FIXING GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

Governor Douye Diri argues for true federalism and economic renaissance, writes LINDSAY BARRETT

When Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State was selected to be one of the keynote speakers at the 64th Founders Day of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on October 9th, it is unlikely that whoever made the choice expected that his address would be a controversial one. Ever since the former Senator and House of Reps member was awarded victory in the controversial gubernatorial election of 2019 by the Supreme Court of Nigeria he has built a reputation as one of the most stable and conservative members of the new generation of Nigerian political leaders.

One of the state’s former Governors constituted a group of provocateurs as adversaries to challenge him in that election, but they were eventually adjudged to be unconstitutionally formulated. By the time that Diri was engaged in running for a second term in 2023 the same former Governor challenged him by personally seeking the office, but the result of the polls indicated that Diri had generated an extraordinary level of public support in most parts of the state, and had impressed the electorate with his major strategic policies of harmonious development. As a consequence, the electoral result reflected the general presumption that Diri is a conciliatory individual who always sought to find ways to build harmony rather than to promote conflict or division. In spite of this perception his address at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka did not shy away from vital issues of concern and controversial proposals. Instead he chose to examine the failure of harmonious development in the entire nation from independence up to contemporary times and to suggest that it was necessary for a fundamental re-thinking of the future of Nigerian governance systems in order to ensure the survival of the nation as a viable economic and political entity.

Diri’s Founder’s Day address entitled “Re-thinking Our Future; The Need For True Federalism and Economic Renaissance” captured the attention of the audience through his early reference to a profoundly dissonant perception of government as a partnership of various communities in Nigeria since Independence.

He achieved this at the very start of the address by quoting the heroic founder of the University, and one of the fathers of the nation Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who posed the question 60 years before by asking whether Nigeria had remained, “a group of tribes or is it a nation?” four years after independence. In response to this reference Diri immediately asserted that, “We should be concerned that the misgivings of ethnic nationalities and minority interests about the inequities and disequilibrium that defined the political paradigm at the time still exists.”

Following this clarification of the importance of the issue he rendered the argument for change and a reconsideration of the formula of relationships among the various communities that make up the nation. He told the audience that although he could pinpoint several anomalies in the laws of Nigeria that disenfranchised some elements of the established order he remained a deeply loyal adherent of the nationalist agenda. Nevertheless, he listed several examples of so-called federal legislation that discredited the objective of national harmony and economic autonomy, and suggested that there was a compulsive need for transformation and even the wholesale expunging of some regulatory practices.

 In articulating these Recommendations. Governor Diri recalled the historic hero of minority rights Isaac Adaka Boro whose tenure as President of the Students Union Government in the university several decades ago is still considered a legendary achievement. Boro was born and grew up in the home community of Diri himself and his mention of the legendary personality underscored the emotional relevance of his speech.

In presenting his address Diri apparently did not lose sight of the perception of the university’s reputation as a centre for the consideration of public issues and comprehensive research. He related a voluminous list of resources that are available throughout the nation, but which he said are inadequately exploited because of the unrealistic establishment of the federal system of governance in Nigeria. It was a bold decision for the governor to choose the topic of transformative governance to be the subject of his address because it raises extremely sensitive issues in  discussions between those of minority extraction and those of majority ethnic extraction especially in the geopolitical regions of the nation.

He confronted this sensitive issue in an innovative manner by suggesting that a reformed federal system would enhance regional collaboration and consultation if the states as federating  units and the local government system gained enhanced autonomy.

Although he illustrated this presumption by narrating some of his own objectives in governance as exemplary initiatives he restored his reputation for modesty when he stated that while his regional origins in the Niger Delta made him support transformed Federalism he was convinced that every region in Nigeria would be improved if it should occur.

He listed the international evidence of the success of the Federal system as evidence of his major contention which was captured in a very catchy slogan that “When states thrive Nigeria will thrive.” In his presentation Governor Diri did exhibit a penchant for quotable quotes like a memorable assertion that “13 per cent derivation means 87 per cent deprivation.” His manner of presentation was calm and measured. and even when dealing with extremely sensitive issues such as the deficiency in security which he alleged was a consequence of inefficient federalism he maintained his equanimity.

He truncated the speech when he apparently discerned that its length and complexity might bore the audience but it was eventually met with widespread approbation and interest from members of the audience as well as from a broad cross section of the public who were able to follow it on Arise News television channel

 Barret is a Poet, Novelist and Essayist