The causes of our national maladies are essentially economic

From the lecture entitled ‘Socialism In The Service of Nigeria’ delivered by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chancellor of the University of Ife, at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, on 9th April, 1970.

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

I have so far spoken of inter-personal inequality, artificially imposed by acts of commission or omission on the part of society, which it is the aim of socialism to eliminate. But in Nigeria today, apart from glaring inter-personal inequality, there is also inter-regional or inter-state inequality which cries loud for extermination. There is no doubt that a good deal of what we know as inter-state inequality would disappear as soon as we eliminate inter-personal inequality. But I am convinced that no amount of equality of opportunity for the individuals would eradicate the inequality which now exists among Nigerian States as geographical entities, in the matter of economic and social development. We all know that Nigeria as a whole is an economically underdeveloped country. But we also know too well that some States in Nigeria are more underdeveloped than others, and that some geographical areas within a State are comparatively much more developed than others within the same State. It is the aim of socialism to eliminate inter-state and intra-state inequality as well as inter-personal inequality. Some of the ways by which equality of opportunity for all can be achieved may now be stated in more concrete terms.

Under socialism, every citizen in Nigeria would have equal access:

1)            to gainful employment;

2)            to education to the limit of his natural capacity; and to health, including good food, good water, good

3)            dwelling, decent clothing, etc.

Similarly, every State in Nigeria and every section of a State would have equal access to economic development in every sense of the term, to enable it to keep the bulk of its citizens, other than a few professionals, to civil servants, and high business executives, gainfully employed within its territory.

After all these have been done, some inter-personal and inter-state as well as intra-state inequalities are bound to remain. But they will be inequalities which arise, pure and simple, from genetic and geographical limitations which, for the time being, neither science nor technology can overcome. In this circumstance, and if the experiences of socialist countries and of everyday life are anything to go by, there can be no doubt that even the persons, the states, and the areas concerned would readily appreciate and understand the causes of the residual and irremovable inequalities, more especially as all the citizens of Nigeria, regardless of their birth and place of origin, would continue to enjoy equality of opportunity as we have described it.

From its definition and description, it is obvious that the attainment of socialist ideals demands intensive study of the economic forces at work, and rigorous and scientific planning for controlling, regulating, and directing them for just and equitable social ends. It must be emphasised, however, that the control, regulation, and direction of economic forces inescapably imply the introduction of certain far-reaching measures, some of which should be mentioned.

It is now common knowledge that you cannot harmonise the divergent and conflicting interests of the consumer and the producer, unless the means of production and the power of regulating consumption are under the same conscious control and direction. Also, production will always be in danger of painful spasms and paroxysms, unless the means of exchange as well as of production are concentrated in the same hands. Furthermore, the same agencies which control and direct the means of production and exchange must consciously control and direct the forces of supply and demand, with a view to ensuring the just and equitable distribution of the results of productive efforts among the agents of production. From these considerations, it will be seen that public ownership, nationalisation, or socialisation of the means of production, exchange, and distribution is inevitable in a socialist economy.

In this connection, it is necessary to point out that some eminent economists even hold the view that public ownership, nationalisation, or socialisation of certain sectors of the economy is indispensable to the success of national economic planning under any economic system, including the mixed one under which we now operate.

In the eleventh lecture in the series of lectures delivered under the auspices of the NISER, and published in his book entitled LECTURES ON THE THEORY OF SOCIALIST PLANNING, Mr. J.G. Zielinski discusses the general principles of efficient planning, under any economic system, be it capitalist or socialist. In the introductory part of this lecture he poses and answers an important question as follows:

‘Are there principles of efficient planning general enough to be valid in any country engaged in national economic planning, irrespective of vast differences in socio-political setting and in level of economic development attained? My answer to this question is “yes”.’

In the course of this eleventh lecture, Mr. Zielinski enunciates four observations and four conclusions. It is the first observation and the first conclusion that are pertinent here.

‘First observation. There is a certain critical size and composition of the public sector, below which effective planning is impossible.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

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