A professor of Comparative Politics and head, Department of Political Science, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Dr Iwu Hyacinth, in this interview with IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI, assesse Nigeria’s development in the last 62 years, saying the current state of the country attests to the failure of its ruling class over the years.
Looking at Nigeria at 62, how will you rate the development of the country?
When people say that Nigeria is not progressing or developing, I tend to disagree with them. This is because it is obvious that the country is moving at its pace. But one thing we can say is that the country is not progressing in such a way that it can accommodate its population that is generating expansion. That is the problem. But in all, Nigeria has done well as we have moved from the analogue system into the digital information technology in terms of automobiles when compared the way it is now with the way it was in the 1960s. I know some people expect that the country should have been better than it is at the moment, which would have been possible if the country had been well-planned for independence.
At independence, Nigeria operated a regional system where each of the regions in the country had autonomy over its resources, which findings showed, brought about developments in their regions. A vivid example is that of the western region which enjoyed some landmark developments through the autonomy of its regional government. But since the country ditched regionalism for a federal system of government, observers are of the view that its development has nosedived, because the system hasn’t been operated as expected, what is your take on this?
Well, as you rightly said, Nigeria first operated the regional system of government. And at a later time, we switched to the federal system that tends to centralize powers, creating what we call a residual, concurrent and exclusive list for the federal government. This was what was introduced after the regional system. And if you will remember, it was the British government that introduced the regional system of government, but it was very suitable to Nigeria’s peculiarities as it allowed each of the regions to develop at their pace. But it was eventually replaced with federalism.
Meanwhile, the envisioned federal system was not meant to be this current totalitarian and unitary system we are operating, which is highly centralised, such that the central government controls everything, stifling the states and retarding the collective development of the country as a whole. The crooked federal system we have been operating hasn’t given the states the opportunity to harness the resources within their localities. And it has had a telling effect on the country’s state of development.
So are you supporting the notion that the country was better off when it was operating the regional system than it is now?
Yes, I subscribe to that regionalism. But there are certain things that surprise me in this country. For instance, if it is the federal government that should manage roads, what then is the purpose of the state and even the local governments? There are certain appropriations that the federal government has appropriated to itself and they are what have been causing the problems we are facing. One of these is in the area of resource generation and to even make matters worse, the federal government focuses on only one resource for generating revenue for the country, and that is oil. But the states have other minerals, both liquid and solid that they can harness for their developments, but the federal government has denied the states the rights to access, control and utilize the resources. And this has been why the states and local governments have not been functioning as they should be doing. And the country’s systemic problems may even become worse if the status quo isn’t changed and the states are allowed to generate and manage their resources and then take taxes to the federal government which is what is obtainable in other advanced countries that practiced federalism like the USA.
But considering the snail-pace at which the country has moved over the years, is it that the country hasn’t had a responsive leadership or that the federal system has been hindering its development?
The two are connected, because leaders that have visions will know the best thing to do. It is like eating your egg and at the same time thinking of having it. So, if we have right-thinking leaders, they will run the federal system in such a way that things will work well for all and people would even be thinking that we have reversed to regionalism. For instance, look at the rail system, why should the federal government monopolise it? When you look at a region like South-West, you will discover that it is closely linked together and a responsive regional government can provide trains that will move freely within the regions and generate income also for the region. But this is one of the vital components of the states and regions that the federal government has decided to venture in and it has proven to be creating problems for the states and regions. So, when we talk of the current state of the country, I will put the blame on the leaders, the set of ruling classes that have failed to initiate and deploy strategies that can lift the country out of its age-long stagnation. The political leaders just play politics with every aspect of Nigeria’s destiny. It’s sheer leadership failure on the part of the ruling class, who have failed to come up with ways to run the federal system in ways that will engineer even developments in the country.
As I have said earlier, there is nothing wrong with the federal system of government, after all, it is how countries like the US, Switzerland operate, yet there are visible developments in these countries. So, it is the federal government that will have to allow true federalism to take its full shape by allowing individual states and regions to harness their potential and build their localities. And this means the leaders will have to deconstruct the over-concentralisaton that we have been operating, which is killing us. It is really limiting the country. Nigeria is really blessed in terms of resources and potential, but concentrating all the powers for development to the centre alone is holding back the states from developing, despite the abounding resources in their territories. So, I believe the country needs to be restructured. And it is surprising when we hear that some people are opposing this, despite seeing how the current structure has undersized our development. I simply believe that those saying no to restructuring are obviously accepting stagnation as a model for the country.
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