External influence deters Nigeria’s greatness – Belgore
Nigeria would have been one of the greatest countries in the world if it has not been deterred by the influence of powerful foreign interests that sponsored all the military interventions the country experienced from mid1960s to the early 1990s. This was disclosed yesterday by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, at the 11th Daily Trust Dialogue in Abuja.
Justice Belgore, who was the chairman of the ocassion, themed ‘Incumbency and Impunity in Politics: Safeguarding Our Democracy Beyond 2015’, went into memory lane and said: “This country is well populated by highly enterprising people who are literate but facing constant attempts of some powerful foreign countries to destablise it and make it difficult to govern. All our military interventions were engineered by powerful foreign countries to destabilise us.”
To buttress this assertion, he cited a 1000-page report of a very strong scientific investigation conducted on Rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries that led to the building of Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro dams that are today our major source of hydro power.
The contents of the report, according to him, were not only limited to providing a source of power supply, but included the provision of irrigation and drinking water supply in various parts of the country, but the report was abandoned because of incessant military interventions.
He summed up that if all recommendations in the report were executed, “Nigeria would have been very prosperous in agriculture, with cheaper electricity and a lot of industries. There would have been full employment.”
On the issue of mega industries that could generate development, the retired justice said it was the military interventions that retarded the noble efforts in the attempt to establish viable auto industry in Nigeria.
These efforts through establishing motor vehicle assembly plants in partnership with Leyland, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Mercedes, together with setting up of Ajaokuta Steel Complex, were intended to make Nigeria “the largest industrial and manufacturing outfit in Africa. Nigeria would have been among the 6th largest manufacturing Nigeria’s democracy is being threatened by impunity in high places, misuse of power by incumbents, flagrant abuse and manipulation of the electoral process, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said.
Ekweremadu, who spoke yesterday in Abuja at the 11th Daily Trust Dialogue as the special guest of honour, said impunity has been the number one enemy of democracy in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian political system is highly skewed in favour of incumbent executives in particular, most of whom are ever too willing to exploit it to the fullest, often to the detriment of our democracy,” he said.
Ekweremadu said with full paraphernalia of office at their disposal, unrestricted access to means of patronage and coercion, and emboldened by tight grips around party machineries, “many incumbents in Nigeria and Africa see the state as their heritage and do everything possible to keep it so.”
He warned that unless the incumbency factor and impunity are checked at all levels of government, Nigeria’s road to countries in the world.”
Belgore narrated how the efforts to build airports, train Air force officers and develop auto industrial base through agreements with the former Western Germany were thwarted.
“These agreements did not please some big powers, it led to our first coup d’état in 1966. The Defence Industry in Kaduna, a very large building was built by the Germans but before the equipment could be taken to Kaduna, the first coup d’état took place. Unfortunately, the first military regime was maliciously convinced that the Memorandum sanctity and democratic maturity would be unattainable.
Ekweremadu argued that there are misconceptions about impunity in Nigeria as being narrowed mean the one committed by only political leaders whereas the political system is just a fraction of the polity.
“The politicians are not aliens from strange planets. Events in the political life of the country are therefore a reflection of the character of the entire body polity,” he said.
He said laws alone cannot address the problems of political impunity because the Nigerian constitution is among the bulkiest in the world.
“The question then is, how is it that a pocket size constitution of the United States of America has of Understanding with Germany was neo-colonial manipulation… Therefore the Memorandum of Understanding was abrogated by the regime,” he said.
Justice Belgore then observed that Nigeria signed the German agreement almost at the same time with Brazil, who have now developed their auto and aero industries and are now supplying Nigerian Aviation Industry with most the planes it uses.
He lamented that “I understand our Defence Industry in Kaduna now mainly manufacture furniture rather than tanks, guns, mortars, fighter aircrafts etc.” seen that nation through the thick of nation-building, helping the country to emerge as an economic superpower and epitome of democratic governance, rule of law, free, fair and credible electoral processes for over 226 years?” he queried.
He said that the difference lies, on the one hand, with the willingness of one society to respect and apply its laws squarely without regards to socials status, and political affiliation and, on the other hand, the failure of another society to take its laws seriously.
“Thus encouraging willful disdain for the laws and their flagrant manipulation by the high and the mighty, when the law is reduced to a mere spider’s web that easily traps the weak. But shredded with ease and impunity by the rich and powerful, there will be no incentive to play by the rules,” he said.
Ekweremadu assured that the National Assembly will not stand and watch a few selfserving fellows truncate the nation’s democracy, adding: “We will continue to take right steps to further strengthen electoral system and curb incumbency interferences and impunity.”