PARADIGM SHIFT: RETHINKING NIGERIA’S FORTUNE
Now that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been sworn-in as the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has no more time to waste before fixing the project Nigeria.
Therefore , his government must recognize the urgency of articulating a blueprint and setting the machinery in motion to put the Nigeria’s economy and other allied matters on the path of recovery and sanity. There must be a new paradigm shift of rethinking a better Nigeria’s fortune.
Frankly speaking , the past economic, social and security models have failed and to rescue the nation from the brink of total dilapidation of our economy and other aspects, require the implementation of the economic models that will generate lasting development for the country.
Fixing Nigeria’s economy requires tough decisions and choices. But such tough choices must not involve what has not worked in the past for the country’s upward movement.
The government must avoid embracing models that only tilts toward satisfying our leaders while making Nigerians more poorer and unsafe.
Fixing Nigeria’s economy requires tough decisive decision and choices. But such choices and decisions must not involve what has not worked in the past for the upward movement of the country.
Now that elections were over,it is advisable that this administration go for a National Census to know how many people are in the country. We cannot be planning on nothing!
Tough choices for shaping the nation’s economy should begin with the planning and with the appropriate data too. We must know how many we are in the country for effective planning. There must be a short –term , medium and long-term developmental goals.
Many prosperous nations have laid-out plans spanning between 50-100 years . We should emulate these prosperous nations of the world who have been consistent in their implementations.
In fairness to us(Nigerians), we have had such long-term development plans before but without something concrete to showcase because of bad or weak implementations.
For illustration, we have had the following development plans after independence viz:
1962-1968, 1970-1974, 1975-1980, 1980-1985.
During Buhari/Idiagbon regime , we had the War Against Indiscipline(WAI), which was tailored towards discipline in all strata and as a prelude to Nigeria’s unity.
For the Abacha’s regime, it was VISION 2010-also to unite Nigerians and other things embedded in the policy while the Obasanjo’s military regime went for ‘Heart of Africa project’. The Yar’ Adua government came up with the VISION 20(2020).
There are others in Education, Health and Energy(electricity). Where are they now, and what has become of them? They have all been swept into the lagoon of history.
In order to succeed , this new government must be sincere to implement any development goal set ahead of governance.
Therefore, it is expedient that the Tinubu led government must break away from this ancient pattern of ‘paper-tiger’ plans /policies and embrace a culture of productivity and PRUDENCE in government . This in effect will reflect on its citizens.
The cost of governance must be reduced and appointments into portfolios must be pruned to the barest minimum. Adviser this and that, that have always helped to load the wage-bill of government must be reduced.
Our past leaders have not been sincere or courageous enough to operate true federal system of government. It is germane now to operate or implement a true federal structure for our own good. And a truly federal structure must be allowed if Nigeria would ever thrive.
Solid minerals, an abundance of which is available in all States in Nigeria, should be free for exploitation and utilization by all in a federal system that allows resources in each State’s domain to belong and be exploited there while such states pay an agreed royalty to the Centre.
A genuine diversification of the revenue based should be predicated on freeing the nation’s full capacity in a true federation.
In order to enable the citizens to meet the financial needs of their involvement in agricultural production, manufacturing, and solid minerals, the government must intervene in the high interest rates. No matter how effective the modes of gains, it cannot be sustained as long as the nation is not productive and prudent in the management of its resources.
The nation will bounce back into a robust economy if the paradigm shifts to the enthronement of a culture of productivity and prudence. It should of course, be followed by divorcing itself from total dependence oil revenue.
This government should bring on board genuine policy with a human face that would pave the way for competitive , diversified and self –reliant economy but not a white-elephant policy that would be unrealistic.
What we are positing is –a back to the land era when the country’s economy was sustained and driven by Cocoa, rubber, groundnut among other farm produce. These type of goods would therefore constitute a buffer for the nation against the volatility of the world prices of oil.
Research indicates, that as of April,2023, Nigeria’s Revenue has declined to $655.93. Agriculture is the magic wand to bring the Nation to a prosperous and sustainable development.
There is no country that can survive in its economy without adequate or regular supply of electricity. This new government must have it in the short and long term plan to repair and build new refineries. If an individual (Aliko Dangote) could build a refinery , Nigeria must begin now to put up a new refinery and repair the broken ones.
We need to be self reliant not junketing overseas to refine and import oil. This is shameful to a nation swimming in the ocean of abundant mineral resources!
This government should continue with the road rehabilitation all over the country while critical infrastructures such as communication and sea ports, railways, and airports should attract the nation’s searchlight. They are all needed to transport goods to where they are lacking and needed and adequate security provide for them accordingly.
Our security network is nothing to admire. A lot has been spent in this vital sector , yet nothing concrete and encouraging has been achieved . Security vote is now said to be more than education budget but the expected results are not feasible.
The new government must be decisive about all these insurgencies, kidnapping and armed banditry. Nigeria loses an average of 10 or 20 people everyday and there seems not to be a halt in sight!
Of recent , armed bandits invaded the Jos Plateau, burnt 125 civilians and 116 bodies recovered. No nation wants to invest in a chaotic environment . The Tinubu’s administration must make a positive and urgent pronouncement on SECURITY OF NIGERIAN CITIZENS (Foreigners inclusive)
We mean, how and what they would do to stop daily killing of citizens but not empty ‘political statement-‘’we are on top of it’’
In a nutshell, education must be seen as a pillar of democracy in which people can have a voice and not only in their governance but also in the market place .
Let our schools’ curricula be reviewed to reflect the needs and values of Nigeria even in Science and technology. Young innovators but indigents abound in the country . They must be identified, assisted and encouraged to use their God-given intelligence for the development of the country.
Rejiggling the well-being of Nigeria in a new paradigm shift goes beyond just tailoring ours after the western models.
The President should scout for a team of technocrats , highly knowledgeable experts who not only would develop solutions to major problems but also devise a means of implementing their submissions through local economic models.
Exodus to foreign and neighbouring countries must be looked into .
The ‘JAPA’ Syndrome came into being because of our leaders non –chalant attitude to lives of its citizens , so to say, not providing the basic amenities essential to good living. Give jobs to the jobless and increase the tempo of vocational training.
In the same vein, small scale industries must be encouraged and given tax holidays ,ditto big manufacturing concerns.
Nurses, Teachers, unskilled men and women , Doctors would continue in a rapid succession to exit the country, if this government does not change over a new leaf.
Efforts must be made by Tinubu’s administration to encourage professionals in their various fields and not embarrassing them by withholding their salaries and allowances.
Withholding salaries or allowances and making tough pronouncements on them will aggravate the situation and will never douse the tension or solve the problem at hand.
The Nigeria economy is big with a lot of potentials therein. The challenge for the Tinubu’s government is to galvanize the citizens into seeing and realizing that potentials.
This new government should be at the fore- front by getting the nation’s priorities in the right perspectives and creating the right environment for all to thrive.
If Nigeria were to be a person, it would have lived a full life by now, having gone through childhood, puberty , adulthood , middle age and about to enter the blissful age of retirement!
Despite, Nigeria is yet to get over her teething problems. Tinubu’s government should give us a nation where everybody will be happy to live in.
Nigerians have given Tinubu their mandate; to whom much is given much is expected.