Former Military president, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd), yesterday undertook a critical view of the predictions made by soothsayers, including the United States of America that Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015 and suggested ways to ensure the predictions do not become a reality.
General Babangida spoke where he was the chairman of the public presentation of two books in honour of former External Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Said he: “As Nigerians, we are aware of the great doubts that have been cast about what 2015 portends for the continuing existence of our nation. I am aware that Nigerians have taken great umbrage at these predictions. Even Lord Lugard who founded what has been called Nigeria gave it a life-span of 100 years.
“But on a practical and public policy level, we must import honesty into our public policy assessments. Firstly, we must identify the problems that need to be addressed. Secondly we must address these problems honestly.
“Thirdly we must identify the most current and the most appropriate mechanism for addressing these issues.
“Let me make this clear. My position is not dictated by the fact that foreigners are making these predictions. We don’t even need foreign sources as a reference point. The Nigerian media is awash with alarming news about our problems. My position is dictated by my conviction that Nigeria is precious enough to be saved.
It deserves an investment of our time and resources to make Project Nigeria a success. But the starting point has to be an admission that we need to fix things.
We need a new mindset about the Nigerian project. Let us start off by admitting the mistakes of the past. Right policies have at times been wrongly implemented. Temporary solutions have often been turned into permanent policies, even though the problems they were designed to address have long been solved”.
Making suggestions on how to ensure the continued existence of Nigeria beyond the predicted 2015, General Babangida said, “the issue of the principle of federal character needs to be revisited. In a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation, the principle of Federal Character is a sensible one and there is no alternative to it. Each national group must be given a feeling of belonging.
What needs to be refined is the question of standards. Federal character can go hand in hand with merit. 50 years after independence and over 50 years after the establishment of universities in Nigeria, there should be no national groups, no states, no zones, no hamlets without qualified citizens. Therefore there should be no question of employing unqualified people in the name of federal character, just as there should be no question of abandoning the principle of federal character in a Federation.
Principle of federal character
“We must admit that sacrifices have been made and sacrifices will continue to be made for the survival of this Nigerian project. In the past, maybe there has not been sufficient recognition of the fact that those making these sacrifices have grievances which should have been addressed.
“Maybe in the past, there had not been sufficient recognition of the fact that each national group has legitimate fears and grievances. Some of the mistakes of the past have now come to haunt us. But let me make one thing clear. Not all these mistakes were made out of callousness or bad faith or malice.
Most people in office do their best. They act to the best of their ability. Unless we think that our leaders have divine ability, we have to admit that even with all the best of their abilities and even with the best faith and with the best of all intentions, human beings will still make mistakes.
“That after nearly 100 years of existence, people and national groups still have grievances provide us with an opportunity to address these grievances. That these grievances are of sufficient magnitude for them to demand a dissolution of the nation show the extent of the grievances and therefore it should point to the magnitude of the seriousness with which we should address the grievances.
From the creeks in the Niger Delta to the Sahelian areas of the North, Nigeria is under pressure. Now is the time for us to regard the rescue effort as a joint enterprise to secure maximum benefits for all and not an enterprise to secure temporary advantage for one group over another. We need to arrive at a grand consensus that will move this nation forward rather than a panel-beaten system that satisfies no one except the temporary holders of power.
“We can face the challenges together, united in the spirit of a joint enterprise and propelled by the belief in the greatness of this country and a commitment to make Nigeria a source of pride and inspiration to the black race”.
Centenary celebration
Speaking on the forthcoming centenary celebrations General Babangida said, “in less than a year, in about 11 months and a few days, we as Nigerians will be celebrating 100 years of our existence as a legal united entity. We have cause to rejoice. During these 100 years, Europe has endured two world wars, Russia had gone through a revolution, a civil war and finally gone from being Russia to Soviet Union and back to Russia.
During this time, Spain and Yugoslavia have gone through horrendous civil wars. During this time, several countries in Asia, including China went through civil wars that almost brought them to their knees.
“Yet today, Europe is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. China is destined in a few years to become the biggest economy in the world. Yes, during the past 100 years of our existence, we also have gone through a horrendous civil war. The events that led to the war and the war itself have left lasting effects on all of us, including those who were not even born during those events.
“As other countries have overcome the mistakes in their history and moved on, so we Nigerians also have cause to rejoice that even though in our history we have met with obstacles, we have experienced ups and downs, each generation had sought to the best of its ability to tackle these obstacles. That we are still a united nation is sufficient cause for congratulation.
Our problems are not over. Nation building is not like an electric switch which you turn on and off. It is a continuous process which makes a heavy demand on government and the people”.
Eulogising Prof. Akinyemi, in whose honour the books were being launched, he said “let me say a word or two about the man we are all here to honour today. That he was my first External Affairs Minister is an established fact. That before then he was the Director-General of this Institute, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs for eight years is also an established fact.
The fact that as part of today’s programme, there is a symposium on the Technical Aid Corps scheme, one of Prof. Akinyemi’s enduring legacy in government, is ample demonstration of the relevance of Prof. Akinyemi to Nigeria’s Foreign Policy.
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Fool!!! You just woke up from slumber after destroying your fatherland.
ReplyDeleteI have no iota of respect for this man called IBB, he is talking of grieviances,IBB are among those who threaten This nation that it will be ungorvanable if they go against zoning in 2011
ReplyDeleteAfter that threat comes this political motivated Boko Haram that has taken over 2000 lifes.
IBB are among those who started to sink this nation six feet,after ruling and looting from this nation for 8years, the immage of IBB can never be redeemed. The truth is never sweet if NigerianEye like's let them block this write up like before,
I want to let them know we are all in this evil together and we have to speake out and Make this nation a better place for our Children.
Pleases anonymous@10:26 a.m, lets learn how to respect dignatries and people who in one time or the other had the opportunity of holding public offices.This is a feat which we may not achieve or attain in lifetime.Gen. IBB did recognize that he did not give the best when he had the opportunity due to some personal factors which he cleverly admitted in this submission of his. Then we should not cast away the baby with the water,He poisited that we all can make these predictions and calculations not to come through if we can forget the past and focus on a better nation for all of us. The man has spoken as a sage and not as a military junta way back,so we should see the merit in his submissions and pray that this came out of goodwill for posterity and for mankind...I believe in a greater synergistic advantage of this project NIGERIA than in our separate best suboptimization efforts.
ReplyDeleteIts ppl like vendita that encourage political theivery and deceit, politicians are public servants, its not the other way around, in a so called diplomatic society you shld never be afraid to call out a public or former public.official if u feel they are/were wrong, we shld always address ANYONE with dignity and respect from the wheel barrow pusher to former head of state...b/c what happens to the least of us happens to all of us.
DeleteIt's time we learnt the right use of words on our leaders especially if they have contributed to the development of the nation in their own way.
ReplyDeleteThe hydra-headed problems of this nation cannot be hanged on IBB alone, it's true he inherited some and along the line made his own mistakes as human.
let's look beyond the man and not take his contribution to nation building for granted.
He is still one of the greatest nigeria has ever produced.
udomobong, Lagos
Most revered General, good day Sir. I thank you for your timely and fatherly advice. It shows that you are wiser today than you were yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI believe you also know that most of the lasting imparts of change and policies made in the polity are contributive efforts of people who are privileged to be given attention by the holders of power which you are among. I am not saying that the ordinary citizen has no influence in the changes you are recommending which is supported widely, but the platform for it if all must be involved could be like a test run for Armageddon and possibly chaotic and turn out to be fruitless.
You are in the position to use your influence and wisdom to start doing something owing to the avalanche of information you have deposited about Nigeria and its salvage. When those in leadership can take your advice and implement it what does the common street man has to loose than to embrace the rising changes and enforce it in his/her own small domain, enlighten neighbours if not yet aware and all become benefactors and as well as change agents of the new order or system. But if your colleagues at the top would not embrace your novel ideas wont it look spurious as it would be considered as empty tantrums any good idea coming from any man from the creeks of Niger Delta or the sahelian North which may be considered as seeking recognition. This recognition as we all know if given will silence the spokesman or woman after he/she must have started seeing a better side of his or her world.
What am I saying in effect,if you have realized that it was the past mistakes and bad roles our past leaders played that brought Nigeria to this comatose state, you are the kind of a leader great General the populace and me in particular would like to join forces with to entrench honesty in Nigeria and realize a Nigeria for all Nigerians Country.
I look up to you great General provided your speech is not under-girded by a personal ambition to run for presidency again but to contribute through veracious and wise ideas to a stable and prosperous Nigeria.
Thanks.
C.O.C
IBB shld go to hell.i am a northerner bt i cnt support him jst bcos we are the same faith.a thief is now an adviser. let nigerians stop supporting bcos of religion plz.1 nija
ReplyDeleteIBB shld go to hell.i am a northerner bt i cnt support him jst bcos we are the same faith.a thief is now an adviser. let nigerians stop supporting bcos of religion plz.1 nija
ReplyDeletewhatever you think IBB did wrongly, think of what he did rightly. what he got 1 yrs those days is what this present govt is getting in 1 week ,yet nothing to show for it. i will not talk more than this but whomever want to cruccify him has to mention what he did wrong except june 12 issue.
ReplyDeleteNigerians should stop trying to paint BLACK white, Former security adviser Owoye Azazi (R.I.P) who once said that Boko Haram is propelled as a result of PDP internal problem.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you Think he was trying to say?? IBB are among those who are strongly against the candidature of GEJ because they want power to be zoned to the north.
I am not against what he want or anybody wants, what am strongly against is propelling evil (BH) that has taken the Life of many (Over 2000) and is still taken.
A true leader will value the life of people normata haw aggrieved they are. Now we are not talking about the mis rule of this man but the continuous evil we see in the north.
No well informed Nigerian will talk good about IBB, since the bombing what has IBB done to stop this killing ?? IBB was invited to the inauguration of GEJ he turn down the invitation.
Well only GOD will honour HIS name by giving all Those who think they are god in this country the punishment they Deserve before men.
IBB can never be the financier of BH. Their suspected financier are people presently in govt. Late AZAZI says PDP MUST WIN syndrom is what penultmate BH. His statement was clear. The original BH i.e. follower of Late Yusuf killed 2009 has stop operating since. The present BH is "OPERATION DESTROY THE NORTH" all because of 2015. IBB cannot plan to destroy GEJ by killing his own children.
ReplyDelete"The LabouR of ouR HeRos past shall neveR be in vain" why won't it be in vain, when ouR so called LeadeRs has Made My country a Big Joke.
ReplyDelete