The real trouble with Nigeria

In his acclaimed publication ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’ published in 1983, the late Chinua Achebe pointed out that the ‘ the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership’. Thirty-three years on this is still true.
Nigeria is a very difficult country: if not the most difficult in the world to govern. You have three major tribes with many sub-tribes. Three major languages are spoken with over 400 hundred dialects. There are supposedly two major religions – Christianity and Islam – and again many different heathen gods.
Again, you have 180 million inhabitants, most living below the poverty line and largely uneducated.
So many people to think of; different tribes, religions, political affiliations and languages under the umbrella of one nation to be governed by – a President.
Being the President of Nigeria is nothing in comparison to say, of Ghana or the United States of America. People in those countries are not so diversified.
A President of Nigeria has the near impossible task of trying to keep everybody happy or he/she will be accused of tribalism and nepotism to favouritism.
In the past 30 years, we have seen the ‘Buhari-IBB-Sonekan-Abacha- Abubakar’ governments and the’ OBJ-Yar’Adua-Jonathan-Buhari’ governments. It does not matter if we have APC or PDP Federal government, there will still be moaning and groaning. Nigeria has evolved over the years and its current predicament has nothing to do with the North-South, Christian-Muslim divide. Nigeria is a mess due to poor leadership, going back for decades. It is easy to criticise, judge and condemn others without taking a good look in the mirror. We are all guilty of bringing the country down to its knees.
With the exception of the military juntas that have ruled since independence, every civilian government has been voted in by the people.
When you have a political system where 99% of those in government are corrupt and inept, you have a problem. Money and harmony go hand in hand. If there is, no money because someone has pilfered it there will be general dissatisfaction.
Those who still remember the oil-boom years (Udoji awards, car and housing loans for graduate workers etc.) of the 70s and early 80s when money was plentiful and corruption minimal the Head of State had no problem running the country. There was little or no talk of religious or tribal differences.
Nowadays, the President has to struggle to run the country. He has to deal with the politically correct brigade who will accuse him of playing the North-South, Christian-Muslim game. He has to deal with corrupt politicians, current and past, who hide behind fancy lawyers and Section 308. Most of all he has to deal with the mind-set of the people. As a race, Nigerians are stubborn. We want things our own way. As a result, the way forward becomes clouded. Gone are the days when the military issued decrees to force us to do things. Now we have democratic governments.
If we want change, we have to change. Not just the President but also everyone.  Ditching our age-old habits will not happen overnight.
The failure of leadership in Nigeria is not just down to the President, not doing his job, but our collective responsibility to do the right thing.
It is one thing to blame the country’s woes on the lack of competent leadership but what about the people. If everybody were doing what they are supposed to do, then the leaders would have no option but to follow suit.
We condemn our leaders and same time our mind-sets allow them to continue with impunity. Nigeria is the only country where we celebrate corrupt and inept politicians.
The mind-set of the average Nigerian encourages the leaders to do what they want because the people are not righteousness. If Ghanaians can consider impeaching their President for accepting a gift of a car what does that say of Nigeria? We have laws and a constitution but some people believe they are above the law.
We may have bad leaders but we also have bad followers. If those that put them in power demand accountability, they must account for their actions. If any politician has a clear conscience why hide behind lawyers and section 308? There are sections of the Constitution that can be implemented to impeach a president, governor or legislator or anyone holding public office. Because we are happy to live of the crumbs of their illicit gains, we do not remove them when they err.
Those who fought for Nigeria’s independence did not do so for a future generation of over-rated imbeciles to loot and plunge the country into darkness.