Fellow Nigerians and friends,

A New Nigeria is Possible (A case for Nigeria2050)

We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having firmly and solemnly resolved, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God, dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding and to provide for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people, do hereby make, enact and give to ourselves the following Constitution: (bolds are mine) This is the preamble of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As we continue our journey through the second decade of the 21st century there is a cause to pause and ponder on the state of our country against the backdrop of the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 project which proposes to make Nigeria the 20th economy of the world in the year 2020. With only about 10 years to go one is concerned as to the possibility of achieving this vision. There seem to be a confusion as to whether its to be among the 20 top economies or the 20th economy of the world by the year 2020. I was privileged to participate in the South-South edition of the regional process of putting together a working document for this project and to interview the Executive Secretary, Professor Sylvester Monye and Dr. Anne Nzegwu live in August of 2009 on NTA Asaba, Delta State, during which this clarification was made to be the later. Hence the addition of 20 before 2020, which is a modification (a realistic one so to speak) of the earlier/initial program titled vision 2020. The National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS and its state and local government counter parts) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) both are supposed to take us higher from where we are. One may be forced to wonder how the seeming non-coordination between these lofty programs can help achieve the desired development of Nigeria to an enviable position among the comity of Nations let alone the 20th economy of the world in the year 2020. But there is hope for a true process that will see Nigeria attaining greatness if a nonpolitically motivated and non-whimsically thought out populist program is collectively put together. I am proposing Nigeria2050, a 40 years social and economic reconstruction development program (SERDPRO) that will be thoughtfully and realistically fashioned, long term and sustainable; a four-part program that will progressively address and implement workable, realizable 10-year targeted project goals that should turn Nigeria into a strong, stable and secured country for the benefit of present and future generations. The thematic project sectors can be as follows; 1. Power & Water 2. Agriculture & Rural Infrastructure
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3. Housing & Health 4. Transportation & Information and Communication Technology (ICT) These major sectors are germane for a country that wishes to develop and move into the leagues of powerful and industrially developed countries. Man must feed to develop mentally and physically and be optimally productive. He must be sheltered for protection to be a responsible, contributive citizen. Movement is essential for people and for commercial and social activities despite the internet. Power and water are sine-qua-non for industry and domestic use for good health and sanitation. How they are to run I leave to us all to decide. Focusing on these in my careful observation will be a winner for any serious meaningful development. It is foolhardy to make plans and expect real growth that will lead to meaningful development as we have been doing over the years without certain basics like energy and Infrastructure in place. I do not claim to have the panacea for a great Nigeria but I am old enough to know that we missed it somehow somewhere along the way. Probably this was sown in the early 60s and manifested about the late 60s/ early 70s. Let me give two simple examples. I remember watching Taylor Woodrow constructing roads in the 60s in Surulere, Lagos where I grew up. First the gutters are excavated and concrete prefabs are laid. The excavated soil is carted away or spread over the road and the other stages are done accordingly. Today what do we see! A Contractor builds a road. Another one digs up the gutter and leaves the soil on the side of the road which eventually finds it way back into the gutter or is it stream. Of course the soil blocks the gutter and water finds its way under the road and it collapses after a year or two. We wont go into road maintenance. The narrative may be offensive to fair thinking minds. There is no culvert, no proper drainage and we continue to accept this as the standard. Its almost nauseating if one realizes that Nigerians who have been and are in government or involved in development programs have traveled to at least one developed country and seen what exists. It boggles the mind how we take pride in sub-standard living. Education is another instance of how we just lost it. Our campuses do not indicate any level of seriousness to the pursuit of academic excellence that is vital to the growth and development of the country. The environment and the structures are pitiful compared to the classroom blocks and purpose built administrative offices of elementary schools built prior to independence. That the quality of education is deteriorating is relative but more in the tertiary institutions. I have reasoned that our educational system is relatively doing well in terms of content. Besides private participation which has already began at the tertiary level should address this sector without government interference. Although the issue of standard will, have to be contended with along the way. The issue of corruption which I have deliberately left out will improve this sector naturally if and when it is progressively dealt with. I do not see corruption as
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the bane of our polity but rather the caliber of the rulers and how the system works. There is corruption everyway as there is evil and sin everywhere, everyday. But is the system set up to catch up with offenders and bring in true justice? Do we have the right people in charge? We have seen that where there is a will there is progress; the Presidents rule of law record, al a EFCC, NAFDAC under Prof. Dora Akunyili et alii. For me I think there is hope if what is happening in Lagos is indicative: where government is working as is widely acknowledged. Surely there is hope for a country blessed with the caliber of Professor Wole Soyonka, Professor Philip Emeagwali, the EL Rufais and Ribadus. I am compelled by the love I have for our country and my shared perspective with some notable distinguished Nigerians to seek to contribute to the real progress of our dear country. I invite us to log on to these sites and reminisce with me.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/editorial_opinion/article04//indexn2_html? pdate=211209&ptitle=Small%20Hydro%20Power

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/28641/1/Nigerias-Vision-202020-isunrealistic/Page1.html The constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria Chapter II, under fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy states as follows; 14. (1) the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice. (2) It is hereby, accordingly, declared that: (a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority; (b) the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government: and (c) the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. My contribution therefore to the program Nigeria 2050 is to make this clarion call for all well meaning Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to submit a one-page thought/plan on any of the above four socio-economic sectors and a general document on a general sector that will catalyze the program e.g. a political blue print: or one-page thought/plan on a fifth sector Political and Social Justice which I consider basic for the country to develop properly. Good governance is a given and it fosters harmony peace and progress, which in turn precipitates conditions favorable for true, meaningful and sustainable development. To this I want to proffer something which in it self is not original. It is a revisit of a simple but
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brilliant suggestion made by former Vice-President Ogbueshi Alex Ekwueme in the 90s. But I intend to suggest perhaps what would have made it more acceptable to the then and now political interests in the country. Wouldnt it be welcomed if every section of the country accepts an opportunity to have governed in the center as was suggested for a one-term 5 year tenure by each of the six regions of the country. This would have given every region a sense of belonging to a true federation. In addition most of us would have either passed away or too old to foment trouble after 30 years. For it to be workable this arrangement would have to be embedded into the constitution as a one time process after which it becomes inoperative and we revert to the more common two-term maximum tenure for the best candidate from whatever part of the country. After 30 years the culture of may the best man win would have been engrained in the polity. The new/future generation would not be tainted by the past political culture of rotation, power shift (power grab in some cases) and winner takes it all syndrome or do or die mentality politics. They would have grown under a stable political and economic state over the 30-year period of ordered rotation/handover of power from one region to another in the north/south dichotomy alternating power shift format. This will usher a period of political re-engineering that will ensure that there is no going back to the dark days of political national jingoism and anarchism, nepotism and crass corruption that started the down ward slope of our fortunes as a nation in the 60s. I hope to set up a website if and when additional support funding becomes available by well meaning Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who truly love Nigeria for us to start the process of driving this program to fruition. In the meantime please send your inputs, ideas etc to nigeria2050@gmail.com I therefore look forward to your input/s and biodata for the way forward so that we can start to engage like minds and be ready with a document for presentation by October 1, 2011 here in the U.S.A and a provisional strategic document back home by the end of this year or early next year. To this I propose a meeting at about Easter time to put a team together that will start work on this program. What I am thinking is that I will collate the inputs from wherever to be handed over to the team of not more than 20, which may comprise of two notable experts and two highly motivated progressives for each of the four project thematic sectors I have identified above or as is/may be amended. God be with us all as we strive to be a great nation by the year 2050. Lawrence Arafiena Los Angeles, U.S.A
P.S. In view of the lapsed time and poor participation the time table at the end will be revised based on inputs hereafter. For such a generational life-changing project time while being of the essence will not be sacrificed in a hurry or compromised. We must get it right this time around especially now that we have a promising democratically elected civilian leadership.
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