Since 1960, one of the biggest myths in Nigeria is that the "forces of retrogression" are locked in constant battle with the "forces of progression". They've been called by different names depending on the times, but ultimately the distinction is that one group prefers the old order, encourages nepotism and enschews development in favor of lining their pockets; while the other is modern, campaigns for meritocracy and believes in infrastructure development. These days, I think they call themselves "agents of change", at least on paper.
Since 1960, one of the biggest myths in Nigeria is that the "forces of retrogression" are locked in constant battle with the "forces of progression". They've been called by different names depending on the times, but ultimately the distinction is that one group prefers the old order, encourages nepotism and enschews development in favor of lining their pockets; while the other is modern, campaigns for meritocracy and believes in infrastructure development. These days, I think they call themselves "agents of change", at least on paper.
The truth is that progression has not come to Nigeria (notwithstanding the flashy cars and palatial homes of a select few) because there are no progressives in the leadership arena of Nigeria, and there have never been. It's time Nigerians looked in the mirror and admitted that their only motivating factor - understandable considering the lack of attention paid to the citizenry by every government since independence - is personal and familial survival. Nigerians will do anything to put food on their table, to be able to afford both necessities and luxuries and to be able to "compete" with their friends and neighbors for social status.
Progression will always die at the altar of self-centeredness. As upsetting as this may be to these "agents of change" in Nigeria, let us look to history. I know history is not the favorite subject of most Nigerians; no group in the world wants to bury the past more than Nigerians do, and perhaps that is why we never learn our lessons. You cannot move on to the next grade (or phase in development) if you haven't learned from the past. But I digress.
Examine Balewa's government in the First Republic. The storyline used by both the Action Group (AG) and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) was that the Nigerian People's Congress (NPC) was a reactionary party while theirs were progressive, aimed at bettering the lives of their constituents and developing the infrastructure of the country. Did this stop the NCNC from entering an unholy alliance with the NPC just so they could be in power? No. Did this stop the AG from destroying itself through internal squabbles and leadership tussles? No. Did this stop NCNC ministers like K.O. Mbadiwe and Festus Okotie-Eboh from being possibly the most corrupt ministers in government? No.
Examine Gowon's government and the Civil War. Did Odumegwu Ojukwu's railing against northern dominance and bad government stop him from being a tyrant as leader of Biafra? No. Did Obafemi Awolowo act as an elder statesman desirous of peace when he sanctioned the economic embargo that caused the deaths of 2 million citizens of Eastern Nigeria during the Civil War? No. Can Murtala Mohammed's "communist" (read, progressive) policies and his later actions against apartheid in Southern Africa prevent any Igbo west of the Niger from forgetting his massacre of hundreds of defenseless women - including the pregnant - and children outside Asaba? No.
Examine MKO Abiola's failed attempt to win the presidency. As he campaigned against Abacha's military regime and traveled all over the world encouraging governments to sanction Nigeria, did he mention to them that he was the main financier of the 1983 coup that toppled the Second Republic and thrust Abacha into the nation's spotlight? No.
Examine Obasanjo's government in the Fourth Republic. As vaunted and technically sound as his economic team was, did that stop the likes of Nasir El-Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Charles Soludo from lining the pockets of themselves and their cronies? Or can we forget that Dimeji Bankole was a leader in the 'Integrity Group' before he became the Chief 'Legislooter' in the National Assembly who currently has a case to answer before the EFCC? No.
Examine the opposition today. Goodluck Jonathan is a clueless and inept leader - it won't take anyone special to do a better job than he has done so far, but surely the bar must be set high than that.
Who among the "progressive opposition" can drive the country forward in an honest manner? Nasir El-Rufai still has a case to answer to the EFCC as much as his supporters want us to forget that. Nuhu Ribadu's duplicity has been well documented, both within and without Wikileaks. Muhammadu Buhari is yet to show that he has any level of religious tolerance, critical in a country like Nigeria. Bola Tinubu, whose case was never disposed off by the EFCC, leads the main opposition party in the Southwest. Odumegwu Ojukwu and Orji Kalu, both as retrogressive as they come, lead the two opposition parties in the Southeast. How are these "progressive" leaders are any different than what they seek to replace?
You may ask, "what about your generation, Nnaziri, the youth"?
Oh, didn't you hear? We are busy chasing the coat tails and accepting the crumbs of failed leadership, past and present. We ally ourselves to people for political expediency or to advance our personal ambitions and projects. We become part of their petty squabbles with political rivals instead of providing an objective, balanced viewpoint on the main issues affecting our country - lack of meritocracy, lack of infrastructure development and corruption. In essence, we have become pawns of the ruling elite.
So again, why won't the progressives win? The answer is simple, really - "progressive forces" are merely "retrogressive forces" waiting in the wings for their bite of the national cake. True progression has nothing to do with ideas - even a dead clock is correct twice a day - or with intellectual capacity or with oratorical eloquence. It has everything to do with selflessness, with a desire to do what is right for the people, even at personal cost; with a desire to execute the affairs of state honestly and with integrity. How many of our so-called progressive leaders can say that? Regrettably, very few.
The onus is not on our leaders to change - the onus is on us to make them accountable. You, me, and all of us. Write about it, march about it, speak about it, continue to apply pressure relentlessly and without cease.
Until this happens, we'll continue to sing the same old song and dance the same old dance.
Nnaziri Ihejirika, a Professional Engineer, writes from Canada
Follow him @nnaziri on twitter
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