I was watching The Platform on independence day(Nigeria’s independence day is October 1) ,and was happy to see the transition in this year’s lineup. Young leaders in their various fields took to the stage to educate and inspire Nigerians on what they felt to be the most pressing issues we as a nation face today. The first speaker, Iyinoluwa, Aboyeji (Flutterware co-founder), took the audience through Nigeria’s history since it gained independence in 1960. Iyinoluwa made references to how his parents grew up in the sixties and the seventies (fact: As a kid, his mom and other children were kidnapped in Jos (Plateau state) and sent to school. Relax! letters were sent to their parents informing them of the whereabouts of their kids). As the speaker made references to Nigeria’s past, he highlighted shifts in Nigeria’s values and development decade after decade. (case in point the devaluation of the Nigerian Naira, lower standard of living, poorer educational system etc )
In summary, a lot of the current trends that are playing out will not lead Nigeria to become a great nation. The speaker urged all young people to focus on ideas that contribute to Nigeria’s economic development, as opposed to solely focusing on creating monopolies within industries. This got me thinking about our role as Nigeria’s citizens on her journey towards economic development.
Economic development is the growth of the standard of living of a nation’s people from a poor economy to a rich economy. The overall objective of economic development is to find solutions to socio-economic inequalities (socio-economic challenges include gender inequality, healthcare, education, unemployment quality housing, jobs & income, low standard of living, poor business climate, difficulty in attracting foreign investors, leadership, insufficient tax base, poor technological advancement, low internet penetration, poverty, among others)
Generally speaking, the responsibilities of Nigerian citizens include (but are not limited to) :
- Support and defend the Nigerian Constitution
- Stay informed of the issues affecting our community
- Participate in Nigeria’s democratic process
- Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws
- Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others
- Participate in your local community
- Pay income and other taxes honestly, and on time, to Federal, State, and Local authorities
- Serve on a jury when called upon
- Defend Nigeria should the need arise
Having established the above responsibilities, one must bear in mind that the income class Nigerian citizens fall within (lower class, middle class, or upper class) vastly determines to what extent citizens can impact Nigeria’s economic development. Now the role of the Nigerian citizen has been established, there are consequences of not performing the roles of a citizen. To understand the consequences of our roles as citizens on our society, let’s draw on two extreme scenarios of Nigeria in the year 2045; best case scenario in 2045 (developing nation with active citizens), and worst case scenario in 2045 (deteriorating nation with passive citizens)
Best case Scenario in 2045: Developing Nation with Active citizens
The government introduces policies that put Nigerian citizens first. The revised constitution has created favorable opportunities for citizens across various classes. Younger people are put in positions of power and offer fresh ideas. Presidential candidates reflect the best choices for the growth of Nigeria. Increased income, and better employment, increased education, better wages, as well as progressive minimum wage are the norm. The Nigerian Naira is a valuable currency. Favorable living conditions abound for Nigerian citizens. Nigerians are tech-savvy. Her people are a fundamental part of the fourth industrial revolution,and live in smart cities. The country is safe, cleaner, healthier; The effects of global warming are waning because the Nigerian economy attracts a lot of investments in clean energy. The laws are pro-nation, backed and supported by majority of Nigerian citizens. Different religion does not separate the people, instead there is more unity among the Nigerian people than ever before.
Worst case Scenario in 2045: Deteriorating Nation with Passive Citizens
Unfavorable policies abound and there are no objections by Nigerian citizens. Poor opportunities, low education and reducing wages become the norm, thus leading to a lower standard of living among citizens. The Nigerian culture is deteriorating with its people more separated than ever. No ideas are being shared with technology sector and investments dry up. The environment is degenerating at a rapid pace as students fail to specialise in careers that support its development . also, the laws serve as nothing more than a ‘placeholder’, as they fail to affect people choices for the better.
The work of Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson in Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, examines the causes of economic inequality. The authors argued that underdevelopment is caused by political institutions (and not by geography, climate, or other cultural factors). This is because corrupt elites in underdeveloped countries keep their people impoverished.
As President Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, and 24 other presidential aspirants prepare to do battle at the polls in 2019, citizens of Nigeria should consider it their sole duty as a people, to be clear about the consequences of choosing our candidates. We can take the longer view, which is that we may not see major impact over the next four years of our decision who we vote into power. What we can do is to focus on the big picture. We can achieve this by imagining the favorable scenario above (i.e. developing nation with active citizens) comes into fruition. By the year 2045, worthy people could enter into positions to make viable changes in the institutions that determine our fate as a nation. The impact of capable people within our institutions would break the vicious cycles of corruption that is deeply ingrained within Nigeria’s governing system. Here is a useful quote to consider before going to the polls:
“It is our belief that at any point in time, the whole is always greater than the part, for no individual is greater than the nation”
– Daily Times opinion on Pakistan and Democracy- March 24, 1981
Some questions to think about:
- Do we know the people whom we are voting for? their backgrounds? their motives?
- Come the 2019 elections, will voting for our selected candidates create a better future for our nation?
- Imagine that the best case scenario for Nigeria in 2045 came to fruition, which choice of candidates in 2019, would have contributed to this outcome?
Digging Deeper:
- To see the video from The Platform Nigeria “Beyond Politics” 2018, click here
- You can see Iyinoluwa’s segment at the event here
- Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
- Watch “Why Nations Fail”-Talks at Google by James Robinson here
