Over the years, government agencies have been led substantially by people who possessed insufficient education, experience and exposure. What we fail to understand is that in Latin, we learnt that one cannot give what one doesn’t have (Nemo dat quod non habet).
The worst aspect of it is the interpretation of a Yoruba proverb that described an unfit leader as someone who ought to be sleeping on the floor but suddenly finds himself on the bed with a good mattress.
Misbehaviour and foolishness occasioned by pride become inevitable from such people when they occupy a leadership position. Let us take a look at the following to underscore my view.
The National Assembly since 1999 has refused to touch the most important aspect of our Constitution which is restructuring. There is no one among the senators and House of Representatives members who does not know that the only way to move forward is devolution of powers.
As a matter of fact; the party in power had a committee that came up with recommendations on the need to restructure Nigeria. Even the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration in 2014 spent money on the national conference, but its recommendations were not implemented.
Who does not know that security is local? Why would it take us years to remain at the level of talking without acting on just one important solution to our security problem? State police.
How does one explain the naira design policy that has caused more harm to the poor than the rich and the quality of the new notes compared to the old ones?
How does one explain the exchange rate in Nigeria and multiple taxation where non-state actors collect road taxes, make arrests and impound vehicles? Why would it take eternity to rule on the VAT collection right of states and stop multiple taxes such as consumption tax from hotels and eateries?
How does one explain the statement by certain persons in the name of religion where human lives do not mean anything again to people?
How does one explain that our best brains from different sectors cannot get party tickets to run for office and that only those who have money can get it even if they are incompetent?
How does one explain that billions needed to win an election as a governor and yet we say politicians are corrupt? Why would they not recoup their investments?
How does one explain the level of ignorance and the level of illiteracy in the North? How does one explain that Nigerians travel a lot, yet we cannot set up a national carrier in 24 years of democracy and after Nigerian Airways was killed by mismanagement?
How does one explain the timing of the naira redesign and the hardship on the people? How does one explain the level of migration of our youths to Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States of America? Doctors and nurses and now teachers are leaving.
How does one explain the poor quality of graduates from our Colleges of Education, polytechnics and universities? How does one explain the level of ignorance in the church where a pastor asks people to raise their phones, and he prays for miracle bank alerts?
How does one explain underage marriage and out-of -school children in the North? How does one explain that most leaders go for medical treatment abroad? How does one explain the poor treatment of our security agencies (Police, DSS, Army, Civil Defence and others)?
How does one explain that people retire for over a decade but don’t get their gratuities? How does one explain that pension and cooperative deductions are not remitted for years?
How does one explain the jumbo salary of politicians and the cost of governance? Why should someone suddenly become a billionaire after winning an election or after taking a public appointment?
How does one explain that a presiding judge can be killed during a court session? How does one explain that some judges had to file a writ to make their claims from the government? What signals are we sending to those on the bench who hear such matters?
How does one explain the level of poverty in the land? How does one explain that able-bodied young men are thugs without work and only require a little spark to ensure crisis erupts in cities? How does one explain the destruction of property in Lagos during the #EndSARS protests? How does one explain that most federal medical centres and general hospitals do not have MRI and other scan facilities?
How does one explain cultism in secondary schools, increasing numbers of girls around cities working as harlots or engaging in ‘runs’ or whatever they call it? How does one explain the number of jobless graduates in Nigeria? How does one explain that we deliberately ignored technical education and that till now, the electricity problem has yet to be resolved? Without power, can any country be industrialised?
The only way to answer these questions is to conclude that the wrong people have been in power for too long and at various levels be it federal, state or level.
To move Nigeria forward, we must ensure that incompetent, selfish and arrogant people are not allowed to lead at any level again.
