Like America, Unlike Nigeria By Ayobami Oyalowo

“I just spoke with Governor
Romney and I congratulated
him and Paul Ryan on a
hard-fought campaign.We
may have battled fiercely,
but it’s only because we love
this country deeply and we
care so strongly about its
future. From George to
Lenore to their son Mitt, the
Romney family has chosen to
give back to America through
public service and that is the
legacy that we honor and
applaud tonight.”-Barack
Obama-November 7, 2012
Most young Nigerians stayed
awake, everybody wanted to
be a part of the unraveling
of history. This was a
showpiece event. This is
history coming alive before
our very eyes. For the past
few months, the entire
world had, with a keen
interest, followed the
American Presidential
elections. There had been
series of campaigns and
debates. The major
contenders have done
everything humanly possible
and within acceptable limits
to sell their candidature to
the American public and by
extension, the world at
large.
One thing that was obvious
to everyone, critics inclusive,
is that the electioneering
campaign was focused
mainly on issues. Each
candidate listed known
problems and gave clear
manifestoes as to how best
he hoped to tackle the
problems. And the election
proper was devoid of rancor,
violence and gangsterism.
This was another feather to
the American cap. They are
truly the leaders of the free
world.
Coming back to Nigeria, you
are confronted with
something that appears or
looks like a democracy.
Campaigns are a jamboree,
with plethora of lies and
empty promises, most of
which had been forgotten
ever before they were even
pronounced. Major
candidates shun debates,
mainly because they have no
substance or intellect to
articulate their muddled up
thoughts. Elections are
marred by serious
malpractices such as ballot
stuffing, stealing of ballot
boxes, street urchins
threatening voters and
generally making a nuisance
of themselves, security men
harassing the opposition,
outright inflation of votes
after counting and a myriad
of other inglorious but
serious infractions. Elections
in Nigeria are usually so
raucous that the integrity of
the process is perpetually in
doubt and that is partly
responsible for candidates
not conceding victory to, or
congratulating, their
opponents.
Another reason for the lack
of sportsmanship is the fact
that all contenders generally
rig but the best rigger wins,
therefore the losers are
loathe to extend hands of
fellowship to the winners. In
fact the immediate past
President, Musa Yar’adua
confessed that the election
that brought him to office
was fraught with so much
malpractice.
But how did we get here?
Nigerians are hardworking
and ebullient people. But
one very huge and
noticeable problem is
selfishness. A Nigerian will,
rather than demand for his
legitimate rights, look for an
alternative. For a typical or
average Nigerian, the deal
is, as long as I am okay and
my family and loved ones
are fine, screw the world.
Although what most people
in Nigeria fail to realize is
that those screwed fellows,
always mostly end up as the
bane of the “very okay”
fellows.
Let me illustrate. Few years
back, an international polling
agency ranked Nigerians as
the happiest people in the
world and you want to ask
yourself, why? With
debilitating illiteracy and
poverty at an all-time high,
poor infrastructure, such as
roads, communication,
power, etc. why are
Nigerians such a happy
people? It is simple, ask a
Nigerian how are you, even
if he hasn’t eaten in two
days, the reply you get is,”I
am wonderful”.
We have been so
conditioned to accept our
fate without question. It is
only in Nigeria that you see
people carry multiple mobile
phones. Since the telephone
services are crappy,
Nigerians have simply
“adjusted” by getting
multiple sim cards and
phones, so they can
constantly be in touch. Most
homes in the urban areas
have about two power
generating sets, and your
building isn’t complete
without the luxury of a
mechanized borehole, to
provide potable water.
Nigerians are indeed a
happy people.
Last year, Zamfara had the
lowest JAMB registration,
making it one of the most
poorly educated states. Yet
the state has this year
budgeted a paltry
N5.7billion for education,
while the religious affairs
budget, which covers the
Hisbah Commission, Hajj,
and Religious Preaching
Commission, are to receive
about N1.7 billion for
recurrent expenditure. A
monstrous N2 billion is
dedicated for Sallah activities
for 2012. These are not only
misplaced spending
priorities, but the implication
is very clear. These children
that are either not educated
or poorly educated are going
to form the bulk of
tomorrow miscreants and
available recruits for Boko
Haram and other undesirable
elements. You may ask how
those concern me. I will tell
you.
While you are comfortable,
or pretending to be
comfortable, you are never
at ease. Those dregs of the
society and never-do-wells
are going to make life
uncomfortable for your
children that have been
educated abroad with stolen
wealth.
Another major problem is
that while most of us
pretend to be fine, the
reality on ground is very
grim. Let us look at it this
way. The civil service is the
major engine upon which
the government is run, but
who makes up the bulk of
that sector, rejects and
frustrated beings. The best
and most qualified have all
gone into the private sector,
the banks, telecoms, oil and
gas sectors have taken all
the first class candidates,
leaving the “also rans” as
those to be absorbed into
the core of the civil service.
Not only is the civil service
made up of mainly failures,
rejects and the frustrated,
they are also poorly trained
or not even trained at all.
Their remuneration is abject
at best, leaving them at the
mercy of the elements. No
wonder the Nigerian civil
service is not only one of
the most corrupt in the
world, it is also the laziest,
most cumbersome and
inefficient service in the
world. Don’t forget that the
civil service also consists of
parastatals such as INEC,
NCC, NBC etc. While the
police and other paramilitary
agencies are not left out of
the bulk of the civil service.
Nigerians must arise from
their docility. The days of
‘me and my household’ are
past. We must get our hands
dirty and be ready to make
necessary sacrifices. Our
best cannot continually be
governed by our worst. It
must start from me and from
you. We must begin to
demand for change in all
facets of live. The civil
service must no longer be
peopled by those who have
nothing to offer. Our bright
youths must be encouraged
to work in the civil service as
it was the practice in time
past. Also, our politics must
no longer be left in the
hands of criminals and petty
thieves. Expired and over
recycled AGIP(any
government in power) men
should be sent to where they
truly belong, old people’s
retirement homes. Younger,
fresher and brighter
elements should not only
rant on twitter, but they
must put their money where
their mouth is, by throwing
their various hats into the
ring. Politics should never
again be left in the hands of
men without integrity,
devoid of character. Politics
is serious business, Mitt
Romney is a successful
businessman, not a
government contractor or an
economic scavenger.
Transparency, probity and
accountability must be the
watchword in every facet of
our various individual and
public lives. Budgets must be
scrutinized for performance.
A budget is a document that
can either make or mar a
person, an organization, a
state or an entire country.
Not only is our budgeting
process less than
transparent, it is actually a
compilation of sad and
pathetic jokes. You can
immediately diagnose the
health of any corporation
from their budget. Nigeria is
a sick note, where over 60%
of the budget is stolen and
not one person has ever
been docked let alone jailed.
We must also begin to seek
the collectives and less of
the personal gratification. It
should no longer be “cool” to
put on your generator while
your neighbours battle with
heat and darkness. We
should begin to probe
sudden and immediate
wealth. Voting process must
be cleaned up and the next
generation of leaders
groomed in a deliberate
mentoring program. The past
and outgoing generations
have failed. The
irresponsibility we currently
see in today’s youth is a
direct result of the training
and mentoring received.
Before we call for a physical
revolution, there must be a
mental and attitudinal
revolution. A rebirth is a
necessity if we must get to
the desirable. America is
celebrated and respected
worldwide today, Nigeria is
the beacon and hope that
the entire Africa looks up to
for succor.
We either live up to the tag
“giant of Africa” or we
continue to wallow in the
mire of idiocy.
The choice truly is ours.

I can be engaged on twitter
@Ayourb

#CONSENSUS 2015