Development as a distraction
Is it true that black people are easily excited? That they are unable to think through a problem coherently and realise a sensible solution? Is this a design flaw inbuilt by nature or developed by nurture? I am a christian and the Bible does not distinguish between skin tone. In the book of Genesis chapter 1 and verses 26 - 27 God chose to make man in His own image. So we belong to the class of God that is why we should be able to pray and fellowship with God. This is a slippery slope so I shant go any further down that road. Perhaps the African tendency to pander (and I have not agreed that African's do have this tendency, i am just saying assuming they do perhaps it) is because of nurture. Over easter while trying to acquire some samples for my research work i went to some very deprived forests in South West Nigeria. When i told my mum how indignant I was that the people did not have clothes to wear she answered in her usual wisdom, "people that are that poor will first need food not clothes!". Frankly i believe that it is difficult to contemplate complex engineering on a hungry tummy but what does the African wild teach us about nurture?
Every day the gazelle wakes up knowing that it must run faster than the fastest lion or else it will end up as lunch for the lion. Similarly the lion wakes up and stretches lazily knowing that it must out pace the slowest gazelle or else it will die of hunger. In this ecosystem the players are nurtured by survival. Nor are these animals in the class of man. So what happens when elected African "leaders" choose to play politics for politics sake? To acquire power just for the make up? Barely two months after being sword in as legislators the Kenyan parliament passed a unanimous bill not to check the power of the president or sort out complex debts left behind by the last administration or lurch towards development. No. They were not interested in anything so little. The very important bill which passed with no abstention was to increase the size of their allowances. Serious state policy. Well much as everyone expects alot from Kenya and the economy is the darling of East Africa, the GDP of Kenya large as it is, is less than that of Lagos state, one of Nigeria's more prosperous states.
This story often summons a smile to my face. About 20 years ago, we took my little cousin, Motunrayo, to a studio for a photo session. She sat in front of the camera and we started applying some make-up to her pretty face. Make-up done, lights on, camera ready, preamble finished, she innocently stood up and headed for the exit door. We laughed and informed her that she was yet to do what we actually came for – a photo shoot. The three-year-old girl probably thought we only came to glamorise her face. This, tearfully, reminds me of Nigerian politicians. They so often fail to understand that the main reason for getting political power is not the glamour of sirens and convoys. Power is not an end in itself; it is, alas, a means to an end.
Every day the gazelle wakes up knowing that it must run faster than the fastest lion or else it will end up as lunch for the lion. Similarly the lion wakes up and stretches lazily knowing that it must out pace the slowest gazelle or else it will die of hunger. In this ecosystem the players are nurtured by survival. Nor are these animals in the class of man. So what happens when elected African "leaders" choose to play politics for politics sake? To acquire power just for the make up? Barely two months after being sword in as legislators the Kenyan parliament passed a unanimous bill not to check the power of the president or sort out complex debts left behind by the last administration or lurch towards development. No. They were not interested in anything so little. The very important bill which passed with no abstention was to increase the size of their allowances. Serious state policy. Well much as everyone expects alot from Kenya and the economy is the darling of East Africa, the GDP of Kenya large as it is, is less than that of Lagos state, one of Nigeria's more prosperous states.
Let us excuse the Kenyans and assume they do not know better. What development strides were the Nigerians involved in last month? Nigerian governors were busy meeting and
strategising non-stop on who should be the next chairman of the Political
Billionaires’ Club, popularly known as the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). However as example on the same day, the
Ruler of Dubai – a state in the United Arab Emirates – was busy unveiling plans
to build three world-class hospitals and 40 new clinics to promote “medical
tourism”. His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the plan was
to build hospitals comparable to any medical facility anywhere in the world.
They will also build five-star hotels next door to the facilities for the
relatives of patients. The objective is to add another dimension to the Dubai
story – trade, travel, real estate and now medical tourism. That is vision.
That is leadership.
About the same time in Nigeria, the multi-billionaire governors and other politicians were meeting day and
night and night and day over who controls the meaningless Political
Billionaires’ Club. Their disagreement was not about building world-class
hospitals and world-class schools. It was not about fixing the potholes that
litter our roads all over the federation. It was not about ending infant and
maternal mortality. It was not about making Nigeria a land of trade and
tourism. It was not about turning Nigeria to an exporter of mobile phones, like
South Korea, or dairy products, like the Netherlands. The goal of political
power, as far as they can see, is intrigues. Politics starts and ends with
elections.
Development is a distraction.
And we keep asking why Africa is like this.
This is not just my observation infact a large part of it were excerpts from the essay of Mr Kolawole, the immediate past Chief Editor of ThisDAY. The essay is reproduced below.
Also permit me to wish you all a great week ahead.
Simon Kolawole
This story often summons a smile to my face. About 20 years ago, we took my little cousin, Motunrayo, to a studio for a photo session. She sat in front of the camera and we started applying some make-up to her pretty face. Make-up done, lights on, camera ready, preamble finished, she innocently stood up and headed for the exit door. We laughed and informed her that she was yet to do what we actually came for – a photo shoot. The three-year-old girl probably thought we only came to glamorise her face. This, tearfully, reminds me of Nigerian politicians. They so often fail to understand that the main reason for getting political power is not the glamour of sirens and convoys. Power is not an end in itself; it is, alas, a means to an end.
While Nigerian governors were busy meeting and strategising non-stop on
who should be the next chairman of the Political Billionaires’ Club,
popularly known as the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), the Ruler of Dubai
– a state in the United Arab Emirates – was busy unveiling plans to
build three world-class hospitals and 40 new clinics to promote “medical
tourism”. His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the
plan was to build hospitals comparable to any medical facility anywhere
in the world. They will also build five-star hotels next door to the
facilities for the relatives of patients. The objective is to add
another dimension to the Dubai story – trade, travel, real estate and
now medical tourism. That is vision. That is leadership.
About the same time in my dearly beloved country, our multi-billionaire
governors and other politicians were meeting day and night and night
and day over who controls the meaningless Political Billionaires’ Club.
Their disagreement was not about building world-class hospitals and
world-class schools. It was not about fixing the potholes that litter
our roads all over the federation. It was not about ending infant and
maternal mortality. It was not about making Nigeria a land of trade and
tourism. It was not about turning Nigeria to an exporter of mobile
phones, like South Korea, or dairy products, like the Netherlands. The
goal of political power, as far as they can see, is intrigues. Politics
starts and ends with elections. Development is a distraction.
And we keep asking why Nigeria is like this.
I have been very amused – let me use the word bemused – by the NGF intrigues. If you believe what you are reading in the media, President Goodluck Jonathan, who wants a second term in 2015, is trying to stop Governor Rotimi Amaechi from getting a second term as chairman of NGF. To complete the irony, Amaechi, who is serving a second term as governor of Rivers State and also seeking a second term as NGF chairman, is against a second term for Jonathan. And so a civil war has broken out. It has now been presented to the gullible public as a fight between democrats and dictators, a battle between principled men and unprincipled men.
I have been very amused – let me use the word bemused – by the NGF intrigues. If you believe what you are reading in the media, President Goodluck Jonathan, who wants a second term in 2015, is trying to stop Governor Rotimi Amaechi from getting a second term as chairman of NGF. To complete the irony, Amaechi, who is serving a second term as governor of Rivers State and also seeking a second term as NGF chairman, is against a second term for Jonathan. And so a civil war has broken out. It has now been presented to the gullible public as a fight between democrats and dictators, a battle between principled men and unprincipled men.
You believe that crap? So our politicians are now symbols of credible
elections and role models of integrity? Seriously? Since when? Many
Nigerians are selling and buying that line. Have we been so bewitched to
forget that this fight is but a mere disagreement between soul mates?
These same politicians will soon meet over bottles of expensive
champagne and thereafter announce to the world that they have “resolved”
their “differences” – while millions of Nigerians will continue to
wallow in poverty and disease. Why do we always allow these politicians
to fool us? I hereby officially announce that I, Simon Gbenga Kolawole,
refuse to be hoodwinked. I have seen all this drama before. I don’t know
about you.
Instead of the rest of us to gather and pelt these overfed politicians
with rotten tomatoes for always placing political intrigues above good
governance, we are taking sides. Can’t we all see that this NGF thing is
all politics? Can’t we see that this political game is not about the
progress of Nigeria? Why are we so easily excited in this country? Why
do we always allow these politicians to distract our attention from the
purpose of politics? How I wish all the energy being dissipated by these
pot-bellied politicians was for the comfort of Nigerians! How I wish it
was about how to provide safe water to the poor and jobs to the
millions of youths who are hopelessly and haplessly roaming the streets!
How I wish Nigerian politicians were quarrelling over how to tackle
guinea worm, malaria, diabetes and kidney failures!
If these politicians devote just 10 per cent of their intrigues to
making our country a better place, I bet Dubai would be like a ghetto
compared to Nigeria. With all the trillions of naira that the three
tiers of government have shared since 1999, we should not be here
lamenting about electricity, education and health. But here we are,
stuck with leaders who think only for themselves, who think that getting
political power and playing high-wire politics are all that should
count. Of all the troubles afflicting Nigerians today, NGF chairmanship
and 2015 should be the least of our worries. But our politicians, like
my innocent little cousin, like to adorn the make-up of political power
and then walk away when it comes to the real reason they are in office –
to turn Nigeria to a civilised country.
Now, with all the emotion and passion being exerted in the polity in
the past few weeks over the NGF election, I will not be surprised if
many of these politicians end up with high blood pressure and stroke by
2015. Well, I’ve got news for them. By then, Dubai will hopefully have
opened one of their world-class hospitals, complete with the best
equipment and the best medical personnel the world has to offer.
Nigerian politicians can go there to receive treatment after the
elections. With no world-class hospital in Nigeria, Dubai will eagerly
welcome our leaders with open arms. After all, are these chubby-cheeked
politicians and their fronts not the ones buying up the choice property
in Dubai while millions of Nigerians remain homeless?
And Four Other Things...
WAGING THE WAR
It’s a shame that Nigerians have spent more time discussing the minor rift among our multi-billionaire governors, thereby relegating the more important issue of Boko Haram to the background. What we’ve been hearing in the last few days is chilling. The army authorities confirmed that some military insiders are working for the insurgents and have often tipped them off and put our soldiers’ lives at risk. There are allegations that Hezbollah, the Lebanese group, has links with Boko Haram. This raises more questions about our border control. Did you hear the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, calling on Arabs to team up with him in his war against Nigeria?
It’s a shame that Nigerians have spent more time discussing the minor rift among our multi-billionaire governors, thereby relegating the more important issue of Boko Haram to the background. What we’ve been hearing in the last few days is chilling. The army authorities confirmed that some military insiders are working for the insurgents and have often tipped them off and put our soldiers’ lives at risk. There are allegations that Hezbollah, the Lebanese group, has links with Boko Haram. This raises more questions about our border control. Did you hear the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, calling on Arabs to team up with him in his war against Nigeria?
ALIYU THE JANUS
If there is one governor I have never been able to understand since I was born, it is Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu. The Janus-faced governor of Niger State attended General Ibrahim Babangida’s declaration of intent to run in the 2011 presidential race. Shortly after, he was also at President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration. During the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairmanship election, Aliyu was for both Governors Rotimi Amaechi and David Jang. Then last Tuesday, he shamelessly told Jonathan that all his criticism of the president was meant to attract federal projects to Niger State. And, by the way, this man has a PhD.
If there is one governor I have never been able to understand since I was born, it is Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu. The Janus-faced governor of Niger State attended General Ibrahim Babangida’s declaration of intent to run in the 2011 presidential race. Shortly after, he was also at President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration. During the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairmanship election, Aliyu was for both Governors Rotimi Amaechi and David Jang. Then last Tuesday, he shamelessly told Jonathan that all his criticism of the president was meant to attract federal projects to Niger State. And, by the way, this man has a PhD.
ANGO MUST GO
Remember Professor Ango Abdullahi? He was Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In 1986, ABU students staged an “Ango Must Go” protest, asking for his removal over his draconian rule. The police moved in to quell the riot. Reports said dozens of students died, but Professor Abdullahi infamously said “only six students” were gunned down (none of his children was among the dead, so you could understand his use of “only”). Well, he is now the spokesman of Northern elders. That is exactly the kind of spokesmen and elders we need to transform the North. Wayyo Allah na!
Remember Professor Ango Abdullahi? He was Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. In 1986, ABU students staged an “Ango Must Go” protest, asking for his removal over his draconian rule. The police moved in to quell the riot. Reports said dozens of students died, but Professor Abdullahi infamously said “only six students” were gunned down (none of his children was among the dead, so you could understand his use of “only”). Well, he is now the spokesman of Northern elders. That is exactly the kind of spokesmen and elders we need to transform the North. Wayyo Allah na!
DEMOCRACY AT 14
At a public function recently, a professor from the University of Ibadan bitterly lamented that Nigeria had nothing to show for democracy. He listed a million problems and two million challenges. He almost called for the military to come back. The governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, who spoke shortly after him, asked the professor not to take such a dim view of things. “Prof,” Obi said, “the fact that you could say what you have just said and there is no security operative waiting outside the auditorium to arrest you is a sign of progress.” Yesterday always looks better than today. God has blessed human beings with the ability not to retain memory of pain.
At a public function recently, a professor from the University of Ibadan bitterly lamented that Nigeria had nothing to show for democracy. He listed a million problems and two million challenges. He almost called for the military to come back. The governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, who spoke shortly after him, asked the professor not to take such a dim view of things. “Prof,” Obi said, “the fact that you could say what you have just said and there is no security operative waiting outside the auditorium to arrest you is a sign of progress.” Yesterday always looks better than today. God has blessed human beings with the ability not to retain memory of pain.
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