What The Papers Say
National Concord of Nigeria, January 28, 1986
Towards effective grassroots mobilisation
Amidst growing disillusionment over the proper role and exact contributions of the Nigerian worker to the national economy, it was refreshing to hear some belated words of sincere encouragement from no less a person than the president of the Federal Republic.In his landmark address on "The budget and the challenge of policy implementation," President Babangida boldly stated that the nation must finally "recognise that the foundation of true development lies in the human labour of our people." This singular recognition calls for a thorough analysis of what role the bulk of Nigerians engaged in the production process are to play and, equally important, of how they are to be adequately mobilised to patriotically fulfil that role.
The president has rightly observed that the successful implementation of his admirable 1986 budget proposals largely depends on the extent to which the mass of the nation's labour force could be mobilised "to defend the integrity of the nation's economy, to fight corruption, discourage smuggling and expose all forms of social ills.'
For long Nigerians have been fed on a diet of slogans and good intentions, noble words that more often than not, leave a wide gulf between government intent and actual accomplishment. If this new resolve to systematically mobilise the populace for the urgent task of national economic reconstruction is to transcend the merely verbal wish-list of past governments, then the Babangida administration must seriously look into the problems, purposes and powers of our local governments.
It has become all too obvious that our local governments, initially designed to be the primary focus of a comprehensive national development strategy, have been constrained in the performance of this most desirable function by a chronic shortage of funds. It is now patently clear that the revenue allocation formula, as currently operated, viciously discriminates against the fiscal viability of these supposed centres of rural development.
A solution must be immediately found to this most debilitating problem, and a possible re-examination of the existing revenue allocation formula is clearly the first crucial step. Local governments are also severely hampered by their inexplicable lack of executive capacity. It then becomes necessary that the powers now conferred on local governments be upwardly reviewed in order to properly correspond to the enormous obligations expected of them.
In mobilising the nation's massive labour force, government must fully incorporate the mass organisations that represent the Nigerian worker, albeit imperfectly. The Nigerian Labour Congress, various farmers co-operatives, women's organisations and other professional bodies must be seen as available avenues through which effective mobilisation may yet be possible.
The present administration's proven commitment to an open- door policy, with special regard to the unfettered flow of information, augurs well for the attempt to fully involve the people in formulating and implementing socio-economic pro- grammes broadly agreed upon. It is to be hoped that the worth- while role which the mass media have thus far played by acting as a credible medium between the governed and their governors, shall continue to enjoy the support of the government and the confidence of the people.
All in all, mass mobilisation is in danger of being interpreted as mass deceit, if the fruits of collective production are callously and privately appropriated by a few unscrupulous individuals acting in open consort with well-placed government officials. As the president rightly noted, only a marked decrease in the corrupt, extravagant and publicly-funded lifestyles of government employees, can show the way to the millions of Nigerians eager for leadership, not by slogans, but by example.
Daily Sketch, Nigeria, January 27, 1986
Steer clear of religion
President Babangida had a lot to say on religion when some Catholic bishops met with him in Lagos. He said: "Religion should be given the opportunity to assist in our development effort in all spheres since it is a potent weapon of social mobilization'.The president said the government will continue to be involved with religion, adding: "We recognise the dominance of religion in every thought and action of every Nigerian". With due respect, we disagree with the president's assertions quoted above.
Religion is not a weapon of social mobilization. On the contrary - and there are ample facts, ancient and contemporary to support this religion has been the undoing of many countries. Even in those countries, where one religion is overwhelmingly dominant, all is not smooth sailing. The sects within that religion sometimes disagree violently.
Religion is basically an emotional thing. It hardly has room for logic. That is why they are tearing themselves apart in Lebanon, Northern Ireland and other places, and why we have had five lethal Maitatsine uprising.
It is also remarkable that Egypt was once suspended from the ICO, presumably because it mended fences with Israel, a state which, if the truth must be faced, is funded and armed by the USA from surplus funds deposited in American banks by such rich ICO members as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, those very states that are in a position to grant Nigeria soft loans. Egypt is still mending fences with Israel but it is back inside the ICO. The logic of one and the other is totally baffling.
Afghanistan's membership has also been suspended because, we are told, it has been invaded by Soviet troops, presumably thus losing its islamic legitimacy. What emerges from all this is that the ICO is basically anti-Israel and anti-communist, although a good number of the ICO members will collapse without food and weapons from the two Great Satans, America, friend of Israel and Russia. It is equally baffling why the two marxist-oriented Yemens are still keeping their memberships.
The argument has also been advanced, though weakly, that Nigeria could in good conscience join the ICO because Nigeria has diplomatic relations with the Vatican. That reasoning conveniently ignores the fact that the Vatican is an independent state - just like Saudi Arabia or Iran with which we also have relations - whatever their religious persuasions.
It is our strongly held view that the state should have no business getting involved with religion. It is a personal thing, like choosing a conjugal partner. Or is the state going to get involved with that now, too?
Those who say that we stand to gain from our membership of the ICO or any such organisation are traducing this country. We are not a beggar nation. Many members of the ICO do not have budgets as big as those of some of our states.
