By Tabia Princewill

THINKING about Nigeria at 55 I am both saddened and immensely hopeful. Saddened because we are not where we should be. Malaysia, Indonesia, which in the 60s and 70s were lagging behind Nigeria, now surpass us in terms of socio-economic development. Nigerians could once swagger on Oxford Street or the Champs Elysee with a buoyancy enabled by the strength of the Naira. The best and the brightest in Nigeria were once the equal of their talented counterparts abroad. Before we embraced mediocrity, Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, a celebrated thespian, starred in a BBC drama “Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em”, proving that black skin could never be a deterrent for the recognition of talent and hard work. Afrobeats pioneered by the likes of Fela made philosophical and emotional sense. Our politicians were statesmen, dining with the Kennedys and princes of this world on an equal footing. Our business men didn’t just make money, they were gentlemen who built a name for themselves from scratch, but with honour.

NIGERIA @55— Third from left: Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Chief Justice of the Federation Mahmud Mohammed and others, cutting the cake to celebrate the 55th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Today, with a few rare exceptions, one cannot speak of business men but of fronts for the political establishment. Today, despite our celebration of Nollywood’s output, most of its content is not exportable (only a Nigerian, if we are to be honest, can truly enjoy the average Nollywood movie with its poor plots and bad acting). Most Nigerian exports, besides oil, are politely accepted by the international community (in between sneering or “is this the best they can do”) but rejected by their consumers whose standards and quest for value far exceed our own. Despite their purported success at home, today’s actors and actresses (like almost everything made in Nigeria) do not have universally appreciable qualities.

Scandals and ignominy to new heights

Social media was rife, a few months ago, with comments over photographs of Onyeka Onwenu, a purported great friend of the Jonathans, kneeling in front of Buhari. Our AGIP society (Any Government In Power) has rid us of credibility and focus, in all industries. As for our politicians, they have taken scandal and ignominy to new heights thus shutting the doors which once led to successful international partnerships and collaborations. We are not where we should be.

Truly, there is little to celebrate this year with close to 200 young girls still missing, a crippled economy and the resurgence under the PDP and Jonathan led administrations of ethnic politics. Yet, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite the humiliation and disgrace our country has been subjected to at the hands of the adventurers who have ruled (notice I don’t say governed) thus far, Nigeria remains intact. Sort of. Our spirit is not crushed although our resources and moral capital have been greatly depleted. How and why did the military come to power in Africa? Why did we feel the urge to experiment with “strong men” when even then, in the Western governments we sought to emulate, democracy and the rule of law were the dominant mode of governance? Were we fools then? Are we fools now? I would be curious to hear Nigeria’s history told from President Buhari’s perspective.

How did it happen that military coups which apparently came to “save” Nigeria often ended up worsening the situation? Is it that power corrupts all things and that absolute power corrupts most absolutely? Did the generals have good intentions but find themselves caught up in ethnic games and power play brought on by greed for Nigeria’s oil wealth? Or were they machiavellic sociopaths who saw an opportunity to make prodigious wealth and took it? There are no books that truly analyse the motivations behind the power struggles at the heart of Nigeria’s history, only sycophantic ramblings to rehabilitate Nigeria’s military heads of state and the “structural adjustments” which brought us to our knees.

But as I write this, I am glad again because the Presidency is no longer the abode of praise singers, yes men and fawning flatterers: they are no longer welcome in this new dispensation. Buhari has restored international confidence in Nigeria: his speech at the UN calling for international support to recover stolen funds and pointing to the complicit nature of Western governments in keeping these moneys in their banks etc. gives you the measure of the man, Muhammudu Buhari. Not only is this country on the cusp of achieving greatness once more, our President, should he succeed in ridding us of corruption (and why shouldn’t he, if all of us ordinary people agree we are fed up of bondage), the scourge keeping our people poor, will truly make an everlasting name for himself as the people’s general, leader of all souls who believe that in Nigeria, another way is possible.
Presidential media aides

MOST of the criticism of the President is due to the bootlickers’ anger at being cast aside. Here is a President who refuses to “do deals” in the oil and gas industry, the same deals which impoverished this country by granting fraudulent tax waivers to friends and associates.

So, of course, they complain about rumours of him becoming the de facto oil minister, even if GMD of NNPC, Ibe Kachikwu, will act as minister of state, thus removing the different layers of corruption which enable shady dealings. But this is not being explained to Nigerians well enough.

So the PDP and those in their employ, hide behind misinformation and the fact that most Nigerians know little of government and governance, claiming it is illegal for the President to be the minister of petroleum. Ministers don’t “check” presidents, that is the job of the legislative arm of government.

In a democracy, ministers act out the President’s script: they carry out his plans based on their knowledge of his vision. As for complaints over his apt description of ministers as “noisemakers”, these complaints come from politicians who are angry because they won’t make money from the deals Buhari has vowed to stop, and from people (now in opposition) who simply want to be spoilers.

As for Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, the President’s media advisors’ explanation of these comments, and their attempts at making Nigerians understand his plans, it’s often a case of “too little, too late”.

Them focusing on the President’s jovial personality to explain his comments infantilises and makes light of the very real, hard truths behind what Buhari says.

Traditionally, ministers in Nigeria are almost never knowledgeable about the ministries they lead. They are simply politicians, people who are rewarded for their loyalty to the party (and not to Nigerians). They are neither CEOs nor are they academics and have no justification for their position in government beyond Nigerian machine politics where nominations aren’t based on merit or competence but on ethnic engineering and the scheming of the party at state level.

That is what Garba Shehu should have explained to Nigerians, not that his boss is a funny man who makes nice jokes. Disappointing.
Kingsley Kuku

DESPITE the EFCC’s invitation, Mr. Kingsley Kuku maintains he cannot return to the country until his doctors certify he is well enough. Niger Deltans concerned about the whereabouts of the funds meant to empower them should scream their indignation!

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.