On many occasions, as a columnist and concerned Nigerian, I feel depressedwhile discussing the hydra-headed, mostly man-made, problems of contemporary Nigeria. In fact, the more I think about the country and its unending recycling of failed members of the ruling elite into positions of power, authority and influence, the more I am convinced that Nigerian leaders do not believe in the Nigerian project.

Consequently, if measures are not taken expeditiously to cut down drastically the cost of governance, Nigeria would be bankrupt. That said, between 2008 and 2010, the most serious security challenge the country confronted was kidnapping by Niger Delta militants.

Since the creation of the colonial amalgam called Nigeria by the British colonial power in 1914, the country has gone through periods of relative peace and prosperity and periods of turmoil, anguish and violence.

When Maryam Babangida, the late spouse of former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, launched the programme called Better Life for Rural Women in the 1980s, many naïve Nigerians, particularly women, thought that the scheme would bring a new lease of life to rural women who were usually neglected by the three tiers of government.

Inadequate supply of power is the most critical factor crippling our drive towards economic development. It is asphyxiating the real or manufacturing sector of the economy, as many companies – small, medium, and large – have either closed down completely or moved their factories to countries with more reliable electricity, such as South Africa and Ghana.