By Yemi Farounbi
As I sat to think of my dear Nigeria, that chose in 1960 to share my October 1 birthday with me, five statements by eminent persons all over the world came to my mind.
Let me share them with you.
First, Hugh Gatskell, a former leader of British Labour Party, once asked, “Would you asked those who helped you to build a house that collapsed to come and help you rebuild it?”
It’s only in Nigeria that a contractor that helped to build a house that collapsed will confidently step forward to offer to rebuild the collapsed house.
Secondly, I remember Oliver Cromwell. His famous words reechoed in the hallowed chambers of British House of Commons.
Hitler’s forces were sweeping in victory after victory across Europe. Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement policy has failed and greatest insecurity was staring Britain in the face, just as it’s staring Nigeria in the face.
Leo Amery stood up and faced Chamberlain and referred as Cromwell did, “The old decaying self-serving men, who have sat for too long for any good they have been doing. In the name of God, depart.”
Thirdly, there’s one character called Geoffrey St Clair in Joy Fielding’s novel titled TRANCE. In Geoffrey’s words: “We are tired of all the sloth masquerading as progress. We are tired of all the imbecilic chatter about freedom and democracy like so many school children.
“Once these people get into power, they stay for decades…Tired generations of useless leaders, so ingrained into our system, you can never get them out.”
Doesn’t that look like Nigeria that has so much recycled men of yesterday that have left us a Nigeria that looks more like a nightmare than the country of our collective hopes and dreams.
Fourth, there was Woodrow Wilson, who later became American President. What he said would interest you because it aptly describes Nigeria of today.
In his words: “These gentlemen have been so intimately associated with the powers that have been determining the policy of this government for almost a generation, that they cannot look at the affairs of the country with the view of a new age and of a changed set of circumstances.
“They sympathize with the people; their hearts no doubt go out to the great masses of unknown men in the country; but their thought is in close, habitual association with those who have framed the policies of the country during all our lifetime……
“We do not deny your integrity; we do not deny your purity of purpose; but the thought of the people of the United States has not penetrated to your consciousness.
“You are willing to act for the people, but you are not willing to act through the people. Now we propose to act for ourselves.”
Wilson ended by saying: “I am not interested in the man who has been made but the man on the make… who never had their voices heard, never got a line in the newspaper, never got a moment on the platform, never had access to the ears of governors or presidents.”
That was Woodrow Wilson speaking in 1914. Doesn’t that sound like Nigeria of 2022?
Fifth, there was Bill Clinton. In his debate with President Bush, he said: “It’s lunacy doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.”
This is Nigeria where we repeat the same things, the same ideas, the same people mouthing the same promises and expecting different results. Aren’t we what Tola Adeniyi called THE LUNATIC? These eminent persons have described for me Nigeria as I see it today. So what next?
Our situation today demands for a new beginning, a spiritual rebirth, a new identity, indeed a renewal of our country based on NEGOTIATED CONSENSUS. Our situation needs MEN OF VISION, NOT MEN OF EXPERIENCE. It’s obvious that we can no longer relying our past structure, systems, formulas, methodology and actors.
We need those imbued with vision and idealism of a greater, better alternative tomorrow that the 1999 Constitution cannot deliver.
We need those committed to the five essential freedoms… Freedom of speech, expression and press …. Freedom of every Nigerian to worship god in his/her way and convenience…. Freedom from want, need, disease and poverty…. Freedom from fear, insecurity, banditry, and criminality…. Freedom from tyranny at all levels.
We need those who are not led by the mobs, but who will offer leadership to the people while also recognizing the genuine religious and ethnic fears and tears of the people.
We need those patriotic enough to challenge the future and challenge the centralised federal presidential structure that the Muritala Administration imposed as a NO GO AREA through the 1977 Constituent Assembly.
We need certainly not men of experience…. because the experience either maltreated or misled us…. the experience humiliated, marginalized, brutalized, factionalized, fractionalized and misdirected us.
We have the ability to change, to move forward, to chart a course towards a future of greater possibilities and opportunities.
We must not be afraid to march on until every ghetto of socioeconomic depression is wiped off.
We must struggle until all the traces of inferior or poor education are dissolved.
We must march on with all energy at our disposal ON POVERTY until no hungry man walks our streets, looking for jobs that are no longer there.
We must march on until all industries are revitalized, new SMEs established and our CURRENCY strengthened.
We must show a commitment to empower the needy, the oppressed and the poor.
We must show a determination to wipe out those who destroy our banks, industry, economy, our well being and our country.
But then you will say, ‘thank God there will be elections in 2023’. And I will say, very sadly, that, based on the present peculiar 1999 Constitution, not a product of our NEGOTIATED CONSENSUS, I’m not excited.
Perhaps we need an interim arrangement that will birth a NEW CONSTITUTION, based on a NEGOTIATED CONSENSUS.
Would we have the courage to do the right thing? Or would we continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results?
•Being a speech delivered by Dr. Yemi Farounbi OON, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines, at Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery, Bodija, Ibadan, under the auspices of Gabriel Victoria Foundation, on Sunday, 25 September, 2022
