It’s Time To Get It Right

After several years of democracy, it is still amazing that we are yet to get it right. After tuning and fine-tuning this borrowed method of governance, we seem to be sliding back the more we attempt to move forward. The military-contrived constitution under which we operate may have become the worst kind of government in the world.

Apart from wasting money on unconstitutional things like first ladies and a retinue of aides for their wives, security votes, and disengagement allowances are nothing but a way of allowing government officials to steal us blind in the name of governing the country.

What exactly is the meaning of security vote? What is it supposed to be spent on?

In the last 12 years of civilian government as constituted by the last military government, billions of naira have been frittered away on nothing, yes nothing. We have not seen anything, physical or otherwise to point at as evidence of the security votes having been well spent. We have also not felt more secure as evidenced by militant activities in the Niger Delta, kidnappers in eastern Nigeria and now the bomb-planting members of Boko Haram in northern Nigeria.

Where has the security vote gone? Often government says the country can only afford to spend a specific amount of money on security. We also condemn our policemen for not being good enough; but then, these same men excel whenever they go out on assignments in other countries. So, what’s wrong with Nigeria? Why have the elected public officers continued to operate a flawed system under a constitution we all know is not the best for the polity? Why do people seemingly become arrogant and acquisitive the moment they become elected public officers? And now, our lives are being threatened by a group whose motives remain murky.

A few weeks ago, ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo visited the family of Yusuf Mohammed, the late leader of the Boko Haram on a peace mission. Though the visit was unofficial, we thought something might come out of it but we were wrong. Early this week, security agents launched a manhunt for foreigners suspected to be assisting the Islamic sect to manufacture explosive devices.

All very well, but what results have we recorded so far? After all the peace talks and submission of report by Ambassador Gaji Galtimari, who led a committee on insecurity in the North-East, a spokesman of Boko Haram has announced that the group was not ready for dialogue. To add salt to injury, the group is making all sorts of spurious demands.

As we approach the country’s 51st Independence anniversary, we need to do a rethink of how to go about governance and the threat of insecurity.

Boko Haram sect has promised to unleash mayhem in several places while the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has promised to strike again on the country’s 51st Independence, like it did a year ago.

The security agencies have discovered plans by MEND to unleash mayhem by bombing some places, yet nothing is being done to abort it, just as the Boko Haram sect has threatened more bombings.

We cannot afford to wait for these criminal elements to destroy the country. A 51-year old man or woman ought to know what ails him or her. With so many educated and skilled citizens, how can we not know how to solve some of these problems 51 years after independence?

We should either accede to their demands or refuse and deal decisively with these dissidents. We can no longer allow terrorists ruin this country. Let’s take real steps and be quick about it. All these dialogues are making nonsense of government.