The president of the National Association of Political Scientists of Nigeria, Professor Hassan Salisu of the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin, speaks with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI on the 63years journey of the Nigerian project and how the country can get out of its current predicament.
If you were to assess the 63rd independence anniversary of Nigeria, how far would you say the country has gone, do you think it has become a paradise lost given the promises and visions its founding fathers held during the pre-independence era?
My reaction will be in two folds if not three. The first leg of my intervention is to say that when you are talking about the life of a country, it is a totally different ball game because a country is expected to be in perpetuity. But in the life of a human being, you might say that a fool at 40 is a fool forever. It may not necessarily be the case when you are talking about a country. Let me give an example. Let’s look at countries like China that have been in existence for quite some time. We can excuse Japan because it suffered from the Second World War. But talking about China, in the last couple of years, the country has proven that it is possible to achieve national progress within a generation. If that is the case, it means, all hopes cannot be lost for Nigeria. America and Great Britain have also been for many years because they had their breakthrough. So what I am saying essentially is that, yes, there have been disappointments because the country has missed some opportunities. But all hope is not lost yet.
If you look at it from the medium term, you may think of countries like Singapore that were far behind Nigeria some decades ago but have since surpassed the country to the extent that the country is now looking unto them for one form of assistance of the other. If you talk about the short-run, it may be perfectly correct to say that Nigeria depicts a country that has lost its paradise. But when you look at it in terms of medium and long term, the fact that some people at the helm of affairs have not done well may not necessarily mean that Nigeria may not get it right at certain points in the future. So it is still not good to write off the country.
But can we say that the country has attained the lofty heights envisioned pre-independence by its founding fathers?
Well, the question is from what angle are you looking at the so-called forefathers? They were all desirous of a well-united country. I am from the aggregate. They were also desirous of a Nigeria that will experience a quicker level of development. But when you stop at this and look at other variables, it may not be totally correct to say that our forefathers had the same dream and vision for the country. It is a capital no. In fact, at a certain point in time, one of them said Nigeria was a mere geographical expression. Another one from up North also talked about the mistakes of 1914. So if you put all the two together and what happened after NCNC was not allowed to form a government in the old Western Region, I am talking about what happened both in the West and the East, you will realize that Nigeria then was not even yet a nation and still even struggling to be a developed one now.
What I am saying in essence is that let’s not be over-generous when making reference to history. I have heard many people say that the parliamentary system was so perfect in Nigeria during the First Republic. And I said but what about the declaration of a state of emergency that happened under the system? How come after the 1964 elections that we had, the president, Nnamdi Azikwe found it difficult to invite any party to form a government, such that for many days, the country was without a government? This happened under the parliamentary system. How come we experienced it under the system? So in essence, I just think the disappointment of today should not make us to be generous in recounting our history.
But looking at the history, at what point do you think the country missed it?
I have said it many times just like Chinua Achebe that if you put the leadership and followership crisis on a scale, the leadership failure will rank higher. Our problem as the current government has defined it is mismanagement and leadership deficit. When a leader has a good vision, such a leader can move mountains. But in Nigeria, we have had and still have a lot of resources, but our leaders have all had a different vision such that while the masses are anxious and agitating for rapid developments, the leaders are thinking of something else. So our problem is squarely that of leadership.
That is why people are very hopeful that with the coming of Bola Tinubu, in view of the statements he has been making, he might be able to do something different. But as I have said in past interviews with other mediums, the hope we have is that this government will bring back the lost confidence of the Nigerian people in their government because if anything should happen and this current government misses it again, I don’t know exactly or can even imagine what will happen. We just have to pray that the Tinubu’s government does not miss its way, but should rather walk the talk and rescue the country.
So going forward, how do you think we can get the Nigerian project to be working as it should?
Well, our leaders need to be sincere. I can cite an example of insincerity in every of the past regimes and governments in Nigeria. But if I should limit myself to Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, I will say look at what happened to the Ways and Means controversy. Look at the drama associated with it and what we are being told now. Don’t forget that the Buhari’s government was said to be headed by Mr Integrity. But at the end of the day, its collective impact and result was grossly negative. But look at the current government too, it said it has removed the petrol subsidy, but since then, it has not been able to do the necessary things. That is just to tell you that governance these days is becoming scientific. So, let the leaders think through whatever they want to do and be sincere with Nigerians. How can we remove subsidy for months now, and the palliatives to the people are yet to come to full stream in terms of having a concrete agreement with Nigerian Labour, which has been made to see a strike as the only option that can force the government into compliance. I just feel most of the leaders we have been parading have not been well prepared for the job. This is because the issues are not very difficult to address, it has just been a lack of adequate preparations on their part. I just hope our leaders get it right someday.
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