By Adisa Adeleye
WHEN the disastrous bomb exploded on the 50th Independence Anniversary day, the incident was described as the handiwork of a maniac, or how would a sane person desire to wreck a multi_billion celebration in honor of the fatherland‘s freedom from the yoke of imperialism.

Surely, the bomb planter should have his head properly examined.  The Jos bombers on Christmas Eve could properly fit the epithet of jackals or modern vampires feeding on the blood of innocent citizens. The latest bombing in Abuja and at Army barracks at that, was another strange story of a sick nation.

It looks as if Nigerians forget so soon.  The savages, the vandals and their counterparts, the vagabonds are not new to their terrains of destruction in many parts of the country, especially in the Northern part.  Deaths and wanton destruction of properties have followed riots, whether religious, political or ethnic.

On many occasions, the situation would be under ‘control‘ and pious sermonisation would follow, and everyone would be advised to go after his or her normal business.  A sort of negative reaction to a situation where positive action was needed.

The constant blood shedding of innocent citizens in a country where peace and prosperity should reign is a grave indictment on the government and the governed.  It also portrays a dangerous environment where security of life and property was not taken seriously.

It leads into an embarrassing situation when questions are asked about the roles of security agents in a situation of centralized Police Force.

The common sense of each State or Zone having its own security outfits, including the Police, has become more apparent as each pint of innocent blood is shed.  It is a pity that the matter of insecurity has missed the roving eyes of the nations, opulent legislators, who have started, but in a wrong way, in tinkering with the country‘s Constitution.

Many commentators have asked innocently if Nigeria is a nation or a collection of diverse ethnic groups forced to live together by some external forces   .  The answer, to me, is simple.  Nigeria is a collection of many tribes forced to live as a single country by the iron hands of British imperialism, and after Independence, by the romance of the black gold, sweetly called – Oil.  And it looks every day as if what OIL has joined together, no man could put ‘asunder‘.

The monthly queue of States‘ officials in Abuja for sharing of revenue (mainly) from oil, though unsightly, is a reminder of a distorted form of federalism.  In spite of killings and tortures of non_indigene in some parts of the country, we are still in separately bound together by oil money.

If the politics of oil money seems to possess a cohesive property, its economics spells potential danger for the country.  Here is a wasting asset being shared by foreign interests and indigenous states in unequal proportions.

The states which acquired their monthly share of the revenue from sales of crude oil did not contribute to the production cost of operations.

The Implication is that the Federal Government which contributed to the ‘Joint Cash Call‘ has not much left to pursue its programmes, while the states which shared without contribution, have more to spend, thereby encouraging frivolous spending and stealing by public officials.

In this country, the oil money has become, and so regarded, as a consumable item.  In some other oil producing countries, oil revenue is regarded as the engine of economic growth, spreading the fumes of prosperity through industrial expansion and mass employment.

A wise policy would not encourage subsidy on oil product consumption but would support expansion of supply capacity to cater for home consumption and export needs.  The policy of political subsidy when expansion of supply points is necessary does not make economic sense, when you are a great producer.

Many Industrial nations of the world, especially those without any known natural resources have been able to plot their fortunes through the setting up of manufacturing industry and supporting it by favorable fiscal and monetary policies.

The old idea of ‘Infant Industry‘ was a subtle attempt in a complex international market, to protect domestic industry from hostile foreign competition through dumping of cheaply produced goods at low prices.  Also, help to domestic industry could be in form of ease and low cost of borrowing capital and general tax incentives.

A mere confusing aspect, and regretful at that, is the recent removal of import ban on certain commodities, like textiles and ‘used‘ cars.  Some government officials, in their careless but unguarded statements said the removal of the ban was to capture lost revenue since the banned items were copiously available in the home market.

The main reason advanced on the ‘used‘ vehicles were to allow more Nigerians to have access to cheap cars.  It is unfortunate to have non_patriotic officials at the corridors of power where their influence often retards progress.

It is agreed that policy of import restriction could only work where our borders are less porous and custom officers are less prone to monetary inducements.  Where patriotism is lacking, effective import restriction would not possible.

The duty of the government is to curb the monetary propensity of border officers and not to strangulate domestic industry through influx of cheap and inferior foreign goods.

Those officials, who supported the extension of the life of used cars for the Nigerian market appear as enemy of progress.  Rather than flood Nigerian cities with old and rickety vehicles (abandoned in Europe because of poisonous emissions) the right policy should be the provision of comfortable means of transportation for a large number of people by road, rail and water.

It is necessary to encourage and sustain a viable motor industry in this country for employment and prosperity.  A policy that would subject majority of Nigerians perpetually to ‘users‘ of second_hand commodities portrays a state of slavish mentality, and lack of honesty.  It is at best, a way of looking for the easiest way out.

At this stage of economic development, the nation should have developed a thriving vehicle industry, manufacturing locally small and cheap vehicles for the incipient middle class.  Also, the domestic textile industry should be allowed at least, to stand firm, expand gradually and reach a stage of satisfying domestic demand.

There is no doubt that our past was beclouded by negative instincts on politics, religion and economics.  We fought ourselves through unpardonable religious mistakes of fighting for our creator, as if the almighty Allah could not defend Himself.  There were killings on political differences not on principle but on un-restricted access to monetary gains.

Riots leading to loss of lives and properties became the vogue because of the ambivalent attitude of the leaders who might be victims or apostles of ethnic and religious hatreds.  If victims of riots were fully and quickly compensated, and the perpetrators of dastardly acts were swiftly and appropriately punished, the futility of encouraging violence would have become apparent.

The politics and economics of prosperity call for the burying of those negative instincts of our ignoble past, and facing the New Year with absolute confidence.  The year of elections should show the way towards political unity and economic stability under, preferably a National Governmen

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