NIGERIA: WE GOT IT ALL WRONG – MEZIE OKOLO

“How do we think someone who is not a leader can lead us to promised land? “

I have been so mad with the news coming out of Nigeria for so long that I decided to attend a course at NIPSS, Kuru – the apex Policy and Strategy Institute in the land. It has been a good experience and an opportunity to brainstorm on issues around Project Nigeria.

That Nigeria is still here means that there are things that work here. However, the things that don’t work are more than the things that work, because Nigerians don’t care. A re-orientation and change of mindset are urgently needed if we must birth the Nigeria of our dream. If we expect a different result something has to change.

A new government has just been inaugurated in Anambra State and the clock of change is already ticking. Soludo’s government is already three days old and the world is watching. Anambra is only a subset of Nigeria. My message today is not to Soludo or his government, but the people of Anambra, and by extension the Nigerian people.

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We cannot expect the governor or government to pick up trash if we keep dropping refuse everywhere and anywhere. We don’t need Mr governor to tell adults that vandalism of public goods and utilities is bad for everyone? Do we need Soludo to tell us that we must all join hands to fight insecurity in our society adopting whatever strategy that works for our locality?

We know that leadership at all levels has left much to be desired but followership has made it easy for bad leadership to fester. Change comes when people rise up in unison and demand change, and hold themselves accountable. When we start holding people, politicians, pastors, community leaders and public servants accountable, things will change.

Certain persons already know the outcome of elections even before the campaign starts, not because of evidence of competence but just because they have enough money to share. When did having money become the sole criterion for winning elections anywhere in the world? Why and how did we stop looking at credentials and pedigree in choosing our leaders? When did we stop asking how people made the money they so arrogantly flaunt?

How do we think someone who is not a leader can lead us to promised land? We can no longer assume that one is a teacher because he teaches, rather we must instist that you become a teacher before you are allowed to teach us. Everybody cannot qualify to lead and having money to share does not qualify anyone. You have to BE before you can DO. If we dont set the boundaries, politicians will erode them and truncate our common destiny.

When and where did we get it all wrong? We must go back to our value system. What are the values upon which our society was built back in the day? How did those values get eroded? Who did this to us? How did ‘the end justify the means’ take over our psyche to the extent that nothing matters anymore but money, fame, celebrity status etc?

Every parent in every home shares in this mess and therefore this message applies to all of us. Nothing works unless someone works it. Nigeria can still work, but Nigerians have to believe, decide and commmit to making Nigeria work at all levels. The moment and the earlier we realize that this is the only country we can call our home and that a time will never come when all of us will migrate to the UK, US, Canada or elsewhere, the better for us. We have to roll our sleeves and give it whatever it takes.

To make Anambra great, Mr Governor has to step on some toes and I heard it from his inauguration speech…he is certainly already stepping on toes. Change has to be disruptive else it is not capable of a lasting effect. What are you going to change, give up or do differently to make Nigeria great again? Until you answer that question, you have no right to ask one more question about why Nigeria is not working. I guess the answer is obvious: YOU.

Mezie Okolo, PhD,pslc
Leadership Consultant &
Public Policy Analyst
Writing from NIPSS, Kuru, Jos