There is something about us Nigerians which I particularly find amusingly confounding. We want to lead; we want to be revered; admired and respected as the ‘giant of Africa’. This tendency and obsession with recognition often leaves keen observers of our social, economic and political processes completely flummoxed. Among the various reputations we have built for ourselves over time, and one which annoys me the most, is the capacity to be too loud over nothing while at the same time ignoring the serious problems that eat us deep in the inside.Ours is a nation that underperforms, under produce and yet, we are known for our high penchant for over-celebrations. We want to show off, we want to compete even crudely, we want to intimidate, harass and arrogantly flaunt our sometimes ill-gotten wealth in the church, mosque, clubs, wedding ceremonies and other social functions. We want to show that we have arrived even when we are yet to start off. But this is not what I set out to address in this piece. Let’s save it for another day.
I understand some Nigerians have been brooding, practically incensed over the failure of South Africa to include President GoodLuck Jonathan in the list of those that paid tribute during Mandela’s memorial service in Johannesburg. This complaint reverberated in several quarters and conversations immediately after the memorial service and echoes thus: ‘despite Nigeria’s contributions towards South Africa’s liberation struggle, their government now chooses to spite us in the face. They denied our president, leader of the most populous black nation on earth the opportunity to stand on the same podium with the likes of President Barack Obama of the United States, Li Yuanchao of China, Dilmma Rouseff of Brazil, Raul Castro of Cuba, Pranab Mukherjee of India and Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia to eulogize the man who changed the world, Africa’s 20th Century most outstanding hero.’
This recent outpouring of grievance feeds into the usual argument: “Nigeria sacrificed so much resources in the past to help not only South Africa but other sister African states such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Congo and many others who were at some point beneficiaries of our brotherly love. The thinking suggests: based on the logic of appropriateness these countries are obligated to stoop in celestial adulation, a show of gratitude for the role we played in shaping their destinies. Apparently, we want recognition and we’d take nothing less, are some of the messages that underlie discussions on different social media outlets by the time the memorial service was over. But come to think of it, does South Africa actually owe us an apology or explanation for not offering our president the opportunity to join the league of careful speakers who were carefully selected to speak during the memorial service? No, I would argue. Does the action of South Africa amount to sheer insult as some would have us believe? Again, was Nigeria the only country that supported South Africa’s struggle to wriggle free from the ignominious chain of apartheid? What about other frontline states who were equally not provided with the opportunity to speak at the memorial service? Here I am referring specifically to Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, and Lesotho among others whose resources and territory were used for the training of Umkhonto we Sizwe (the militant arm of ANC) while providing an operational ground for planning and launching attacks against the apartheid regime.
Some of these countries were at some point blacklisted by the apartheid regime and were thus targets of sabotage and all forms of covert operations by the once dreaded South African Defense Force (SADF). Now I wonder if Nigeria’s contribution to end apartheid was of a higher measure compared to the role these frontline states played. All these countries except Namibia were left out from mounting the podium, but I doubt very much if they would ever perceive or interpret South Africa’s action as a betrayal of friendship or confidence. Why then are we poised to making an issue out of nothing?
The respect countries like the United States, Brazil, China, Russia, India, Germany, England, France, Canada and Australia (to mention but a few) command and enjoy on the world stage is not merely informed by the sheer size of their population or by the measure of their natural and human resource endowments, but the deep moral and philosophical ideals that underpins leadership in their country as well as the burden that goes with it. In these countries, the concept of leadership and its operationalization is widely recognized as a near sacred responsibility, a trust no sane politician would ill afford to abuse.
Run a quick check on the socio-economic and political standing of the six countries whose leaders spoke at the memorial service and you wouldn’t help but notice the huge gap that exists between us and them. These countries are such a huge success in almost every front and Nigeria as a country is not. Despite the challenges China, India and Brazil continue to face, the world can only help but marvel at how their influence is fast spreading across the globe. Driven by technological innovation, science and above all purposeful leadership they are rising to make a mark on the international stage. The reality of their rise is fast tilting the balance of power at the global market place. Namibia being the smallest among them has a per capita index that is much higher than Nigeria. A credible and visionary leadership transforms lives in their millions and thus commands the admiration and respect of the world. This is no magic and neither is it a rocket science. A country that wants to positively influence events in other countries must first get its act together. You only qualify a fool when you develop the habit of running around to fix someone else’s plumbing while your own house is on fire and yet expect that everyone including the beneficiary of your benevolence would hold you to high esteem. Sadly enough, this aptly describes the nature of Nigeria’s foreign policy over the last three decades. We seem eager and sometimes desperate to lend a hand to others while abandoning our own to fate, leaving them to die in misery and penury. And yet we shamelessly demand to occupy a decent place within the comity of nations.
What we desperately need at the moment is a reality check. The first step would be to desist from conflating our relevance as a major energy player in the world; our being the biggest market in the continent with the moral and leadership pedigree required to influence decision outcomes in neighboring states and beyond. The two are separate and mean different things all together. The former may be a necessary condition for economic growth (but not sufficient to spur economic development) if, and when it is properly harnessed, while the latter is hinged on the ability of a state to deliver good governance; empower its people socially and economically; build sustainable institutions rather than putting too much power in the hands of an individual or a select few.
The capacity to influence is contingent upon the success of a country’s domestic policies most especially with respect to security provisioning, delivery of public goods to a vast majority of citizens coupled with the credibility of political elites and the legitimacy they enjoy. With regards to the issue of sound leadership which is people centered, Nigeria has failed persistently to meet expectations. By almost every conceivable standard, the level of poverty and misery in the so called giant of Africa is not only embarrassing but morally reprehensible. Our infant mortality rate is alarmingly higher compared to other smaller or poor African states. The rate of unemployment among the youth is troubling and insecurity has become the persistent plight of a larger chunk of our population. And yet we continue to make a hoot about us being the giant of Africa?
The moral bankruptcy that pervades our society speaks volumes on the extent to which our value system has forcefully been distorted and redefined over time such that hard work and merit is no longer rewarded. In fact in many instances it is often frowned at. Ironically, our leaders are unashamed of travelling to Europe, India and South Africa in search of world class medical attention which they have failed to provide at home. Some of them would prefer to die abroad rather than the country they presided over its affairs for decades.
Thus, I find it puzzling when we keep thinking to ourselves that we are powerful enough to influence other African states with all these ugly reality gazing at us in the face. How possible is it to command the respect and admiration of your neighbors when you have clearly demonstrated to them time and again how incapable you are of tackling your most pressing domestic problems? Who would listen to you, I ask?
Thus, we have conferred unto ourselves the infamous title of a country with one of the most problematic reputations in the world. Foreign nationals dread us and the many good Nigerians who live or travel abroad in pursuit of legitimate businesses are often harassed by security agents who would rather be on the lookout for this category of ‘Africans generally perceived to be polemical hence likely to indulge in a variety of criminal activities’. And yet we want to be reckoned with as the most important voice in the Africa region? Is it that we don’t fully understand, or that we find it more convenient to pretend not to see that the influence our country once had in the continent has been dwindling over the last thirty years? Citizens and officials of smaller foreign countries barely shrug at the mention of Nigeria. No one takes us serious any longer. Even those who are wont to extend a decent measure of courtesy to us are either compelled to do so for certain historical reasons to which they feel obligated or when it best serves their national interest. But would you blame them?
I strongly believe that we are the architects of our won misfortune. Bad and discredited leadership, massive corruption in public and private sectors, mismanagement and cronyism not only underlie our woes but offer further insights on some of the most daunting problems facing our beleaguered nation. In fact, it offers a plausible explanation as to why Nigeria doesn’t work. The elevation of mediocrity and other primordial considerations far and above merit in our civil service, government departments and agencies has had such a negative implications for our country’s standing in Africa and rest of the world. We have not only diminished in statue but even the moral authority required to making significant input in steering African affairs is becoming questionable by the day. Therefore we need not look for excuses elsewhere. Accusing other countries for not reckoning with us will not help our sorry state. We need to take a proper introspection of ourselves and the rot in our society. Our leaders have failed us but we have failed ourselves even more by giving them the space to abuse our collective sensibilities continuously.
Sometimes I wonder if the leadership is not a true reflection of who we are. We have resigned to fate and become so docile and complacent in the face of an onslaught on our national project. The damage that is been inflicted on Nigeria by rudderless, clueless and corrupt driven political elites can only be imagined. However few would choose to question, protest or even revolt for reasons ranging from ethnicity, religion to other forms of social and clientelistic allegiances. We would sell our conscience for little grants or favors here and there while the future of our country is ruined right under our noses. And yet we complain that South Africa ignored us? I really don’t think they are the problem here. Its utterly futile picking a quarrel with them when we can dissipate that energy into looking for answers from within. We must begin by asking ourselves honest questions over how and why and where we have gone wrong. If we must change course and reposition our country on the cusp of genuine transformation, then we have to start looking from within. Respect and admiration are earned and not conferred by certain historical happenstance but by the giant strides nations take to make their mark on the world stage. There is no easy way to do this than empowering your own people through education, construction of massive infrastructure that caters the needs of the larger population, provision of decent health care services, creating job opportunities and fighting unemployment to the minimum level, establishing a merit based and efficient civil service, entrenching rule of law to ensure equal access to justice and opportunities for all while investing heavily in human capital development. These are among the few lists or factors that would naturally capture the imagination of the world, earn you greater respect and command the admiration of our neighbors. Until then I suggest we stop being too loud over nothing but focus on germane issues that underlie our many troubles.
Joseph Lengmang
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