Dissatisfied with his governance style including the fear of overthrow of the Roman Republic to establish a monarchy, Roman senators led by Marcus Brutus, Decimus Brutus and Cassius Longinus conspired and killed Julius Caesar on the 15th of March 44BC. Interestingly, a soothsayer had forewarned Caesar based on observations and deductions of actions and inactions of Caesar and other Roman leaders of their time. While it is about 2063 years that Caesar was killed and we do not wish, pray or support any killing or violent approach, it is important that our leaders pay utmost attention to demands and expectations of the citizenry as things are really falling apart.
Five recent developments further affirm my fear that there is increasing local and international dissatisfaction with the governance of Nigeria. First is the increasing insecurity situation in the country that is now receiving condemnation even from ardent supporters of government. Second is the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg Germany and the threats of more attacks and protests within and outside Nigeria. The third is the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P & ID) contract that has resulted in a $9.6 billion fine. The fourth is the retaliatory increase in visa fees by the US. The fifth is the preference of Ghana to Nigeria by Toyota to set up their $180 million car production plant.
Without a doubt, all the above and many more can be directly attributed to deep and increasing failures of leadership not only at the federal level but also at the state, local and other levels. While there is no doubt that the federal government controls the security agencies, the fact remains that every state governor can significantly increase or reduce the insecurity situation in his state through his actions or inactions. Kebbi state is relatively peaceful and in the same region as Zamfara, Katsina, Yobe, Bornu and other ravaged states.
The question is, what is Abubakar Bagudu is doing that other northern governors are not doing? For instance, why didn’t other northern states make about N150 billion from rice or other crops in 2017 as Kebbi did? While almost all the states in Nigeria continue to complain about lack of funds, the truth is that most of them are not thinking for their states. They lack innovation and genuine interest in the development of their states. Are our governors aware that each state can annually generate over N200 billion just from planting and maintaining cash crops such as coconut, orange, avocado and palm trees? It is that simple.
In 2017, Netherlands a country of about 17 million people exported potatoes worth about N792 billion ($2.2billion), while Plateau state with the best comparative advantage to produce potato in Nigeria is struggling. With an average global price of about $200 per metric ton, it means that Plateau state can generate over $100 million from potato alone every year if it can produce up to 500,000 metric tons. While $100 million is about N36 billion, the total internal generated revenue of all the six North Central states in 2018 was about N53billion.
In the same vein, while we all condemn the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, South East leaders especially our governors should note that the youths are angry due to pervasive poverty, unemployment and insecurity caused by poor leadership and governance. With the absence of genuine and committed leadership, Nnamdi Kanu emerged to fill the vacuum and as a result, the increasing popularity and influence of IPOB.
While the state capitals of five states in the South East should be about an hour drive from each other, they remain limitedly connected due to bad roads. Given the small land area of the South East, there is no reason why the region should not be adequately connected to open up the region for economic prosperity and growth.
Imagine if all the five governors can purchase and dedicate fifty bulldozers for inter and intra-state expansion of agricultural access roads. This will help in turning the forests to farmlands. It is a better way of addressing insecurity than the ineffective employment of idle youths as forest guards and the use of a deceptive phrase that ‘Enugu State is in the Hands of God’ as currently preached in Enugu state.
How do you explain that we are now demanded to pay a fine of $9.6bn for a contract yet to be executed? Due to inept leadership the fine has increased from about $800 million in 2015 to $9.6bn in 2019. This is also the case with the US visa fees that we had 18 months to settle. Moreover, on what basis are we increasing fees for Americans? How many of them come to Nigeria as compared to Nigerians trooping to America.
Our leaders should ask themselves why Toyota chose Ghana, a market of about 30 million people, for its car plant rather than Nigeria, a market of 200 million people. With this development and the selection of Ghana as the headquarters AfCFTA and Africa’s aviation hub, is it not clear that we are ready for and thus will be disadvantaged under AfCFTA.
While the turn of events might be surprising to PMB, governors and the governments, to many Nigerians it is not. Nigerians who warned them for four years just as they warned PDP for sixteen years with their cries, hardship, insecurity, joblessness, unprovoked killings and destruction of property.
We are now the poverty capital of the world with about 91 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty. It should not be glossed over, rather, it should alarm us and trigger concerted short, medium and long term commitment and actions of the federal, state and local governments.
That about 21 million Nigerians, our brothers and sisters are unemployed is a very serious issue that should not be treated with levity. Those are the voices of the people that must be heard and genuinely addressed for any party or government to remain in power. No amount of accusation and counter-accusation will save any party or government for long. Nigeria is at a tipping point and our leaders should beware the Ides of March!
FRANKLIN NGWU
Dr Ngwu is a senior lecturer in Strategy, Finance and Risk Management, Lagos Business School and a Member, Expert Network, World Economic Forum
