Reading the commentary written by Keith Richards on the back page of BusinessDay (Thursday, 12th March, 2015) titled ‘Transformation and change – for whom?’ definitely brought up thought-provoking issues. He concludes this nostalgia-evoking piece by making reference to an imaginary Nkechi (Jumoke, Halima or Blessing – depicting the Nigerian ‘anonymous woman’) who said: “Me, I don’t know. I don’t care. Na grammar. I am just waiting for my own people in my state and my area to bring the things that are promised. You can see me waiting. In…(different parts of Nigeria)…I wait. Look out of your car window. See my face as I wait and grow old.”
It is not rocket science to perceive her scepticism arising from the lack of proof of the ongoing transformation in her immediate environment. The fact that a woman is the minister purportedly leading this transformation does very little to assuage her impatience with the non-performance of the leaders at her LGA. According to her, all that was achieved was in Abuja, a city she might never visit – she is already 52 years old – and even if she did ever visit, the visit would not put food on the table for her children and grandchildren, pay her transportation fees, reduce the dust covering her wares at the roadside from the untarred road where she sits to sell, or settle her husband’s medical bills. For anyone who knows the average Nigerian woman, they would undoubtedly agree that she, above all else, seems to generally possess more hope than all concerned. To therefore observe her express her mind on the possibility of her hopes being dashed should be a source of concern to all in government at every level.
As the election draws nearer, a lot of attention is being paid to the contestants for election to the most enviable position in the country, the presidency. The debate rages and temper rises from supporters of both candidates of the ruling PDP and opposition ACP political parties. As the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and the opposition candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, travel the length and breadth of the country canvassing for support, campaign vehicles being stoned at one instance, candidates being hailed in several others, traffic congestion heralds every arrival of the two candidates at different rally grounds in the run-up to the elections. This frenzy appears to overshadow the election and re-election into the other tiers of government, namely the state and local governments. Interestingly, these are the governments that should ideally make their presence felt by the generality of the polity. In a few months’ time, other than the likes of Fashola of Lagos State, Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, and a few others, the rest of the governors would have left very tiny impressions in the sands of the history of their respective states. This latter category should not be overly criticized as they have only followed in the footsteps of their unimpressive predecessors.
Also, at the local government level where Nkechi could have had succour, the height of mismanagement of funds is only masked by its size. Perhaps if these 774 LGAs individually received more than they currently do, the magnitude of their wanton spending would have been more glaring. This notwithstanding, collectively, it still amounts to a very significant amount of money being mismanaged at this tier of government. Of course, the state governments are not without blame in this regard as they are sometimes accused of holding on to monies belonging to these LGAs, investing them to generate interest/income into personal bank accounts when they are not embezzled outright. No wonder Nkechi appears upset and weary of waiting.
For whatever it’s worth, it is significant to mention the increased faith the electorate appears to currently possess in the transparency of the electoral process. This is evident in the confidence many display in the ability of opposition candidates to unseat incumbents. The vigour with which aspirants for the upcoming elections canvass for support is at an unprecedented level. The advertisement being thrown in the faces of Nigerians is so huge that the EFCC is being mandated to investigate the source of such financiers. But all in all, it definitely promises that to a large extent, Nigeria and Nigerians are in the process of making history with reference to the level of political participation, integrity of the electoral process and relatively ongoing peaceful transition. Hopefully, the FDIs that absconded in the wake of the falling oil prices and upcoming elections would also return after the peaceful elections and Nigeria would come out of its current financial doldrums.
Compared to the intrigue trailing the campaigns for election into the position of the president and the different state governments, however, the citizens seem to, interestingly, pay very little attention to the election of the persons who, based on the vertical revenue allocation formulae, would be responsible for the management of more than 20 percent of several trillions within the country in any given year. This group, the LGAs, in more ways than one, is responsible for the despondency that Nkechi or Jumoke or Halima is experiencing. She is right that even though they get ‘good money’, she still finds the roads untarred, potable water supply epileptic or non-existent, in addition to harassment from touts working for the “chairman who has three Mercedes in his yard”. One wonders why touts and electoral thugs do not advise the politicians (sending them out to perpetuate violence) to also ask the same of their own biological children.
The electorate should also remember that the yards of clothes and the bags of rice they receive today could well mean selling their birthright for a mess of pottage; a pittance when compared to what the elected may loot over a four year period. Indeed, what do the 36 state governments and 774 LGAs do with their allocations to better the lot of their fellow Nigerians?
As the race to the elections heightens, Nkechi, Jumoke and Halima should use this opportunity to vote out the LGA officials who didn’t provide them with potable water. They should also not forget to massively vote out their state governor who has done nothing meaningful with the time and money spent in the governor’s house. An unconfirmed philosopher reportedly said that “the penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men”.
OLUWASEGUN
