes.
 It would be helpful if banks can help relieve the burden of paying for these sources of energy by having payment plans that cover a convenient stretch of time for end users. It would also be helpful if engineers and entrepreneurs can provide these alternatives and products at an attractive cost for residential and commercial purposes. If engineers can design more affordable cars, laptops, phones and homes, I am certain that they can apply their knowledge to sourcing alternative cost effective sources of energy for the majority of Nigerians.   

Promoting Entrepreneurship:  One of the reasons behind civil unrest, unemployment and insecurity is the lack of employment opportunities. Though employment creation is dependent on investor attraction and local production, present day economic realities such as rural-urban migration, population density and failure of government show the need for more creative thinking. In truth, the underlying philosophy of education as a route for employment and employment as a route for wealth has been shown to be faulty.
Entrepreneurship on the other hand, holds the promise of both self employment and job creation providing solutions and opportunities for wealth. It would afford youths better use of hitherto wasted years sourcing admission to tertiary institutions to no end. It would help youths maximize the time lost whilst waiting for youth service posting or spent roaming the streets for dream jobs that never seem to come or come too few for the masses in search of them. 

Soliciting the help of the Diaspora: If Nigerian professionals are recording exploits all over the world, similar results can be made at home. Though local situations and environments can be challenging and frustrating, the Diaspora must recognize that nothing significant can be achieved on the platform of convenience. The idea that there would always be greener pastures to run to in the face of challenging situations at home is indeed not sustainable. Though love might seem to abound, when space or provision becomes unavailable, it becomes easy to differentiate a stranger from a resident. The assumed perpetual encouraging environment in other countries has been shown to be under pressure with the global economic meltdown across America and Europe.
With an untapped market and a huge market base, Nigeria on the other hand provides a ground for useful intervention and collaborative effort in terms of education, healthcare, car assembly, power generation and local production economic opportunities.  One of the first set of people that should realize this and indeed first of all benefit from these is the Diaspora. If MTN, DSTV and Kentucky Fried Chicken can be positive and enterprising, why can’t we?

Sourcing alternatives to national revenue: The discovery of crude oil in Nigeria amongst its benefits has exposed the rot within our public sector and the lack of creativity to create other sources of revenue. Though oil wealth has its merits, it can lead to a drop in development indexes as machinery replaces human personnel and when monies realized are diverted as in our nation’s case it leads to a downward trend. On the other hand, countries that parade several products and revenue channels are more equipped to rise to global prominence. In no particular order United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Brazil, China, India and South Africa are a few examples.  Having more reliable means of income is always better than having less. 

In Nigeria, tourism, arts and culture, agriculture, manufacturing, fashion and sports are all areas of attention that can make the nation proud and her citizens happy. Asides asking for government intervention or assistance, for instance can’t we come together and strategically by becoming solution providers put a stop to the importation of rice? Can we not develop tourist spots that can favourably outclass the Gambias, Ghanas and South Africas of this world? South Africa for instance is home to high levels of crime but still attracts a mammoth crowd in terms of business and tourism. 

The question is not “Can’t we?” but “Why haven’t we?” Tinapa is a beauty to behold. Lagos is surrounded by beaches. Anambra and Aba are booming with business prospects that can go a step higher with more coordination and partnership. With all the unrest, corruption, pollution and the threat of lower levels of demand because of emerging energy alternatives, I think it is time we started looking elsewhere. Part of that elsewhere is looking away from government as in truth the government represents just a little portion of us. If so, we the rest and majority can do something much better. At least as hitherto complaint experts hopefully turned solution providers would at the end of this change be better for it. 

DEMOCRACY OR DEMOCRAZY, A SYNONYM OR A GAME OF NUMBERS?

Democracy has always been a game of numbers. The way that the numbers are used however stand it out as a failed democracy or a thriving one. Democracy has since been widely defined as the rule of the people by the people and for the interest of the people. The people being referred to are the majority of the people and not just a few. The majority carries the vote and where the opposite holds sway, one has to critically reexamine the nation’s operational values.

Looking closely at the Nigerian context, we seem to either be practicing an aberration of the fundamentals of democracy or deliberately abusing its application. Drawing from recent and recurring happenings, it seems that we might be lost in the synonym of democracy, popularly called democrazy by the late Fela Kuti connoting a demonstration of craziness.

At the start of the year and as a national New Year gift across board, the Federal Government announced a hike in the pump price of petrol, a product which is derived from our major source of income as a nation and puts us in ranking amongst the top ten producers of crude oil. Despite widespread protests across the nation, the government did not heed to the numbers and refused to revert to the initial pump price of petrol before the hike. In a strategic game of numbers, the price was reduced slightly which action some as considered as the intended negotiation point.

More recently in a newspaper report in Punch newspapers, it was stated that from a budget of N240 billion, fuel subsidy payments (defrauding Nigerians for government’s inefficiency in not making our refineries work) took a gigantic leap to a sum ten times more to about N2.4 trillion. With our legislators (who have done very little by way of meaningful legislation) earning what represents 25 percent of our national budget, one wonders what is left for national and economic development after corruption has taken its share. It is once again a game of numbers.

Despite the woeful performance of the nation’s present youths in WAEC and NECO exams, one can see across board that of the 150 million people (our actual figure we still do not know because there has been a game of numbers with the census figures), the people that would represent a hindrance to our nation’s development would not be up to 5million, a very generous figure to say the least. 

How come then, that in the true spirit of democracy the aspiration of these few people overrides that of the 145 million? I beg your pardon? Maybe we are all profiting from the “system”. Maybe we all have relatives that diet on the national cake. Maybe Abuja is so far from the enlightened masses that can put up a fight and say no to the demonstration of craziness. Maybe everyone is so tolerant or people are comfortable and tend to adjust at every point in time. 

They adapt to change but cannot change and become change agents. Maybe. Just maybe because even in the analysis of the maybes we have been playing with numbers whilst others have been working tirelessly playing against us. 

The President, who seems not to be presiding over the nation’s affairs made allusion to a “cabal”. One hopes that the companies found guilty of sharp practices as revealed in the fuel subsidy report would at least be “uncabalised” so that the percentage impact of the nation’s budget would at least make sense for the greater percentage of Nigerians with the specific permission of corruption. 

It seems the cabal is made up just a few numbers. Why haven’t we done something about just the few who have messed things up for the much more significant in numbers? And some public officers seem just to be representing or misrepresenting themselves. Someone said he collected money and not bribe. Alas, the game has shifted from numbers, now it is even words!

Can we not all refuse to go to work, march to the local, state and federal government offices and hold down our feet till our numbers are respected and indeed hold sway? Maybe we are still calculating what we might lose temporarily (maybe a month’s pay or income or a few others) whilst we lose much more by keeping quiet and allowing undeserving individuals number our voices as too insignificant whilst their little presence is more deserving.

 You might be asking. How many people are in the security forces? Are they up to 10 million? Can they stand 135 million people? How many people will opt out maybe 80 million, but cant 55 million people drive out bad leadership and foster better change than was recorded in driving out Gaddafi or bringing in Obama into the forefront of American political office? Is it not possible? It very much is. Can our refineries work? I say a big yes. It happens not too far from us in the same Africa. Can we have 24 hours power supply? Can we have educational and health institutions that are standard and reliable? Yes and many more numbers of yes. 

It just depends on the numbers that you are looking at. The numbers of people that stand up to say no to what is wrong and yes to what is right. No to what is obtainable and yes to what is possible. It just depends which group you want to belong. The desire for positive change is still very high and that desire is recruiting change agents across board. The question just remains “Will you stand up to be numbered?”