PATH TO NIGERIAN GREATNESS: Under The New Dispensation On man’s injustice to man

Continued from last week

IF 45 per cent of the Federation Accoun turned out to be insufficient for the effective discharge of the Federal Government’s functions, then it would be its duty to raise more funds from the plenitude of sources at it disposal, instead of seeking ways and means of impoverishing the state and local governments in order to enrich its coffers. It is utter lack of administrative initiative and skill to continue, as we have been doing in the recent past to rely on the autonomous increase in revenue which the expansion of petroleum production pours into our exchequer.

It is not unlikely that, by now, the National Assembly has taken a final decision on Revenue Allocation for 1981. Be it so, as I said earlier on in this address, Allocation of Revenue is a perennial problem – indeed, an annual problem. Since we are going to be at it again at about this time next year, I leave the proposals which I have outlined to those who may wish to begin, even now, preparations for the next round of debate. I assure you that, in the mean- time, the formulae here proposed will be improved upon, fully elaborated, and published in a brochure or pamphlet for wide circulation.

But if the National Assembly has not yet concluded its debate on the matter, I strongly commend the proposals hereinabove made to all those members who are desirous that democratic federalism should succeed in Nigeria, by insuring financial virility and self-determination for our states and local governments.

I have always sought to draw a distinction between foreign policy and foreign affairs, because my own study and observations lead me to the conclusion that such a distinction does exist. The one is the strategy and the other is the tactics for the achievement of one paramount and overriding objective, namely, the preservation and the promotion of a country’s interests. In other words, our strategy should be to use other countries for the advancement of our national and domestic interests; and our tactics should be to devise and employ, from.time to time, such means as will enable us to achieve our objective.

The acid test of our foreign policy is the overriding interests of our fatherland; no more, no less, On the other hand, the acid test of the conduct of our foreign affairs is whether a particular act, pronounce mentor attitude towards a particular country is in accord with our national objective.

With the above introductory remarks, it is difficult to understand the posture of our Federal Government on certain foreign issues. There are a number of examples.

Most of our ambassadorial postings cannot be understood or explained on any ground of national interests. We do not seem to realise that in making these appointments we have done harm to ourselves: we have carried national prestige to the point of stupidity and wasteful spending. Specifically, in this connection, we do not need more than eight envoys in the whole of Africa.

We are quite right to wage verbal, diplomatic, and economic war against apartheid in South Africa. But we would be foolish to dream of embarking on a military venture against white South Africans, or to devise any means aimed at driving them out of African soil. They are on this Continent for good; but, it is in our national interests that both the Whites and the Blacks in South Africa should live together in the same community, enjoying the same rights and owing identical duties. Having regard to the intransigent and unfeeling attitude of white South Africans, we should do all in our power to encourage and sustain indigenous black South Africans in waging fierce and widespread guerrilla warfare against their white counterparts. The Algerians had to do precisely that, with the help of their Middle-East friend, to achieve freedom and independence.

We broke diplomatic relations with Israel because the latter occupied African territories. Since then, Israel has withdrawn from African territories, and Egypt and Israel have established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. The two countries have embarked on gargantuan schemes of economic technological, and financial cooperation. As a result of this cooperation, parts of the Egyptian desert-lands will, soon, be transformed into fertile farmlands, and thriving towns and villages which will be inhabited by almost one million modern farmers and those who cater for them. What interests are we still trying to serve and promote by remaining hostile to Israel? Is it our national interests or those of Egypt? It does not make sense at all to say that we remain hostile to Israel because it is friendly to South Africa, while we, at the same time, are on the best of terms with the United States, Britain, and others. It is in the best interests of Nigeria that we should be friendly to all the Middle East countries including Israel. It is Nigeria that stands to gain more from such friendship.

To be continued