Calling Nigeria a Federal republic without practising true federalism is always a confusing concept for me. We are one of the few countries that claim a federating system of government but not in terms of resources. The sharing of petrodollars amongst our federating states is a major reason why we have this level of corruption in this country.
Come to think of it. A state that cannot generate 1bn IGR monthly is also praying for a 2.5bn FAAC. And I ask “from where do they expect such free manna? From a Father Christmas that shares a cake in Abuja made of petrodollars of the Gulf of Guinea? It is only in this part of the world that you hope to eat the cake naturally baked for others and you start looking for the grammar of “one Nigeria” to cover that age long wrongdoing.
From the Niger Delta to North Central Nigeria, there are dozens of tribes that feels very denigrated, marginalized and vilified by this Nigerian state and that has been on since 1967 but nobody is ready to address it as long as it is not Hausa, Fulani, Ibo or Yoruba that is grumbling. And when you simply allow one of them to emerge as president after 5 decades of neglect, then just expect exactly what GEJ did. Infact, lets thank God he handed over that peacefully. There is no better act of God than that.
So when I hear that someone is emphasizing GEJ’s name for probe, I just laugh! Because I feel that person is saying with “probe grammar” that we should break this country into 6. If you are not ready to ask about 12bn gulf oil windfall, Abacha loots down to GEJ arms purchase funds, then better just let the man be and follow his crooky advisers for recovery mostly. Trying to probe GEJ, to the Niger Delta people, is like an attack on their existence and they will do anything to survive.
If we are a federal republic, we should practise True Federalism. When that happens, stealing the money we all own and work for can be suicidal for you because it is your rear guard that will attack you first. Regions will have to generate funds themselves to develop. Wastage of your own thing is suicidal when you are around and aware. The perception of the Niger Delta about Jonathan is different from the perception of the average Nigerian. To them, he was a messiah, their true representation. We must obey the law but both the law and the truth must do the greatest good to the greatest number. That’s what ethics teaches us.
Using funds from Escravos to develop Sokoto is inequality. Using FX generated from the leathers and groundnuts of Kano to develop Aba or Abeokuta is unfair. The very day you know that you will only be able to spend just your IGR or 70% of it, no one will tell you to jump out and look for FDI since you know fully well that there is no FAAC or JAAC coming. No one will teach the vigilantes of Borno to join teams with the Nigerian Army since you cant build a school with hard earned IGR and some rabid animals across the Sambisa will now say they hate western education, hence they want to burn the schools. Then it will be real work to even lead!.
There is too much of free lunch in Nigeria for our political class. Let the lunch go to the people God, hardwork and providence gave it to. Human capital might truly be a greater wealth creator than natural resources but becoming an incorruptible nation needs a foundation of fairness and equality.
Come to think of it. A state that cannot generate 1bn IGR monthly is also praying for a 2.5bn FAAC. And I ask “from where do they expect such free manna? From a Father Christmas that shares a cake in Abuja made of petrodollars of the Gulf of Guinea? It is only in this part of the world that you hope to eat the cake naturally baked for others and you start looking for the grammar of “one Nigeria” to cover that age long wrongdoing.
From the Niger Delta to North Central Nigeria, there are dozens of tribes that feels very denigrated, marginalized and vilified by this Nigerian state and that has been on since 1967 but nobody is ready to address it as long as it is not Hausa, Fulani, Ibo or Yoruba that is grumbling. And when you simply allow one of them to emerge as president after 5 decades of neglect, then just expect exactly what GEJ did. Infact, lets thank God he handed over that peacefully. There is no better act of God than that.
So when I hear that someone is emphasizing GEJ’s name for probe, I just laugh! Because I feel that person is saying with “probe grammar” that we should break this country into 6. If you are not ready to ask about 12bn gulf oil windfall, Abacha loots down to GEJ arms purchase funds, then better just let the man be and follow his crooky advisers for recovery mostly. Trying to probe GEJ, to the Niger Delta people, is like an attack on their existence and they will do anything to survive.
If we are a federal republic, we should practise True Federalism. When that happens, stealing the money we all own and work for can be suicidal for you because it is your rear guard that will attack you first. Regions will have to generate funds themselves to develop. Wastage of your own thing is suicidal when you are around and aware. The perception of the Niger Delta about Jonathan is different from the perception of the average Nigerian. To them, he was a messiah, their true representation. We must obey the law but both the law and the truth must do the greatest good to the greatest number. That’s what ethics teaches us.
Using funds from Escravos to develop Sokoto is inequality. Using FX generated from the leathers and groundnuts of Kano to develop Aba or Abeokuta is unfair. The very day you know that you will only be able to spend just your IGR or 70% of it, no one will tell you to jump out and look for FDI since you know fully well that there is no FAAC or JAAC coming. No one will teach the vigilantes of Borno to join teams with the Nigerian Army since you cant build a school with hard earned IGR and some rabid animals across the Sambisa will now say they hate western education, hence they want to burn the schools. Then it will be real work to even lead!.
There is too much of free lunch in Nigeria for our political class. Let the lunch go to the people God, hardwork and providence gave it to. Human capital might truly be a greater wealth creator than natural resources but becoming an incorruptible nation needs a foundation of fairness and equality.
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