By Adisa Adeleye

After series of articles by many Nigerian patriots and having listened patiently to many commentators on the country‘s problems and after I have analyzed carefully the solutions profered by experts, I am back with a vengeance.  The problem the present position or the predicament of our country, named Nigeria by a sweet damsel of a British administrator called Flora Shaw is defying solution.

A country was born in 1914 by the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Provinces was made of people of different cultures, languages, religions and basic attitudes.  In fact, it is to the credit and glory of our past leaders that these strange fellows were able to bear and preserve our curious but pleasant name Nigeria, till today.  Inspite of tribulations and the agony of an unnecessary civil war, the country has remained seemingly united and prosperous even in the face of fissiparous tendencies and deepening poverty of the people.

Democracy has returned to our country since 1999 and in 2011 we are putting to test whether after spending about 87 billion naira, the acceptability of candidates will be through unstolen ballot boxes.  Cases of malpractices (part of our culture?), selection or sanctioned impositions not elections are still part of the approved electoral systems within the various political parties in contradiction to the hastily past Electoral laws of 2010.  That things would be better in April 2011 elections seems a logical expectations even if the political sky remains cloudy, forecasting an inclement weather.

It is noticeable that a successful registration exercise has taken place recently, waiting for all voters‘ lists which are always invincible in the past to the real voters.  The checking of ‘ghosts‘ from the voters register is possible only if the voters have unrestricted access to the documents containing the names of eligible voters.
The query about the condition of the ‘Nigerian Question‘ must be answered to the satisfaction of Nigerians who are anxious to be well governed like their counterparts in civilized countries.

It is pertinent to examine the structure of the country in which we live.  The condition of the ~Nigerian Question‘ calls for an explanation of why Nigeria is not ‘there yet‘ in view of abundant human and material resources.  The ‘There‘ refers to political ‘Eldorado‘ or what in Greek mythology is referred to as ‘Elysian Fields‘.   The Nigerian politicians describe it as a state of political and economic stability.  Many radical economists would romantise ‘There‘ as a situation of macro_economic stability with full employment and without inflation (process of rising prices).

The Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in his campaign tours has been poetic and precise in his choice of words and themes.  If elected, the President emphasized he would ensure ‘UNITY AND WEALTH‘.  Even if the voter is a bit confused over the phrase; ‘if you elect me‘ (since he is already the President divinely elected), he would be more interested by the prospect of the people leaving peacefully and pursuing profitable business in any part of the country.

How will President Jonathan as a candidate of the ruling party ensure unity in diversity in future if he could not achieve such goal now as the current no 1 Citizen and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces? Over the decades, real Nigerian unity (feeling as a true Nigerian) has been evasive, and infact, non existent.  General Gowon, the Nigerian war leader and former Head of State stated in his broadcast after the counter coup of 1966 that the basis for unity was not there.  However, one aspect of political unity that has been achieved is the possibility of someone from a minority tribe becoming the President.  It shows that the minorities do have hope in reaching any political height in the country.

The hope of a united Nigeria which President Jonathan envisages would be a welcome relief in a situation of constant strifes.  If in some weeks to the final elections, some lives are being lost in Jos and other areas, properties being wantonly destroyed and residents forced to flee from their houses of many decades, then the word UNITY should be properly examined for clear understanding.

The problems of religion, tribe or ethnic and politics have ravaged the country for a very long time without any concrete or effective method of arresting the ugly situation.  The leaders continue to take coverage under the canopy of committees of tribunal investigations whose reports were cleverly kept in the official lockers.  Meanwhile, the bloods of the innocent do flow ceaselessly, perhaps waiting for a divine intervention to stop it.  It is sad, but true, that Nigeria could not be there yet because the threat to life is apparent and that security of properties of non natives is not adequate, especially in some areas of the North.

The difference between ‘Hobesian State of Nature‘ where everything is in confusion and death, and the civilized environment is the belief in the power and the authority of the state to protect its citizens in any part of the country.  If the state could not smell carnage through its security agents, if the security agents could not effectively control the damage, and if compensation could not be given to victims adequately and in time, then the covenant between the governments and the governed cease to exist.

In the absence of national unity, the pursuit of wealth or prosperities becomes elusive.  Wealth, to many is absence of financial stress by a country and its citizens.  It is a state of self sufficiency and absence of wants.  There is provision for good education, good health, full employment and comprehensive social insurance.  Simply put, in a wealthy country, no single person would be allowed to die of hunger through unemployment.  A sort of promise made twelve years ago by the ruling party without fulfillment.

Since President Jonathan could win handsomely the coming election (because of apparent weakness of a divided opposition), he should now don the toga of a statesman by calling all opposition candidates together for a dialogue and a possibility of forming a genuine National Government for Unity and Prosperity.  No party on its own could possibly achieve the concept of national unity, let alone, the desired hope of national prosperity which requires massive investments not achievable under the present method of national revenue sharing.

The idea of a genuine National Government would be the avoidance of economic wastes associated with electioneering campaigns with its problems of violence and deaths.  The idea of the formation of a genuine national government would eliminate bitterness and vengeance associated with winners and losers alike.  Britain, our past colonial master tried it in 1930s to save the Pound.  We should try it now to save the nation.