TO SERVE NIGERIA…?

Nigerian leaders should learn to put the people first, argues JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

Nowadays the retort as that line in our national pledge is recited is, “…IS NOT BY FORCE!” when the correct ending is, “…with all my strength.”

 The problem and possibly the chief reason for the retort, is that our national pledge assumes that the person reciting it has the opportunity, motivation, and capability for service. The popular retort above suggests that this assumption is erroneous. There will always be ample opportunity to serve one’s country, whether that country is rich or poor. The motivation to serve is however moderated by internal and external factors while capability is determined by ability or means.

Flowing from the above, it is perhaps wise to ascertain the state of wellbeing or otherwise of a citizen before requiring them to serve their country. Are they satisfied with their situation in life? Do they have the basic needs for survival? Are they in such a state that a call to serve will elicit positive and not negative reactions? How well do Nigerians fare when measured using the Human Development Index? Are they emigrating in droves, driven by the harsh economic climate at home? Answering these questions in the affirmative will determine whether or not the motivation component of the clarion call to serve, has been met.

Through the years, the causes to which patriotism is directed has evolved mostly because of expedience. Most of Africa’s borders were drawn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by imperialists with no consideration for the aspirations of those whom they sought to govern by colonialisation. Since then though, some of these borders have been re-drawn. For instance, Nigeria as an entity did not exist 110 years ago. Some people who pledged allegiance to Sudan 11 years ago now do so to South Sudan. Patriotism is as fluid as the countries towards which the fervor is directed.

The point I am making is that love for country can be fervent but its intensity is only as strong as the reality of its citizens. There is no permanence in that devotion, unless the objects of patriotism continue to attract same to themselves. This wavering patriotism is not a poor country problem. Far from it. Over 3,400 Americans renounced their citizenship in 2022. In comparison, only 159 Nigerians renounced theirs within the same period. Of course, the absence of renunciation does not repudiate the presence of resignation. Renunciation can be counted because the process allows one to. Resignation may not be numerable but can be deduced.

The fact that many Nigerians have mentally and emotionally resigned from “the whole Nigeria thing” is not news; it requires no divination. It is why, “to serve Nigeria is not by force” is a more likely retort than the solemn, “to serve Nigeria with all my strength”. This requires somber and deep introspection for us as a country.

To start with, we must be clear about the fact that ours remains a relatively young country. There are people alive today who can share their experiences of 1st October 1960. If our country was running for president, she would be considered relatively young, after all some candidates born around 1960 were described as “youthful” during campaigns in 2018 and 2022 in Nigeria. Nigeria’s age is one of the reasons our constitution is being tested in courts across the country and it is no surprise it is manifesting all the signposts of a forming system. In my opinion, everything that has been done since 1960 is foundational. That is, if Nigeria were a building, today, we would still be erecting its foundations. How well we are building that foundation is another matter entirely.

To build a foundation that can weather the ever-present storms, we must prioritise our people. This sounds cliché-y but the truth is that Nigerians have never been the priority of her leaders for most of post-independence; our leaders have been. It is why even though our leaders are not famous for honest enterprise, they are extremely rich while the people remain extremely poor. The wealth of our leaders and our people’s poverty are inversely proportional. The richer our leaders get, the poorer our people become. Who or what will buck this trend? This question is pertinent because the current situation is not sustainable. The widening chasm between the haves and have-nots does not bode well for peace and national cohesion.

President John F. Kennedy famously told Americans not to ask what their country could do for them but to instead ask what they could do for their country. He could make that statement knowing that it would not cause an uprising or even derision because America was generally doing well for its people. Kennedy knew America was in a position to ask more of its people. Can we say the same of Nigeria? The answer is blowing in the wind.

What I do know is that as a country, we need to put people first. To be clear, I do not support those who ruefully ask, “What has Nigeria done for me?” because their heavily subsidised public education would have been impossible to obtain in the United States or in the United Kingdom, for example. Canada would not be actively courting Nigerian-trained professionals as education is a perquisite to even be considered by Canada. Most of those Nigerian university certificates tendered to the Canadian government in exchange for their permanent residency were acquired via highly subsidized education. Mostly lower than $500/year for tuition, if not a lot less. That, Nigeria did for you. Take that away, what are you?

However, that Nigerians aren’t even conscious of the little their country has done for them is an indictment. Not on Nigerians, but on her leaders. This could be a result of the notion that our leaders get too much for too little output. If their output was great, Nigeria wouldn’t be in the desperate situation she finds herself year after year. At every level, leaders are awarding jumbo remunerations and perks to themselves in an unbelievable display of insensitivity while those whom they lead wallow in poverty. To serve Nigeria? Hmmn.

 Omojuwa is chief strategist, Alpha Reach and author, Digital Wealth Book