There has been steady decline in Nigerias leadership capital, since the collapse of the First Repulic, where leaders built castle, not with oil money, but out of sheer ingenuity. OMONU YAX-NELSON examines the journey to the current sorry state of affairs. Globally, Nigeria is acknowledged as the most blessed nation on earth. Nigeria has the largest population in black Africa as one out of every five black person anywhere is a Nigerian. Population wise, Nigeria is a critical factor in economic bargain. Coupled with that is the fact that Nigeria has a very rich and dynamic cultural heritage. In fact, her ethnic composition can be rightly described as the coat of many colours of the black race.There is hardly any viable mineral resource that cannot be found in the Nigerias soil; gold, columbite, Lead/Zinc, iron ore. Rich soil and clement weather that can grow any crop, while countries of Europe, Asia, America and the Caribbean are frequently ravaged by natural disasters; from earth quakes to hurricane, Nigeria is glaringly free from such scourges.In line with these endowments, Nigerian leaders, at independence in 1960, exacted themselves to realise the full potentials of the country. Regional leaders of the time engaged themselves in healthy rivalries and even in the absence of oil money, they were able to lay solid foundation for Nigeria.However, since the collapse of the first republic, there has been a steady decline in Nigerias leadership capital. The character and quality of post-independence leadership that exploited almost entirely, an agrarian economy to lay foundation for a prosperous Nigeria, has virtually dwindled to a vanishing point, except for some exceptions.Today, there seems to be loss of meaning and essence to leadership engagement in Nigeria, unlike the patriotic, energised and selfless first republic leaders. The post-independence leaders knew in clear-cut terms, what the purpose of political power and leadership is which is to provide the needed examples and point the way for individuals and groups to realise their individual and collective objectives.With these objectives in mind, they were able to accomplish landmark achievements without oil. For instance, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the first Premier of northern Nigeria, accomplished giant strides from the largely agrarian economy. He established a famous University in Zaria, that was later named after him; Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).In a bid to bridge the gap in human development, not only did the region witness widespread establishment of secondary schools, his administration introduced adult education in 1957. By 1957, the primary school enrolment in the region had reached 205,769 pupils.To accelerate economic growth in the region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, established the Northern Regional Development Corporation (NRDC), which later became the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC), and the Bank of the North, now, Unity Bank.To solve the challenge of information dissemination, he established the Broadcasting Company of Northern Nigeria (BCNN) and the Nigeria Citizen Newspapers which was renamed, New Nigeria Newspaper. The North was less developed economically than the South, and Bello argued that it was necessary for the North to catch up with the South for the sake of national unity. He travelled constantly across the North, meeting people and listening to their concerns.Because of the multiplicity of the ethnic and religious configuration of the north, the Sardauna did everything to encourage religious and ethnic harmony. In appreciation of the need for an all-round harmony, the Premier, in a Christmas message in 1959, said,Here in Northern Nigeria, we have people of different races, tribes and religions who are knit together by common history, common interest and common ideas, the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. I always remind people of our firmly rooted policy of religious tolerance. We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to the overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his belief according to the dictates of his conscience.Sir Ahmadu Bello was acknowledged to have built a formidable civil service for northern Nigeria.In Eastern Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe was in power as premier from 1954 to 1960 while Dr. Michael Okpara was in Power from 1960 to 1966 as Premier.With revenue, only limited to palm oil, coal and limestone, Azikiwe and Okpara were able to transform all areas of Eastern Nigeria.Unlike today, where governors of state own private jets and helicopters, the first republic leaders were consumed with liberating their people from the shackles of poverty and under development.Elitist projects such as airports, fleets of aircrafts and large entourage with exotic cars is what is in vogue in the midst of huge unemployment, stricken poverty and diseases nowadays. A culture despicably detested by our pioneer leaders.To accelerate economic development in the region, two banks were established; African Continental Bank and Cooperative Bank of Eastern Nigeria. The East had the first industrial development plan in Africa.As a mark of leadership ingenuity, almost all eastern townships/cities had designed within them, an industrial zone: Aba factory Road, Umuahia Factory Road, Calabar Factory road, Enugu and Port-harcourt had industrial free zonesthe Emene Industrial lay out and the Trans-Amadi Industrial lay-out. In the same vein, Owerri, had an industrial layout, so did Onitsha etc. Owerri, Aba and Port Harcourt were already designed in what was called A three city nexusInstitutions like the African Continental Bank, Cooperative Bank of Eastern Nigeria, Eastern Nigerian Development Corporation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka were established in 1960 with campuses at Nsukka and Calabar; Obudu Tourism and Entertainment Ranch, Nigercem, Nigergas, Nigersteel Factory, glass industries, hotels, farm settlements like Ada Farms, Aba Textile company, Golden Guinea Breweries in Umuahia, Standard Shoe Factory in Owerri, Port Harcourt sea port expansion were all meant to accelerate economic development and serve as avenues for economic empowerment.The administration of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the west was reckoned for pace setter projects in the first republic. Awolowo himself was variously described as restless and a workaholic. To ensure that the people were empowered to take their destinies in their own hands, Awolowo offered free and compulsory primary education in the west.In justifying his declaration of free education, chief Awo said, In order to attain to the goals of economic freedom and prosperity, Nigeria must do certain things as a matter of urgency and priority. It must provide free education (at all levels) and free health facilities for the mass of its citizens.The declaration of free education in the western region accelerated school enrolment in 1956 by 11.1 percent. The number of primary school intake rose from 42, 952 in 1953 to 1, 037, 388 by 1959. Between 1955 and 1956, the numbers rose from 457,000 pupils to 811,000. The numbers of secondary schools also rose in tandem from 46 to 139 during the same period.The Modern Three secondary schools peaked at 363 in 1959. Without oil money, he raised workers minimum wages from five shillings to five shillings and six pence on April 1959.Chief Awolowo established the first television station in black Africa. The collapse of the first republic marked the end of the regional system and the premiership positions.The military took over power and altered the four regions structure into 12 state systems. The advent of the second republic in October 1, 1979, threw up other crop of leaders, who were adjudged, not to be in the class of the first republic patriarchs, but all the same imbibed some measure of good leadership character.If not for anything, there was no complaining of inability to pay civil servant salaries despite the oil glut of the era. There was religious and ethnic tolerance while some landmark projects were instituted.For instance, in Benue State, the government of second republic was able to establish Benue Hotels Ltd, Lobi Bank, Benue burnt bricks, Benue Roof tiles, Benue breweries, Benue fertilizer Blending Company, Aper Aku stadium, still standing in Makurdi and Benue State University etc.Most states in the north put up their thinking cap to expand the economy and make life more meaningful for their people. For instance, the government of Plateau State established Jos breweries, Plateau Hotels etc.Projects initiated by the state governments to cushion the economy of their states spread across Nigeria. However, the fourth republic has witnessed a terrible decline in leadership ingenuity.Today, governors can hardly pay salaries because of the fall in oil price. Unlike before, when leadership capital was still very high, when leaders were highly conscionable, today, leaders wail and lament the loss of revenue. Not minding the fact that, every state of the federation is massively endowed with mineral resources.According to Amos Dada Uloko, the current state of the nations economy has exposed the vulnerability of our leadership quality. He wondered, if the first republic leaders could do much without oil money, whats hindering the leadership at our various states from tapping into the massive resources that lie under the ground in Nigeria'The leadership quality of our nation has dropped drastically. This is an indictment on all electorates, who elected them. This misery will continue until we start electing governors who will say, enough is enough without going to Abuja with cap in hands every month for allocation. He said.
Click here to read full news..
