Taking comparative recourse to the state of affairs when Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and now when She is marking 61 years of independence, has become a subject of national reflection. The questions which largely comes to bear would anchor on how fair the assessment of development would be adjudged after the space of over six decades since the British colonial government hands off the territory of the Country. Such assessment happens to be a subject which tilts to the walls of deep seated reservations for many, while those who will never leave the vanguard of clamour with thoughtful expression would continue to question the status quo.
It would be observed that the prevailing situation in the Country now collate more of lamentations, than songs of desirable appellation. The assessment of the prevailing conditions by sectoral profiles and institutional workings would, without doubt, justify the lamentations of many than the convergence of felicity. The socio-economic fabrics of the Country presently reflect more of turbulence with ravages of discomfort pushing the entire polity off the stature of stability.
It has become very much apparent that complexities have largely expressed vociferous tones of discordance and instabilities, than harmony of institutional frameworks propelling development. Recently, troubles of insecurity which have become deep seated have made peaceful cohabitation a costly luxury in the Country. The reports of daily killings and kidnapping have come to overshadow good reports of appreciable development in the Country. While the scourge of terrorism began to take reverberating turn for about a decade ago with the onslaughts of the boko-haram sect, the degeneration of security challenges with extension of the reign of banditry recently have made insecurity an albatross in the Country. The tardy approach to taming the claws of armed herdsmen whose modus operandi have been observed to be of the stylist patterns of the operations of bandit groups now terrorising different parts of the Country, have brought into bear unsavoury narratives which by laxity have become thorns in the flesh of the Country. The impacts of the menaces are, without doubt, known to have continually pose multi-sectoral impacts which have made the thrust for development a facade. It has been averred that speaking of development under the counterproductivity of the prevailing situations pose by insecurity, is a mere figment of imagination.
While insecurity continue to pose threats to the workings of sectors and institutions in the Country, it is apparent that beyond the mayhem of insecurity, the forces that render discomfort in the Country are deep seated in manners that reflect cultural deficiencies in perception, conducts, appeals, administration, practices and approaches.
The assessment of governance in the Country seemingly projects colossal decadence which are by themselves hostile to administering a developmental society. The malady of such practice as corruption has grown too wild that the Country now ranks at the top list among the most corrupt nations of the world. It is no doubt that substantial part of the public funds which are well robust enough to propel a development which would have placed the Country at the limelight of being classified among the committe of developed world, have largely ended in private pockets. Sadly, the Country tilts stronger to the categorisation of not even developing, as observed by critical observers, but the underdeveloped and backward nations of the world. While the present Government came on the course of fighting corruption, it is reflective that against the declaration, recent international rankings have continued to show corruption in the Country is waxing gross.
The impacts of corruption and insecurity have far wide left debilitating impacts on the Nigerian society. The maladies of the duo compounded with the narratives of maladministration, have left unsavoury conditions for sectoral productivity in the Country. While Nigeria is known for the depths of her oil and gas resources, it is inarguable that by the claws of corruption and maladministration, the accruals yielding from the sector have in no wise translated to appreciable and enviable development for the Country. This comes at the heels of thoughts of the prospects of development noticeable in countries across the globe, which though do not have within their reach the depths of resources Nigeria house, yet their development pace have outwit Nigeria.
The workings of the health and the education sectors which hold key positions in the institutional frameworks of society, are lamentably ridden with inconsistencies. Industrial actions owing to unmet demands and agreement breaches, on the part of the Government, have left unsavoury narratives of incessant strikes. Lingering strikes and the threats of upcoming ones with released ultimatum, are frowning with belligerence in the sectors. The inconsistencies which are drawbacks largely hostile to the sustainability and stability needed for sectoral growth, remain issues gravitating forces of entanglements strangling the possibilities of development within the sectors in the Country.
Subjects of maladministration and policy somersault have continued to pose dispersal impacts with deficiencies of incoherence which have made coordinated results almost impossible across sectors. Such incoherence have left such sectors as Agriculture, Mining and the Manufacturing sector largely underdeveloped, despite their huge potentials of driving the economy. While the need for diversifying the economy has shown its non negotiable status with the reality which the unreliability of the oil sector have pose before the Country, the failure of concerted efforts to navigate measures towards systemic development within the sectors have remained a subject of concern. While Agriculture continue to suffer policy incoherence with poor infrastructures, the problematic issues of insecurity have compounded the strings against the sector.
The huge deficits in infrastructures and the vagaries of monetary policies amidst currency devaluation have left debilitating impacts on the manufacturing sector, by and large, constituting strains against industrialisation. The strangulating impacts have left a profile of over 33.3 per cent unemployment rate. The impacts of the deficits have been noted to be contributory to the heightening of insecurity profile as more Nigerians, particularly young people, continue to resort to criminal ventures for survival. The compounding impacts have posed nothing but ravaging deficiencies on the fabrics of the Country.
The calls for constitutional amendments and restructuring which as noted are core necessities to redefine the narratives of the wobbling structural patterns, seemingly have not appealed yet to the custodians of power in the Country. Although the prevailing structural composition of the Country have been noted to be ridden with decayed parameters demanding reforms, the cold posture of the political gladiators to effecting same have remained a subject of contest. The rationale has been nailed to the fact that since the prevailing strained system satisfies the selfish interests of the larger stocks of political stakeholders, the course has largely remained a campaign of theory with the absence of the required political will to effect same.
It is now pathetic that the known “Giant of Africa” is having it’s status degenerating to a mere nomenclature. The need for all to rise to defining the path of the Nigerian Federation is sacrosanct to salvage the Country from an irredeemable collapse. No less than concerted efforts by all nation builders is needed to rescue the Country. It is no gainsaying that the prevailing situations reflect, by all means, that the Country is being held amidst storms. The grandeur stature of the Country is diminishing with debilitating forces pulling her downwards than upwards.
The need for Nigerians to all awake towards making contributions to redeem the Country is paramount. It is apparent that the redemptive reformation which the Country require, has transcend what only the political class and the government could purchase. It has become a national outcry demanding the active consciousness for all to push, till the redefining character begin to take the force of reality.