Nigeria at 60; #EndSARS: The Perplexing Life of a Giant “Infant” Still Struggling To Crawl
Sub-Title: Lessons For Other Poorly Governed Nations In Sub-Saharan Africa and What The USA And Other Developed Countries Should Do.
October 1, 1960 was the birthdate of a new independent nation, Nigeria on the west coast of Africa. It happened a little over seventy five years after the Berlin conference of November 1884 — February 1885, and forty six years and nine months after the consolidation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria on January 1, 1914.
At the Berlin conference, several European powers had sliced Africa and apportioned the pieces to themselves. The inhabitants of these partitioned lands were grouped together with little or no consideration for their historical, linguistic, cultural or traditional differences.
Like other parts of Africa, Nigeria, with three regions, East, West and North was stitched together despite the unrelated language, cultural and even ancestral traditions of the regions. Nonetheless, at the time of independence from Great Britain, the hope was palpable, the bright possibilities were seemingly limitless but alas, these expectations remain a mirage.
Why the choice of the word “Infant” in the title? Well, it is not meant as an insult to 190 million people. On the contrary, it is meant to highlight the dichotomy of the potential greatness of a nation — so enormously endowed in human and natural resources — and its monumental failure. Failure to fulfill its potential in productivity, failure to wean itself off chronic dependency on less endowed nations and failure as a sovereign nation to nurture the dreams and aspirations of its citizens.
The # EndSARS protest in Nigeria has aroused the world’s attention to the issue of wrongful use of police power against the citizens. SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) is a unit of Nigerian police, now dissolved.
The shooting of unarmed peaceful protesters at Lekki, Lagos state on October 20, 2020 by government forces and the riots and burning of properties are emblematic of a much deeper problem in the life of the hobbling nation. These events clearly show two polar opposite groups of youths produced by the feckless leadership of the nation over several decades.
On the one hand are civil, thoughtful law abiding young men and women protesting injustice peacefully. On the other hand is another group engaging in mayhem and destruction of properties. It is unclear whether the actions of the latter group were spontaneous or they were propped by third parties to undertake their pernicious actions.
What is not in doubt is that decades of ignominious national wandering without purpose, positive identity and clear-eyed world view shepherded by the leaders have rot the soul of the nation.
The reaction of the outside world has been predictable.
Mr. Joe Biden, former vice president of the USA and Democratic Presidential candidate has weighed in: Joe Biden Urges Nigeria to End Attacks on Protesters.
Celebrities including Beyoncé Knowles, Trevor Noah and Manchester United football star Odion Ighalo have added their voices to the condemnation of the brutality.
Beyoncé wrote on Instagram in a message posted to Instagram on Tuesday, October 20. “I am heartbroken to see the senseless brutality taking place in Nigeria. There has to be an end to SARS. We have been working on partnerships with youth organizations to support those protesting for change. We are collaborating with coalitions to provide emergency healthcare, food and shelter. To our Nigerian sisters and brothers, we stand by you.”
Amnesty International has said “There’s “credible but disturbing evidence” security forces in Lagos (Nigeria’s biggest city) are responsible for fatally shooting [at least] ten protesters. The police have been responding [to peaceful protests] with excessive force, including firing live ammunition, water cannon, throwing tear gas into crowds, beating and arresting protesters. Journalists have also been beaten and their filming equipment confiscated or destroyed.”
The voices of powerful world leaders, celebrities and International Organizations are welcome and notable. However, the reality is that their effects on the trajectory of events in Nigeria will be short-lived and minuscule. Why? Because of the history of massive corruption, woeful leadership and poor governance of the nation.
The roots of Nigeria’s conundrum are deep and very wide. The Nigerian milieu is saturated with unfathomable corruption, profound leadership selfishness, dishonesty, lack of sense of nationhood, discordance, and an infantile world view.
The alertness to collective good that characterizes politics and governance in any progressive human society is matched only by the profundity of the self-centered nature of Nigeria’s political leaders.
Is This The Beginning of Cessation of Decades of Tolerance and Trivialization of Evil ?
Have the disenfranchised, disadvantaged youths of Nigeria finally had enough of the kleptocrats, oligarchs, dictators and visionless tyrants who have hijacked their potentially great nation?
Born and raised in Nigeria, where I was educated up to medical school, I have been fortunate to live in four continents. I have also interacted frequently with citizens of the other two continents — with sizable human population — where I have not lived, i.e. South America and Australia/New Zealand. I can state categorically that Nigerians are some of the most tolerant human beings on earth. Maybe, right now they have reached the limits of their tolerance.
For many of Nigeria’s Christians, their extreme tolerance is shown in their worship of God. Dedicated camping on mountains with days of vigil, fasting and ceaseless hours of prayer and songs of praise to the Divine for His merciful intervention in the inexplicable calamity of their nation. A nation so blessed, yet so crippled.
Several of the Muslims also wait fervently for Allah’s intervention. How do I know that? I have some Alhaji and Alhaja close friends.
Culture, religion, tradition and fear have contributed immensely to the hitherto unfathomable tolerance of Nigerians to the decimation of their nation. The widespread injustice has been so profound that it is not an enbelishment to characterize it as a vertical transgression, “Evil”.
The trivialization of this evil is captured most succintingly in the “ throwing in the towel” attitude of Nigerians. Quite often, in reference to the poverty of the masses, the people would say: “Well, there is nothing we can do about all this corruption and the thieves stealing the government money. We just have to keep praying and God will deliver us eventually”.
Faith in the Creator is the ultimate virtue, it is powerful and it is foundational to life with meaning. However Faith must be accompanied by courage, willingness to testify to the Truth and to stand up against those who live their lives in total disobedience of the Creator’s commandments.
Now the innocent, thoughtful and altruistic youths are saying enough is enough. Unfortunately, peaceful expression of legitimate grievances was accompanied by unwarranted destruction of properties of innocent citizens. The whole event has thus cast a dark shadow on the nation, hopefully temporarily.
The hope is that #EndSARS is the beginning of the end of decades of tolerance and unwillingness to boldly and courageously challenge evil doers who hold the reins of power.
The Way Forward; Possible Solutions.
There are no easy answers to Nigeria’s conundrum. However, the possible solutions can be divided into two categories.
- Solutions from within.
- Support from outside.
Solutions From Within
This is paramount. It is the key to any sustainable turnaround of the nation. Meaningful and sustainable positive changes in Nigeria must originate from within the country, supported by the country’s sons and daughters in the diaspora. First, the possibilities then the challenges.
The Possibilities
The great news for Nigeria is that despite the huge obstacles facing millions of youths, many of them do not have the “Cann’t Do” mindset of the leaders who have decimated the nation. Leaders who keep looking, hat in hand across the Atlantic and Mediterranean sea and now the Arabian sea to China and India.
In one of the biggest start-up acquisitions from Nigeria, Stripe, a US-based financial services and software service company reportedly agreed to buy one of Nigeria’s biggest fintech giants, Paystack. The Lagos-based law firm TNP that advised on the acquisition tweeted:
“.@TNP is pleased to have advised @Paystack on its recent acquisition by @Stripe. We are super excited to have been a part of it. The deal has been valued in excess of $200 million and makes it the biggest acquisition and the startup acquisition to come out of Nigeria. #fintech. pic.twitter.com/Chhi9eGLfS
— TNP (@TheNewPractice) October 16, 2020
This is just one example of the enormous potential of Nigeria. A potential giant not only in Africa but on the world stage, powered by its scores of millions of energetic and innovative youths, hopefully guided by wise altruistic elders.
The Challenges
While the enormity of the challenges cannot be overstated, they are definitely not unsurmountable.
By far, the greatest challenge facing not only Nigerians but a huge segment of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa is “Change of Mindset”.
That what other segments of the human race can do, they also can do it. That they do not have to sell their humanity and dignity and future to the West or the East. That although their skin color is black, their brain is not black. That indeed, there is no difference in the color and structure of their brains and those of Americans, Australians, Canadians, Chinese, Europeans or Indians. That who Nigerians are as “Beings” is totally dependent on the quality of the output of their brains not on their skin color.
The future leaders and reformers of Nigeria must:
- Abandon the American style of legislative and executive governance as soon as possible. It is complex, very expensive and requires significant maturity in political philosophy. The adoption of the American legislative form of democracy is the most damaging political decision ever made by post-independent Nigeria.The current leaders of Nigeria are simply too ill-equipped to truthfully, effectively and lovingly execute the American system.
Nigeria must return to Parliamentary democracy with the parliamentarians compensated with only sitting and travelling allowances and a new constitution must give more powers to the states. This is perhaps the most difficult recommendation to accomplish, but the earlier Nigeria tackles this tough reality, the better for her children and their descendants.
I know fully well that this is not going to be easy as the great controversial Italian Renaissance political philosopher and statesman, Niccolò Machiavelli reminds us:
“It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.” ― Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
2. Be true public servants and not kleptocrats and oligarchs. They must be bold and uncharacteristically honest. Corruption must be expunged from the fabric of the nation.
3. Establish a culture of integrity and meritocracy. A culture of absolutes, for example that “Truth” is absolute and it actually matters.
4. Have respect for the rule of law, and the government must be clean as far as humanly possible.
5. Develop the nation’s infrastructure, healthcare system and educational institutions. Universal quality basic education including pre-kindergarten must be a priority. Education of the masses and acquisition of knowledge is key to any turnaround in the nation.
6. Start building their own roads, bridges, airports, water reservoirs, energy installations, schools, research institutions, hospitals and pharmaceutical industries. They must develop the nation’s agriculture themselves. It is an absolute travesty to surrender this responsibility to the Chinese, Indians, Europeans and Americans.
7. Jettison the culture of dependency on foreign Aid.
8. Genuinely commit to mitigation and avoidance of tribal and religious conflicts.
Support From Outside
What Should The USA and Other Developed Nations Do To Help Nigeria?
- Dialogue, Engage, Listen and Learn. Nigeria is not a homogeneous bunch of black folks or people of color. The country is very complex culturally, linguistically and theologically. Furthermore, the constituents adhere to very divergent world views.
- Foreign Assistance must be thoroughly re-evaluated. Its structure and delivery mechanisms must be retooled. Foreign Aid should not be open ended. Ideally, it should be a temporary bridge until the nation — and other Sub-Saharan African nations — can get their houses in order.
- The rest of the world must not, and cannot afford to ignore Africa, especially its large countries and economies. Africa is the fastest growing continent. The population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double by 2050, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects Report. More than half of global population growth between now and 2050 is expected to occur in Africa. By 2100, five of the world’s 10 largest countries are projected to be in Africa.
Conclusion.
What the founders of #EndSARS movement in Nigeria and their supporters across the globe are requesting is for every inhabitant of the nation to have the opportunity to attain his or her God given potential.
For several decades, successive governments in Nigeria have stripped the citizens of their basic human rights and dignity by keeping the nation in darkness. The darkness of mammoth corruption, poor infrastructure, infantile education and healthcare systems and lack of public safety.
Nigeria is indeed a potential giant, not only in Africa, but in the world. However, the country remains an infant still learning to crawl despite all the available resources and endowment of Nature. The nation is a case study for other nations of Sub-Saharan Africa, a study that hopefully will result in useful lessons and a passing grade — for the sake of Africa and the world.
