24th May, 2010
At independence in 1960, Nigeria was celebrated for its potential: the magnitude and vitality of its peoples, the enormity of its landmass and the sheer abundance of its natural resources. Fifty years on, the talk about Nigeria is still about its potential, simply because it has failed to realise its promise. In that interval, many countries that were her peers in underdevelopment have made accelerated transitions to development within a generation, replicating in decades progressive attainments that took centuries in the West. This speedy leapfrog was accomplished by leadership that successfully built state and governance structures that were conducive to economic and human development. The success of the Asian Tigers elevates humanity, and it is a ringing indictment of those that have mismanaged Nigeria because their excuses have been repudiated.
Nigeriaâ€
Almost 11 percent of babies born in Nigeria die before their first birthdays. Of those who survive, many cannot expect to live beyond 48 years, most of which they will spend with little or no access to electric power, safe water or good healthcare. People below 25 years constitute the majority of Nigeriaâ€
Evidence of some economic growth is visible. But the quadrupling of GDP to $173 billion in 2007 from $46 billion in 2000 has not been accompanied by a similar expansion in jobs.
Nigeria is just not working:
The tragedy of Nigeria is a pervasive pathology. Its leadership selection process excludes its best while celebrating mediocrity. The incremental influence of that pathology has created a failing state that is unable to do much more than uphold the conclave of looters that hold the country hostage. In many ways, every election process turns out to be much worse than the preceding cycle.
Upon taking power after stolen polls, the new leadership often proceeds to enthrone a ruling ethos that is defined by a searing contempt for the people. That is why, despite the billions of dollars that the Nigerian state has earned over five decades, Nigeria remains at the bottom of the human development league. It is a fact that Nigerians must reject because a better life is possible.
Fifty years into Nigeriaâ€
Nigeria today is ranked as one of the twenty poorest nations of the world, despite the fact that it is the worldâ€
The consequence of high-level political and bureaucratic corruption can be seen on the faces of most Nigerians who live in abject poverty. Over 70% of Nigeriaâ€
In a country with over 70% of its population under the age of 35 years, the rate of unemployment is over 60%, thus leaving the countryâ€
Those who live in Nigeria are likely to find the points being raised in this preamble boring because they are too is obvious. What is direly needed now is how to get Nigeria out of the hole of underdevelopment, corruption, and mismanagement. Now is the time for truly patriotic Nigerians to join the movement to save Nigeria from its current state of failure by joining forces with the Save Nigeria Group, SNG. Now is the time to liberate Nigeria from the grips of its predators. SNG believes that Nigeriaâ€
The overall goal of this political charter is EMPOWERMENT: of citizens (regardless of age, gender and economic status), communities, states, and the nation, as well as the transformation of Nigeria into a nation with an ethos of strong centre, strong states, strong local governments, and strong citizens to create wealth and make contributions to modern global civilization. SNG believes strongly that the purpose of government is to use the common wealth of the nation to improve the standard of living of the citizens. It is an abiding commitment of SNG to make the Fundamental Objectives and directive principles of State Policy in the 1999 Constitution justifiable. In addition, the following objectives in bullet form are designed to accelerate the process of returning Nigeria to the tradition of government in the service of the citizens.
2. Political Agenda
Political Structure and Governance
For about fifty years, Nigeria has had one form of politics of exclusion or the other: military dictatorship, civilians came to power through fraudulent electoral systems, polarization of the country into North/South, Muslim/Christian, Settler/Indigene dichotomies, to name a few. What Nigeria did not have through the colonial period and until now is genuine electoral democracy capable of spawning the politics of inclusion. Fifty years after independence, Nigeria still does not have a political structure that can promote unity and national development while also promoting the nationâ€
A lot of energy has been spent in the last fifteen years on how to obtain a political structure that can fuel growth and development at the centre and in the states. To this end, several ethnic nationality organizations and individual Nigerians have called for restructuring through a sovereign national conference or through constitutional amendments. One of such groups is the Niger Delta community that consistently asks for true federalism, self-determination, and resource control. The activities of Niger Delta militants in the last few years have been a source of political, economic, and social tension. The current amnesty scheme is the latest response to the threat to Nigeriaâ€
•Culled from ‘Charter for Liberty, Security And Prosperity: The Irreducible Minimum Nigerians Must Insist Onâ€