Thank you for the column: Can Nigeria be saved without creating a scene' Ariel Cohen, a Research Fellow in Russian and Eurasian Studies in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies and Brett D. Schaefer, a Jay Kingham Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs in the Centre for International Trade and Economics at The Heritage Foundation, captured the problems of Nigeria in a piece they wrote on May 19, 2004. Seven years after, their write-up is still relevant. Let me quote them: Nigeria is a case study in oil-based wealth being squandered by poor governance and internal strife. Instability in Nigeria merits U.S. attention because it is a major non-Middle Eastern oil producer (accounting for three percent of global oil production in 2001) and was America's fifth largest (9.6 percent) source of crude oil imports in 2003. Moreover, Islamist radicals hope to exploit Nigeria's poverty, political turmoil, and inadequate law enforcement--thereby making Nigeria a potential regional security threat. Recent Muslim-Christian clashes, which have left hundreds of people dead and more than 1,000 wounded, highlight this threat. Ongoing assaults against Nigerian oil production, general instability, economic mismanagement, and the threat of Islamist radicalism necessitate that the U.S. workS with Nigeria to address these problems. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of 133 million in 2002. It is also home to the world's sixth largest Muslim population. It has an estimated oil reserves of 27 billion barrels (over 2.6 per cent of global proven reserves). Given Nigeria's location and ports, the country could be an economic hub for Western and Central Africa. Regrettably, political instability and military coups, combined with inept economic governance and endemic corruption, have squandered Nigeria's advantages. Transparency International's 2003 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Nigeria as the second most corrupt nation in the world. Although President Olusegun Obasanjo has pledged to end corruption and adopt economic reforms, vested interests oppose change. As U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, John Snow has noted, "While some steps were taken to introduce transparency and accountability, little change was seen in budgeting practices, contract awards, monetary policy, privatisation, or public service reform." Poor governance and lawlessness have enormous costs. Nigeria's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was $248 in 2002--lower than in 1970 in constant terms. Violence, kidnapping, sabotage, and other criminal activities in the Southern oil-rich region often disrupt production--dramatically affecting an economy in which the oil sector accounted for 65 percent of budget revenue, 95 percent of exports, and 20 percent of the GDP in 2001'. Do I need to add to their submissions'Wale Ojo, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, LagosAfter reading this piece, someone told me that Harold Smith died recently. That means that he was more than 80 years before his death. When the Britons ruled us, they manipulated us for their own advantage. Fantastic argument but it is 51 years now after independence. Are we saying that the Britons are still manipulating us in 2011' I don't think we are serious in this country.Didi Chukwu, Onitsha.An interesting thing about Nigeria is that any article written, even in the Second Republic, will still be relevant today. That was why I read yours which was first published in January 2011 with keen interest. Have we learnt anything since then' While other countries are moving forward, Nigeria is still stagnant. We should not blame any Harold Smith for our woes. We should blame ourselves.Ken Odumagwu, Benin.The Britons were practical in their approach when they were dealing with us. They did not leave anyone in doubt as to their determination to decimate this country. Now, many Nigerians use the name of God to deceive their fellow human beings. Nigeria should enter the Guinness Book of Records as the country with a population which serves God most but after leaving churches and mosques, they continue with their evil ways. Are we sure God Himself is not angry with this country because there are many simple things which have continued to defy solutions. Do you know that there are more prophets in Nigeria today than are in all the Testaments, both Old and New' There are more bishops in Nigeria than in all of Europe and America and we have more sheiks than in all of Middle East and North Africa. With the array of all these religious leaders and the country is still like this, oro pesi je.Godwin Akpan, OwerriDo we blame Harold Smith for the moral decadence that has permeated our country' David Abome, Abakaliki.Honestly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is trying its best but its best is not good enough. During the April elections, remember that it was your newspaper that published a report by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari when he came to Lagos to campaign. He said he did not need any evidence to arrest Chief Olusegun Obasanjo if he was elected president because all the evidences are just too glaring. Is it the $16 billion he claimed to have spent on electricity we are going to talk about or the billions of naira spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), money given to a cabal which has not been accounted for today' Is it the billions of naira which he said he spent on roads which are death traps today' Can you imagine that this same Obasanjo is still walking all over the place, claiming to be the father and mother of modern Nigeria' Let the EFCC arrest all former governors. As long as they believe Obasanjo is untouchable, the anti-corruption crusade will never work. EFCC is even trying, where is ICPC for God's sake'Saki Adamu, Abuja.You journalists meet with our leaders (or dealers) everyday. What exactly do you tell them' Do you tell them that they are performing or that they are a disappointment to millions of Nigerians' In 2008, an Iraqi journalist threw his shoe at former United States President, George Bush (jnr). I think if two or three of you do the same, this country will be better.Babatunde Ajayi, IkejaHow can we save Nigeria without creating a scene' We all know what J.J. Rawlings did to General Afrifa, Akuffo and Acheampong. As long as we don't want to do same, this country will remain derailed.John Benjamin, Jos.How can we fix Nigeria when President Goodluck Jonathan told the whole world that he was not a General or a dictator' And I know that Generals report to the Commander-in-Chief and Jonathan is our Commander-in-Chief. Is he indirectly telling us that he cannot fix this country'Felix Agomoh, EnuguThis is a country of intellectual, religious and physical giants being ruled by lilliputians. So, what do you expect' Our best brains are abroad because the atmosphere is conducive for them. When illiterates have turned themselves to gods in our political, economic and religious lives, the country will remain stagnant.Simon Alibe, Port HarcourtThose guys in Libya are spoilt brats. If not, I don't know why they fought Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Is it because of democracy which is Western propaganda' Can democracy work everywhere' Before Gaddafi was forced out, Libya was like paradise on earth, nothing like poverty, insecurity, bad roads, power outage, etc. They were shouting of democracy as if there is democracy in China, a country with the most populous people whose economy is fast going up to the extent that it is even threatening the future of the United States. Let those Libyans come to Nigeria and see real suffering. Festus Adewale, Lagos.Let me quote Harold Smith in your write-up: 'Nigeria, a great nation, was crippled not because of military juntas but or corrupt leaders alone but by the British and American fear of Nigeria's great future. The fear of the place that will be our dumping ground really occupied our minds. It was my duty to carry out all of the above and I was loyal to my country. Nigerians should try to be loyal to their country's leaders and followers alike. Love your country. You have got the potential to be great again and the whole world knows this. I am sorry for this evil done to Nigeria. I can't say sorry enough'. Now, there are a few points I want to get out of this quote. The West knew Nigeria was a great nation. They did everything to frustrate the future of this great nation. It was the duty of their officials posted to this country to carry out the instructions of their bosses to divide Nigeria. Now, do Nigerians know this is a great nation' Are we loyal to our nation' Now that we have been ruling ourselves for decades, what have we done to put to shame Smith and his fellow conspirators' Is Nigeria, under the British, not better than Nigeria of today'Titus Amos, IbadanThe British ruled the United States and tried to destroy that country. It led to a war and Americans liberated themselves. This same Britain also conquered Nigeria and without firing a bullet, we got our independence on a platter of gold. Today, America is moving forward while reverse is the case with Nigeria. Everything is wrong with us as blacks.Emily Okis, AbujaWhether we like it or not, the problems confronting this country will not go as long as we have illiterates calling the shots.Geoffrey Obinna, EnuguIt will be impossible trying to proffer solutions to Nigeria's problems because those at the helm of affairs don't even know what the educated are talking about. It is a pathetic situation.Paul Okoro, LagosThis is a country in which the more you look, the less you see. Look at the current petroleum subsidy removal controversy which is needless. Who are the people benefitting from the subsidy' If those in government, who award the contracts, are telling us that they don't know, do they expect pepper seller in Dugbe Market, Ibadan to know and arrest them for economic sabotage'Musiliu Akanni, IbadanWhere we lost it is at the formative level of our youths. Our schools teach students how to read and write but schools in the West teach students moral and character values, critical thinking and good citizenship. We are all living witnesses to a situation in which a former president was courting a notorious thug which can never happen in advanced countries. Many of our youths see a rich man as their role model and develop a dangerous urge to make money by any means necessary, including acquiring human body parts for rituals or smuggling drugs. Hard work does not pay again among our youths and these are the leaders of tomorrow. Adamu Ibrahim, Lokoja.
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