Introduction
The continent of Africa was graciously blessed by natural endowment, from gold, copper, and crude oil to fertile land and agricultural abundance. Africa had a very stable and unique culture which depicted brotherhood and neighborliness. A unitary system of living was the cord that bound citizenry together until the advent of the slave trade and subsequent colonialism in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The irony of it all is that at the return of self-governance, most independent nations refused to internalise their economic growth. Instead, they patterned their growth towards their colonial masters’ ideology, which ordinarily negated the value system of the African people, thereby hampering sectorial development. Nigeria, once the “giant of Africa,” earned its accolade through its big brother role in liberalization and conflict resolution. However, despite its discovery of large oil deposits in the late 1950s, it has become an economic toddler due to poor structural policies, elitist corruption, and a lack of focused leadership direction.
The 3 Fundamental Problems Confronting Growth
1. Structural Problem
The deliberate introduction of the Federal Character structure and Catchment Area Policy into our education and public sector killed the oneness that once existed amongst Nigerians. Decades of military rule further polarized the polity. Integrity was thrown overboard, and tribal sentiment took center stage. Military elastic corruption became the order of the day, creating a platform where “wrong pegs” were found in the “right holes,” paving the way for non-performance and inefficiency.
During the pre-independence era, Nigeria had what looked like a perfect country because our heroes had a common agenda: liberation. There were neither boundaries nor ideological regional sentiments. Shortly after independence in 1960, the quest to structure “Nigeria” in a way that benefited all citizens regardless of religion or tribe became elusive. The civil war of 1967 created ethnic and regional barriers that triggered a new class struggle among the military and public servant elite. This led to a systemic decline of the country’s unitary force and enthroned the primitive acquisition of wealth and a power struggle amongst the ruling class.
Today, we are unable to define what system of government we truly practice. The current economic recession is a pointer to this confusion. Nigeria’s structure is currently based on neo-fanaticism and tribal loyalty. We must domesticate our development purposefully to avoid past mistakes.
2. Generational Problem
Nigeria is a country that deliberately distorts the growth of the younger generation. Leaders often stay in power until death or bequeath power to their next of kin, regardless of whether they are qualified or fit for the position. While leaders like Murtala Mohammed, Obafemi Awolowo, and Nnamdi Azikiwe were true nationalists, the same cannot be said of current leaders.
The “absolutism” plaguing the continent is found in obsolete ideologies promoted by older generations who have lost touch with modernity, science, and technology. Every developed economy entrenches the younger generation into the scheme of events to mentor them. In Nigeria, if the younger generation gets close to power, they are often frustrated out. When a generation outlives its usefulness, it can no longer generate the new ideas required to move the nation forward. Older generations should give way to a new dispensation, remaining only as advisers or mentors.
3. Regional Sentiment
Any nation that wants to grow must approach its daily activities with the best hands, not trading on sentiment. While Nigeria is multicultural, no country in the world has only one culture. What makes developed nations “tick” is the self-determination to get the best results in all spheres of endeavor. Until we realign our divided boundaries of hate, religious bigotry, and tribal nepotism, we will remain static.
Sentiment is a social killer. It hinders growth and encourages laziness. Nigeria has no business being in its current position, given its human and natural resources. Nigerians demonstrate incredible intellectualism globally, yet the domestic system remains underdeveloped because mediocracy is preferred over meritocracy. The slogan of “this is my brother” or “religious affiliate” must be discarded in favor of merit-based results. Only then can we leap-frog into true structural development.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Nigerians should appreciate the current ongoing recession as a teacher. It shows that the country has the potential to bounce back to economic acreage if we domesticalize our industrialization processes and market strategies. We must motivate the labor force to be result-oriented, harness natural resources bravely, and execute profitable policy directions. Structurally repositioning the public sector towards a functionality-driven sector and economic diversification will give the country a new socioeconomic independence to develop.
