BY COLUMBUS IZOBE-ABUMERE
Within the Nigeria body polity, political space, and nation State, lies uniqueness.
Nigeria is not short of intellectual capacity.
In the western world and within the African continent, to say the least, proofs of the innovative and ingenuity prowess of Nigerians, especially individuals abound, very clear and visible.
This confirms that Nigerians are a great people even as can be seen in the areas of medicine, literature and so on.
Talking about our nationhood, it is clear we are not there yet. Nigeria can be said to be a geographical location of certain groups of individuals and not a nation state as compared to what obtains in most of Western hemisphere (UK, USA, Germany, Canada etc.)
Let us assume that fate gave us the country called Nigeria, yet that same fate was not subjective as it was very clear that our leaders who got us independence knew exactly what they wanted. In the process, they argued it and the colonial master, Great Britain as umpire, consented that a country called NIGERIA be born.
As a brand new “independent nation” we took our destiny into our hands.
Beginning with democracy, Nigeria struggled to master the art of governance. With the country’s culture so alien to Parliamentary System of government plus regional government, Nigeria began a march towards the unknown?
This may explain why we had corruption, tribalism, nepotism, favouritism, economic saboteurs, poor judiciary, coup de’etat, cross carpeting from one political party to another back and forth like old wine in a new bottle, and so on.
Be that as it may, within the current situation we find ourselves unfortunately and of our own collective mistakes, good governance is ensuring, for example that the plight of the Nigerian government workers represented by Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is being vigorously addressed from time to time, both by the government and the NLC.
This has continued to be an issue on all occasions, especially in terms of wage increase and has always set the NLC against the government it is resolved.
States that cannot pay minimum wage for example, should have a dialogue with the state labour leaders and decide the way forward in their respective states. The NLC and the government must continue to dialogue, bearing in mind that we are all Nigerians and as individuals we are not yet sure of a nation. This is to be realistic in the true face of economic indices that states do not have the same capabilities to generate the same level of revenues, which invariably interprets that cost of living in these communities will differ.
In such circumstances, good governance is for the States to up their games as their attempt to generate more revenue learning from other states and from other countries like the “miracle of Nevada, the desert state of the USA.
Since the advent of Nigeria’s third Republic or return to democracy, the NLC has failed to fight tenaciously for minimum wage as it is doing now. It had asked for too little from the beginning.
Again, this goes to show the importance of foresight, responsibility and sincerity on its side as mouthpiece of labour which forms the major fulcrum of the Nigerian society.
Nigerians are not tolerant when it comes to their perception about the performance of any administration, but these have never been replicated as some others who find themselves at the corridors of powers at a later years failed to effect the desired changes. This then contributes to the reasons the situation remains the same for a number of years.
Good governance is not limited to steadfastness and continuity. The present government for example has demonstrated continuity by completing projects initiated by previous administrations at the federal level – railways network and functioning rail transportation, roads, airport upgrade and so on.
Can a cue be taking from this by all arms of government – federal, state and local levels so that this country can at least set itself o the pedal of real development?
Regardless of whichever party is in government, let us embrace good governance in terms of continuity in the establishment of infrastructures across the length and breadth of the country.
My passionate plea is that whoever wins 2019 Presidential elections should carry on building infrastructures not completed by this administration.
Fundamentally, it is therefore imperative that Nigerians as individuals do more by improving on their mindset towards good governance and caring about the welfare of others. One day, we shall get there to be truly called a nation.
To this end, I dare say congratulations to those who established the National Movement for Positive Change (NMPC) which is aimed at sensitising, educating and campaigning for good governance awareness in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We cannot remain a nation of just individuals but move on to be a nation of people with common focus of responsibility, goal and selflessness to build a working nation.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Comrade Pastor Columbus Izobe-Abumere
