A Nation with So Much Promise Yet…
In President Buhari’s first 100 days, many Nigerians were appalled at his slow pace in decision-making but extremely hopeful that he had a positive agenda to rescue Nigeria from the intense corruption, bad governance and despondency that had marred the previous administration. For five months, his administration was unable to name ministers and we believed that it was part of a careful vetting process to reveal a great team for the work ahead. However, after three years in office, can we confidently look back with contentment and forward to the next year with expectations?
Over the nineteen years of our current democracy, Nigeria has slowly emerged unto the world stage leveraging a free press, continuous digitization, globalization and improved transparency. In this period, the expectations of citizens have increased due, partly, to the promise of democracy for a free and fair society. Yet as we watch the increasing political fiascos, executive privileges, parliamentary show downs, legislative contempt and other shenanigans, one may stop to consider whether there is any marked difference in political party ideology or the leadership of our country. Each with its own shortcomings, each with its own cabal, each with its own hidden agenda and each pursuing its own interest at the exclusion of the masses.
Amidst all of this, the country continues to produce very many creative and award-winning artists such as Wizkid, Davido and the like; skillful athletes such as OluwatobilobaAmusan; talented software developers and ingenious small entrepreneurs amongst others. Many of them are gaining international acclaim and contributing to the more positive story of Nigeria today. Only recently I learned that there are over 10,000 Facebook developers within its circle in Lagos alone, accounting for a significant proportion of Facebook developers globally with plans underway to train 50,000 in Lagos over the coming year.
All over the country, young people are engaging in interesting and unconventional lines of work that allow them to work at the time and pace of their convenience and to deliver decent incomes, which hitherto were unimaginable. But I dare say that all of this is happening in spite of the current administration and in the face of severe hardship. It is because we are a resilient group of people who have been conditioned to thrive under almost any circumstance and not have learned over time not to expect anything from our government.
Let’s take a cursory look at some of the achievements under this administration. The Vice President’s office has successfully coordinated agencies of government to collaborate towards improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria. Bureaucratic constraints to doing business are being removed and outdated processes, forms and requirements are being discarded in favour of more progressive means, structures and best practices. Our improved visa processes, airport procedures and customs handling are a few of the evident areas where improvements have been recorded. These are commendable. However, many local micro and small businesses continue to struggle under the weight of a difficult terrain evidenced by a severe lack of access to credit, wide-spread insecurity, poorly trained human resources and a very costly and overly competitive operating environment.
Looking further, our education system remains very poor as outdated curricula that do not promote critical thinking and practical applications are used by unqualified instructors who leverage outdated teaching methods within dilapidated structures. The result is the hundreds of thousands of unemployable and disadvantaged youth in the country. The problem of education is deepening with time and one wonders what our government is doing to substantively improve the quality of education in Nigeria. Healthcare has remained terrible with hospitals representing killing fields for the majority of Nigerians while President Buhari, his family, appointees, cronies and other elected officials access state-of-the-art treatment abroad paid for by ordinary citizens. Unfortunately hardworking Nigerians who want any measure of decent healthcare must save, source from scarce resources or relatives, endure the inconvenience of securing visas and scrounge to also go abroad in search of medical treatment. This is a very small proportion of the population as the masses only dream of doctors in public hospitals not being on strike and billing with mercy. How long will Nigeria go without affordable and professional healthcare?
Over the last two years, power has remained very poor and in many areas worsened amidst higher tariffs, lower power supply and an increasing dependence on generators. There are still communities that are not connected to the national power grid and therefore have never had electricity. The absence of power continues to affect the potential for businesses and general living standards. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption agenda of this administration is another issue altogether. Some sacred cows have been spared because they align politically with the ruling party. Yet, corruption must be prosecuted at all levels irrespective of person or party and convictions must result and be enforced.
Worst of all is the inability of the current administration to rise up to the security challenges which have ravaged the country. Insecurity appears to be worsening in most quarters and this government does not guarantee its citizens any form of safety. Sadly, Mr. President also appears insensitive to those who have lost their loved ones tragically as he shows no empathy, offers no remediation and does not openly promote justice. This is of particular concern.
This administration has succeeded in squandering most of its goodwill, esteemed international audiences above Nigerians as information is released abroad before it is at home, pursued a tribal and sectional agenda, appointed a few dead and dying men to Boards while young and intelligent minds lie fallow and embraced archaic practices that endanger a core of the population such as cattle colonies. The list goes on. This administration has not taken responsibility for any of the ills that plague our land and has blamed everyone else but itself; it faults the citizens, accuses the main opposition party and indicts otherAfrican countries for domestic challenges. President Buhari has disappointed many who voted the previous government out in favour of his unsubstantiated change agenda. Problems continue to deepen across the country and the last three years have not delivered the requisite change we hoped so eagerly for.
While it may be impossible to change the ills of the last three years, there is still one year when President Buhari can govern. Sadly, his bid to run for a second term in office, despite his frail health and dated ideology, may cloud any possibility of such governance over the coming 365 days.