Youth Action Partners for Development
Youth Action Partners for Development (YAP4D)
NIGERIA: A FAST FAILING STATE?
As we approach another “Democracy” day celebration, the mood in the country is one of gloom, one that effuses angst for the ruling “Monarchy”, a feeling of total distrust and disgust for a political Party that has chosen to impose itself on the greater populace as they chant in wild-beastly tunes, some in the feminine pattern, but all in unison that “The PDP would rule the country for the next 50 years”.
The average man on the streets knows that certainly things are getting worse in the country, he suddenly cannot feed his family the complete three meals, he now finds it much more rewarding trekking to his destination than paying the fare for the bus, he cannot keep money aside anymore because that which he has in his pocket can hardly sustain him, he hears gun shots outside his windows every other night, his colleagues are constantly harassed for the flimsiest excuse by the “Law Enforcement” officers and most of his siblings are fleeing the country just to get a “better” living. He constantly worries of his mother in the Niger-delta region each time he hears of another attack by the “Armed Government” of that area, he can hardly get electricity for 2 hours in a whole week, and when he travels to see his relatives he spends an extra five hours on a journey that ordinarily should have taken four, and when he does make the nine hour “unnecessary” journey, he is forced to see the carcass of yesterday’s journey and endure the pain of those stranded on the road, who cannot make it that day and are just awaiting the coming of the night-raiders. The man just knows things are getting worse, and his head spins in different places when the members of the “Ruling Monarchy” comes out on the pages of Newspaper or when they disturb his evening rest with their blatant lies that things are getting better.
The truth is Nigeria is a fast failing state, reasons I shall soon adduce, and when a state fails the result is total anarchy and systematic dissolution of Nationhood. A true reflection of this “Failed State Status” can be seen in the African country, Somalia. The ruling government of the country headed by Abdullahi Yusuf can only exercise country over a few neighbourhoods in Mogadishu. The remaining are lorded over by several militia groups. The country is a mass of anarchy and for 48 years since they gained independence they have gradually degraded into what they have suddenly become. That is the reason
There is a “failed state index” published annually by the “Fund For Peace” and the magazine Foreign Policy, and it is quite natural that Nigeria features prominently on that list jointly sharing the 18th position with Lebanon. The calibre of countries just above us really paints a sad picture and just depicts how terrible the world views us, and how futile Dora Akunyili and her grandiose “Rebranding” project would be on the long run with the manner with which they are carrying out the project. We have for companion, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central African Republic, North Korea, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and some other really troubled Nations, we are just a step above Sri Lanka, (A country that has been in conflict with a factional group for several years).
there are twelve indicators that tells a country’s closeness to total collapse, and these twelve indicators are divided into four social, two economic and six political indices.
I would briefly go through them and clearly show why calling Nigeria a “failing state” is in no way an exaggeration, but the product of a scientific process that should tell a people when they are headed for the blazing sun.
The first is Demographic Pressure, which assesses the pressure resulting from a high population. With over 200 Million people striving to stay alive in the country, housing, quality of food etc. has become a major issue in several urban areas of the country. There is constant dispute of land ownership between communities in the country; the transportation system is a mess, with its attendant failures and poor service delivery.
The Niger-Delta region of the country has become a free-for-all area, with several militia groups claiming rightful claims to anarchy, each one insisting on its right to unleash mayhem, justifying it with the solemn poem of unfair treatment by the government of the present and past. The territorial integrity of the country in this part has been greatly compromised. Is it not funny how well the Joint task Force set up by the government to combat the criminals have found it quite rewarding fraternising with these militants, as they assist them in ensuring safe passage of their barges during their several oil-for-arms deals on the high sea. Has anyone bothered to ask what happened to the JTF commander who threw corruption to the gutters and arrested several barges during the raid a few months back? Of course he probably has been sent to “Siberia”, and the barges have been returned to the owners with apologies I am sure, for the “strange” behaviour of one of their own. The BBC in a report on its website on Friday 15th May titled “Nigerian rebels call “all out war” recently attributed the blooming ills of the militants to a “lack of governance and rule of law”! I hope Yar’Adua read that part!.............so much for his self- aggrandisement on how well he has kept the rule of law!
There is a constant departure of intellectuals and skilled manpower to other countries where they deem the grasses are greener. The average Nigerian always sees better opportunities for himself outside the shores of the country. Several individuals would rather die crossing the dreaded desert regions of Niger Republic, Mali and Sudan on their way to Europe than remaining in this country.....isn’t that a disturbing trend?
There is an irrefutable uneven economic development amongst several group lines in the country, with a few holding a large amount of the country’s wealth. There are uneven opportunities in several parts of the country.
Since the oil boom of the late seventies in the country, we have no doubt experienced a steady decline economically, our Par Capita Income has dropped sharply and consistently, there has never been a higher poverty level in the country than we are experiencing now, the infant mortality rate is headed Northwards on the charts, several companies are closing shops and packing up on a daily basis. New ones are refusing to open as they develop cold feet over the extra-high cost of running a viable business in the country.
Nigeria is probably the head-quarters of corruption in the continent, with almost all government ministries serving as instruments of easy siphoning of public funds. Corruption seems to constantly attain greater heights, adapting newer forms and versions (some even in the form of anti-corruption bodies). I would not belabour the issue, but I am very sure we ALL know what I mean.
There is an advancing deterioration of rendered to the public by the government. The government has found it increasingly hard to protect the citizens of the country, with armed bandits terrorising people at will, sometimes under the watchful eyes of the police force! With 10,000 policemen (which represent quite a significant percentage of the total police force) there was still unprecedented mayhem and anarchy in Ekiti state.
There is widespread violation of human right of Nigerians in several parts of the country and it keeps increasing every day, with newer means to deprive the Nigerian man means to his fundamental rights being devised on a daily basis by the highly corrupt imperialistic government. The Judiciary has become an instrument for the oppression of the poor (save in some electoral cases), where only the wealthy get justice. The ruling class have come to despise any form opposition, (constructive or “destructive”) and would do anything possible to stifle such voices permanently.
The elite class has no doubt has found an unethical use for armed youths as a concise tool for dealing with perceived opponents. These armed men serve as their praetorian guards and operate with great impunity. They help carry out the nefarious acts that help perpetuate these politicians and elites in power, they often time act in collusion with the state security force (who have become a strong thick root of the corruption tree that flourishes in the country).
President Umaru Yar’Adua recently came on air to talk of a “Powerful Cartel” being responsible for the embarrassing fuel shortage situation! Can you imagine a powerful “cartel” controlling arguably the country’s only source of income! And yet someone would argue that we are not a failing state! A state that has become bedevilled with the ills of imperialism; Greed, hatred and selfishness has become virtues one must have to be successful in our politics. Corruption has become the skin that covers our body, we have become a nation blind to our disgrace. Madmen singing Christmas Carols in the village square, drinking their urine as wine, and insisting they are the Kings of Africa!
When we celebrate “Democracy” Day let us not be drawn into the falsehood they would preach out on that day, telling us fancy tales of how things have “improved”. They would gather with their plum faces, fattened with the oils of corruption and made moist with the falsehood of their ways, and make bold statement that Nigeria is heading in the right direction.
Let us not be deceived, let us not embrace falsity, let us see the wood for the trees, let us stop concealing our gangrene-infected wounds. It is time to tell ourselves the truth and expunge from our midst the thorns that have constantly stood on our path. When Prof. Niyi Akinnaso described the Nigerian state to the mythical Greek figure, Sisyphus, who was eternally condemned to roll a rock up a hill, in his article “Nigerian Politicians and the Myths of Sisyphus”, I instantly knew it was the perfect analogy, only this time we are always starting and never getting beyond that point. With hard labour and extreme work we keep pushing and nothing ever comes forth.
We need a revolution in this country, a planned action for a better Nigeria. It need not necessarily be a bloodbath, but it would be a cleansing of the polity. It would be a re-organisation of the whole system. Only a revolution can save us, otherwise we would keep celebrating “Democracy” days and suffering for the remaining 364 days every year.
The average man on the streets knows that certainly things are getting worse in the country, he suddenly cannot feed his family the complete three meals, he now finds it much more rewarding trekking to his destination than paying the fare for the bus, he cannot keep money aside anymore because that which he has in his pocket can hardly sustain him, he hears gun shots outside his windows every other night, his colleagues are constantly harassed for the flimsiest excuse by the “Law Enforcement” officers and most of his siblings are fleeing the country just to get a “better” living. He constantly worries of his mother in the Niger-delta region each time he hears of another attack by the “Armed Government” of that area, he can hardly get electricity for 2 hours in a whole week, and when he travels to see his relatives he spends an extra five hours on a journey that ordinarily should have taken four, and when he does make the nine hour “unnecessary” journey, he is forced to see the carcass of yesterday’s journey and endure the pain of those stranded on the road, who cannot make it that day and are just awaiting the coming of the night-raiders. The man just knows things are getting worse, and his head spins in different places when the members of the “Ruling Monarchy” comes out on the pages of Newspaper or when they disturb his evening rest with their blatant lies that things are getting better.
The truth is Nigeria is a fast failing state, reasons I shall soon adduce, and when a state fails the result is total anarchy and systematic dissolution of Nationhood. A true reflection of this “Failed State Status” can be seen in the African country, Somalia. The ruling government of the country headed by Abdullahi Yusuf can only exercise country over a few neighbourhoods in Mogadishu. The remaining are lorded over by several militia groups. The country is a mass of anarchy and for 48 years since they gained independence they have gradually degraded into what they have suddenly become. That is the reason
There is a “failed state index” published annually by the “Fund For Peace” and the magazine Foreign Policy, and it is quite natural that Nigeria features prominently on that list jointly sharing the 18th position with Lebanon. The calibre of countries just above us really paints a sad picture and just depicts how terrible the world views us, and how futile Dora Akunyili and her grandiose “Rebranding” project would be on the long run with the manner with which they are carrying out the project. We have for companion, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central African Republic, North Korea, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and some other really troubled Nations, we are just a step above Sri Lanka, (A country that has been in conflict with a factional group for several years).
there are twelve indicators that tells a country’s closeness to total collapse, and these twelve indicators are divided into four social, two economic and six political indices.
I would briefly go through them and clearly show why calling Nigeria a “failing state” is in no way an exaggeration, but the product of a scientific process that should tell a people when they are headed for the blazing sun.
The first is Demographic Pressure, which assesses the pressure resulting from a high population. With over 200 Million people striving to stay alive in the country, housing, quality of food etc. has become a major issue in several urban areas of the country. There is constant dispute of land ownership between communities in the country; the transportation system is a mess, with its attendant failures and poor service delivery.
The Niger-Delta region of the country has become a free-for-all area, with several militia groups claiming rightful claims to anarchy, each one insisting on its right to unleash mayhem, justifying it with the solemn poem of unfair treatment by the government of the present and past. The territorial integrity of the country in this part has been greatly compromised. Is it not funny how well the Joint task Force set up by the government to combat the criminals have found it quite rewarding fraternising with these militants, as they assist them in ensuring safe passage of their barges during their several oil-for-arms deals on the high sea. Has anyone bothered to ask what happened to the JTF commander who threw corruption to the gutters and arrested several barges during the raid a few months back? Of course he probably has been sent to “Siberia”, and the barges have been returned to the owners with apologies I am sure, for the “strange” behaviour of one of their own. The BBC in a report on its website on Friday 15th May titled “Nigerian rebels call “all out war” recently attributed the blooming ills of the militants to a “lack of governance and rule of law”! I hope Yar’Adua read that part!.............so much for his self- aggrandisement on how well he has kept the rule of law!
There is a constant departure of intellectuals and skilled manpower to other countries where they deem the grasses are greener. The average Nigerian always sees better opportunities for himself outside the shores of the country. Several individuals would rather die crossing the dreaded desert regions of Niger Republic, Mali and Sudan on their way to Europe than remaining in this country.....isn’t that a disturbing trend?
There is an irrefutable uneven economic development amongst several group lines in the country, with a few holding a large amount of the country’s wealth. There are uneven opportunities in several parts of the country.
Since the oil boom of the late seventies in the country, we have no doubt experienced a steady decline economically, our Par Capita Income has dropped sharply and consistently, there has never been a higher poverty level in the country than we are experiencing now, the infant mortality rate is headed Northwards on the charts, several companies are closing shops and packing up on a daily basis. New ones are refusing to open as they develop cold feet over the extra-high cost of running a viable business in the country.
Nigeria is probably the head-quarters of corruption in the continent, with almost all government ministries serving as instruments of easy siphoning of public funds. Corruption seems to constantly attain greater heights, adapting newer forms and versions (some even in the form of anti-corruption bodies). I would not belabour the issue, but I am very sure we ALL know what I mean.
There is an advancing deterioration of rendered to the public by the government. The government has found it increasingly hard to protect the citizens of the country, with armed bandits terrorising people at will, sometimes under the watchful eyes of the police force! With 10,000 policemen (which represent quite a significant percentage of the total police force) there was still unprecedented mayhem and anarchy in Ekiti state.
There is widespread violation of human right of Nigerians in several parts of the country and it keeps increasing every day, with newer means to deprive the Nigerian man means to his fundamental rights being devised on a daily basis by the highly corrupt imperialistic government. The Judiciary has become an instrument for the oppression of the poor (save in some electoral cases), where only the wealthy get justice. The ruling class have come to despise any form opposition, (constructive or “destructive”) and would do anything possible to stifle such voices permanently.
The elite class has no doubt has found an unethical use for armed youths as a concise tool for dealing with perceived opponents. These armed men serve as their praetorian guards and operate with great impunity. They help carry out the nefarious acts that help perpetuate these politicians and elites in power, they often time act in collusion with the state security force (who have become a strong thick root of the corruption tree that flourishes in the country).
President Umaru Yar’Adua recently came on air to talk of a “Powerful Cartel” being responsible for the embarrassing fuel shortage situation! Can you imagine a powerful “cartel” controlling arguably the country’s only source of income! And yet someone would argue that we are not a failing state! A state that has become bedevilled with the ills of imperialism; Greed, hatred and selfishness has become virtues one must have to be successful in our politics. Corruption has become the skin that covers our body, we have become a nation blind to our disgrace. Madmen singing Christmas Carols in the village square, drinking their urine as wine, and insisting they are the Kings of Africa!
When we celebrate “Democracy” Day let us not be drawn into the falsehood they would preach out on that day, telling us fancy tales of how things have “improved”. They would gather with their plum faces, fattened with the oils of corruption and made moist with the falsehood of their ways, and make bold statement that Nigeria is heading in the right direction.
Let us not be deceived, let us not embrace falsity, let us see the wood for the trees, let us stop concealing our gangrene-infected wounds. It is time to tell ourselves the truth and expunge from our midst the thorns that have constantly stood on our path. When Prof. Niyi Akinnaso described the Nigerian state to the mythical Greek figure, Sisyphus, who was eternally condemned to roll a rock up a hill, in his article “Nigerian Politicians and the Myths of Sisyphus”, I instantly knew it was the perfect analogy, only this time we are always starting and never getting beyond that point. With hard labour and extreme work we keep pushing and nothing ever comes forth.
We need a revolution in this country, a planned action for a better Nigeria. It need not necessarily be a bloodbath, but it would be a cleansing of the polity. It would be a re-organisation of the whole system. Only a revolution can save us, otherwise we would keep celebrating “Democracy” days and suffering for the remaining 364 days every year.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chinwe Udeze on -
I do quite agree with the facts laid out, however my idea of a revolution is not bloodshed at all for that would mean destroying God's creation, besides, where do you begin? is it from little girls who in one secondary school in Abuja got so violent for being disciplined and went about braking glasses, throwing stones at their teachers and destroying school property; or is it from our university students who being in the mere position of student union government go about misappropriating and embezzling students funds and intimidating others... where do we begin a bloody revolution?
I have always been a proponent for the pass it on revolution. Rather than predict doom and gloom, why not start the change in the little things you do like obeying the traffic light, throwing trash in the trash can, not having a pee by the road side, treating everyone around you equally, positioning people based on merit, retiring unspent funds to your employer, praying for Nigeria, reaching out to schools and impacting in the young ones, talking to your friends and living by your words.
While i detest, abhor and i'm appalled by the terrible things going on around me, i am resolute in my determination to stay focused and influence those around me one at a time or maybe more. Pass it on...
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