Nigeria’s past better than present — Col. Sani Bello

Founder of the Sani Bello Foundation and Former Kano State Military Governor, Colonel Sani Bello (Rtd), has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s current state compared to its past, citing a decline in infrastructure, security, and quality of life. He says that Nigeria’s past is better than the present.

Lamenting the stark contrast between “yesterday” and “today” and questioning whether the nation has made progress or retrogressed since independence, Bello expressed dismay over the high level of poverty which is highly prevalent in the rural areas.

Speaking to journalists in Kontagora after the 11th edition of the Sani Bello Foundation free medical surgery festival to commemorate his 82nd birthday, he attributed the decline of the nation to a combination of factors, including population growth, rampant corruption, and a general lack of leadership.

“Things have changed a lot. When I look at yesterday and today and compare the two, I sometimes regrettably say yesterday was better than today. I wish it was not so. When you look at the infrastructure collapse in Nigeria, it is worrying. In the 1970s, I could drive from Lagos to Kontagora in six to seven hours. Today, it is impossible to reach Ilorin at that time. Travel by road from Kontagora to Minna, which took less than two hours, now takes five hours.

“I don’t know if it is progress or retrogression. Yesterday, things were better, yesterday, I could take a train from Zungeru to Kano, to Lagos or Maiduguri but now, you can’t, there are no trains. Putting all these together, some of us who saw this start wondering what went wrong, where we got it wrong, where we missed the way, and quite honestly, it is worrisome.

“Everyday, we wake up and say that yesterday is better than today. When you look around now, you wonder. Is it the population, or what, why are we not making progress? This pains me a lot. When you look at every aspect of the Nigerian life, from my eyes, we ask ourselves have we made progress in the years since Independence or is it retrogression?”

Security concerns also weighed heavily on Bello who said, “Despite the civil war, I could travel safely from Lagos to Kontagora by 4pm without fear and I will be sure of getting to my destination without somebody abducting me, a bandit or a kidnapper, my only worry would be a punctured tyre. Today, the threat of banditry and kidnapping looms large”.

Bello also highlighted the economic challenges, recalling a time when the Nigerian currency was stronger than the dollar. He also highlighted the stark contrast in healthcare, citing the alarming rise in malnutrition cases, a phenomenon he had not witnessed since the 1950s.

“We are now richer in terms of quantum wealth but in actual facts, we are poorer in value. There was so much satisfaction then as most Nigerians were satisfied but now it is not the case. There is so much dishonesty, so much people who are entrusted in holding responsibility and they do not as they continually abuse the trust, this wasn’t the case in the past”, he noted.

Turning to his philanthropic efforts, Bello detailed his annual medical outreach program in Kontagora, which provides free treatments to underserved residents, particularly for eye ailments. This initiative, he said, is more fulfilling than hosting lavish celebrations for privileged individuals.

“Two days ago, a doctor showed me a malnourished child’s photo. The kind of poverty I see now in Kontagora, I never saw growing up. People can’t even afford basic healthcare,” Bello said, expressing shock at the rising levels of deprivation. He added that nearly 1,000 people registered for eye treatments during this year’s outreach, demonstrating the community’s dire need for medical assistance.

Bello’s motivation stems from a sense of duty to give back to the society that educated and shaped him. “Seeing smiles on patients’ faces gives me immense joy and helps me sleep well. It’s my way of contributing to the society that made me who I am,” he concluded.