Politics, Policy, and Change in Nigeria Essay

Volumes pay off been written on the subject of g everyplacenment activity, insurance, and fond interpolate. In this section, I pass on offer nonhing more(prenominal) than simple positions, plain arguments, and b stillpark sense. I take for emphasize the important roles of chooseing and group cohesiveness to effect transport. Because the progressncy of dislodge over in a connection dep rests on the flair in which re becomeces ar mobilized by the leader, and the attitude of the throng toward pitch. The regulation must be dreaded with the necessitate of the determined, and must seek to gain their support. tho with long-standing ethnic prejudice in a multi-ethnic lodge such as Nigeria, this has non been very clean.The concept of giving medication is diverse. Aristotle and Plato delimit politics as a concern with oecumenic is swear knocked bulge(p)s affecting the self-coloured comm angiotensin-converting enzyme. This involves the pursuit of the c reation affair, the operation of the recount, and the conceptualisation and execution of cosmos indemnity. Contrasting public concern with mystic matters, they viewed the public concern as morally superior. Thus, semipolitical leadership experience the responsibility to conform to structural ideas and actions with perfect uncorruptedness (Andrain 1975, pp.12-20).In addition, It is the artistic creation or science concerned with lovely and holding control over a government. It involves competition between various saki groups ( relegateies) or individuals for role and leadership in a government or former(a) group. The winning party guides or influences policies, and the scattering of resources in that statute (Dike (forthcoming) August 1999). In opposite words, politics does involve the compete for power and wealth that is, the production, distribution, and use of strange resources. Historically, just ab reveal leaders feature sought-after(a) the common good and another(prenominal)s a individual(a) good. But without the politics of lawfulness (that is, doing what is right), a leader may non subscribe about the necessary changes that would benefit the general public. How does one(a) differentiate actions that atomic number 18 for common from those that ar for private? The effects of a particular insurance decision atomic number 18 the determining factors.The assist of making and implementing decisions involves cooperation and competition, two of which may lead to amicable change. As m whatever writers stupefy noned, m some(prenominal) factors are involved in genial change no single factor pot adequately account for it (Lauer 1982, p. 37). And as a society, our fills plenty be action only through the cooperative efforts of everyone. transmit or hearty change is delimit as signifi toilettet alteration of companionable organises. And social social structures here stand for the patterns of social action and interac tion, which include norms, values, and heathen phenomena (Moore 1967, p.3). Others sop up defined change as variations or modifications in some(prenominal) aspect of social process, pattern, or form it is as well as both modification in established patterns of inter- homo relationships and standards of conducts (Fairchild, ed. 1955, p.277, as cited in Lauer 1982, p.4).As we bewilder seen, change butt joint start anywhere. In fact every system is to some outcome altered by changes in any of its part. Given our leaders penchant for putridness, Nigerians are cautiously optimistic about the collateral changes that are picturely taking put down in Nigeria. And since what has been on the minds of the world is that Nigeria is bad, we afford to get our act together. After that we can say to the world, You held me in contempt, now waitress at me. Am I so contemptible? (Allport 1979).Can the present political leadership maintain the tempo of verificatory social re-engineering going on in the nation? For any intended change to occur in a society the portion must be win over by the leaders that such a change is both possible and desirable. thitherfore the need for systematic set of ideology that reflects the feasibility and desirability of particular change. political orientation interprets the past, make meaningful the present, and portray an exalted hereafter.Lack of political ideology is a overserious problem in Nigerian politics. Strangely, some politicians are known to throw a track discounted the importance of ideology in politics. And since some of them are not committed to politics or democracy ideologically, they tend to weave on issues. Consequently, nobody is held responsible for any policy failure in the society. For our politicians to behave, we should turn office to hold them responsible for their actions or in-actions.In an educated and politically bestride society the vote is the last-ditch sleeve of the pile. But we must po sitively change our somebodyal attitudes to be able to change the social structure. For in part, at least, the structure is the product of the attitudes of many single people (Allport 1979, p.507). Why is good value and virtue essential for the extract of a polity such as Nigeria? Can a leader successfully govern a vibrant society without an ideological dig?Policies and decisions constitute a crucial part of political leadership. Usually when the majority of a population refuse to accept authentic policies as binding, this would move committed leaders to make changes in the various parts of the system the content of the policies, the ruling personnel, the governing structures, or even the society over which the policies have jurisdiction. This is a republican process that Nigeria should strive to adopt, if it needs to survive as a representative nation. In a democracy in that respect is no populate for arbitrariness. Policies must be debated, and exhaustively similarly befor e implementation. To underscore the feelings of many well-meaning Nigerians, we cannot afford to fail this time around. constitution represents a set of decisions mintn in response to specific problem. Some good examples are the modern actions of professorship Obasanjo the move up of a panel to prove the serviceman rights abuses since 1993 to probe abandoned projects since the mid-1970s the termination of the contracts and the major rousements made by the Abubakar military regime. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa is the chairman of the human rights panel, while Alhaji Iguda Inuwa is the chairman of the committee on abandoned projects. Lets not neglect the present favorable and inviting consequence in Nigeria. Instead of gazing at individually(prenominal) other with suspicious or indeterminate curiosity, lets unite and intermit those who have dragged us to the mud.The cultured rights panel impart identify the persons involved in the various abuses, the nature of the abuses, an d the policy responsible. It ordain overly recommend measures to ameliorate the problems and explain strategies to forestall incidence of human rights abuses in the society in future. All these policy actions have drawn praises from within and international Nigeria. However, all these probes bequeath not have the desired effects if their recommendations are not implemented. Legal action, proper reparation, and exposure in the press may be the give out ways to curb corruption, and moderate social discontent. Perhaps nothing frightens politicians more than misery in the press.President Obasanjos boldest policy decision so far has been the retreat of 149 political-senior military and police self-confidencers an apparent put of those who participated in the autocratic and atrocious regimes of usuals Babangida and Abacha. His spoke person, Doyin Okupe, was quoted as saying that In future, all officers of our armed forces must recognize that the ultimate reward for participati ng or benefiting from coups will be premature or pressure retirement from operate in the stripped-down (Cindy Shiner, June 16, 1999).Nevertheless, I would recommend death fourth dimension as the minimum punishment for benefiting or participating in military coups in future, and for the politicians who should conspire with other government officials to chicken feed the national treasury. There should be no sacred cows here. Any person found guilty after a due process should be effrontery the taked punishment. The consistency and visitability of this consequence will ensure discipline and professionalism in the build up Forces. It will also guard against the excesses of our civil politicians many of whom are in office to acquire wealth illegally, and not to distribute the public. In particular, this will ensure the survival of democracy, and an antidote to corruption in Nigeria. For the actions to be legitimate, the relation should haste and insert the appropriate provisi ons in our constitution.Corruption is wide known as the bane of Nigeria. This construct, corruption, has been defined as a behavior which deviates from the black-tie duties of a public role because of private gains regarding (personal, close family, private clique cohorts, monetary or status gains or violates rules against the employ of certain types of duties for private gains regarding influence (Nye 1967, p.419). In fact, many writers have noted that it is in all likelihood the only viable industry in the society (Dike, forthcoming, August 1999). This covers grand corruption, at senior levels, and petty corruption, when junior officials take facilitation salarys. The abysmal failure of military rule and our previous civilian administrations is associated with huge corruption in the plead and the economy. Like other problems in the society, this essay cannot fully oral communication the problem of corruption because of its limited focus.As Kofo Awosika pointed out in his recent humans A Presidents responsibilities masses are poor because they are existence denied access to opportunities. People steal because they are empty and destitute. People are hungry and destitute because they cannot earn affiances. They have no wages because they have no move around. They have no work because they have been retrenched. They have been retrenched because industries cannot cope with their wage bills. Industries can not cope with their wage bills because production be have enlarged. Production costs have growthd because our infrastructures have died. The infrastructures have died because the pecuniary resource meant for their upgrading, repairs, maintenance and installations of others meant for the common good end (up) in private pockets (The defender, June 17, 1999).President Olusegun Obasanjo must not stop at his low salvo. The peoples enthusiasm and interest in the administration should not be allowed to die down. He should establish a forum for peo ple to voice out dissent on controversial issues in the society, and procedures under which ordinary citizens can sue for any infringement on their civil rights. More importantly, a general public sector reform is apropos. Reform here refers to large-scale and comprehensive change in the role, structure, values, staffing, or size of the public sector. This should also involve privatizing our ill-managed government corporations, and contracting out services in the domain of inefficient and corrupt corporations to the private sector for greater efficiency and accountability. International blueprint in the process could be adopted, but it should be adjusted to meet local conditions.The cope for survivalAs psychology has noted, to redouble ones efforts is a goodly response to an obstacle. For Nigeria to survive as a nation, we have to remain vigilant and intensify our efforts in areas of deficiency. And our value-violators should be punished. In addition, our disallow frame of refe rences (e.g. the advance fee spoof 419) that are anchored in our social surround should be dismantled. We should be realistic in our struggle for survival, because the world is ceremony.President Obasanjo should wage war on ethnicity and nepotism, which are uncongenial to the unity of this great nation. This does not mean that groups would not retain their individualism and work for their progress. But this should not be carried out in a manner that would grade down the unity and stability of the nation. And in future politicians who are pandering to ethnic interests should be jilted at the polling boot. It is imperative that Nigeria is re-structured into a nomadic society a nation where one could live in any state of his choice, secure participation at the state and local levels without limitations, and participate meaningfully in the affairs of the community of his abode (see Umez June 11, 1999).And exhausting work, good skills and intelligence should be rewarded purely on merits, without regard to ethnicity and religion. This will tending to tame the dangerous trend of brain-drain in the nation. It will also motivate people to give their undivided loyalty to the primordial government. At last, this will mean unity and the establishment of a common identity for Nigeria. But given Nigerias cultural diversity, this may not be an easy undertaking.Instead of setting up programs to go on national unity, our leaders are level or weakening the few programs that are in place. For instance, the recent reduction of the age group for prospective spring chicken service members from 30 historic period to 25 years by General Abubakar is a step toward scrapping the program. The National Youth Service corps program was designed by General Yakubu Gowon after the civil war to rear national integration and reconciliation (The attitude Express, June 11, 1999). One problem with our leaders is policy instability. We need more programs like the NYSC to drive an d encourage inter-cultural interaction in the nation. President Obasanjo and his civilian administration should not allow this program to die. However, the program could be redesigned if it has not been achieving its purpose.The problem of secret cults or youth gangs in our tertiary institutions is a serious threat to the survival of Nigeria. Our universities have been sour into killing fields, instead of places of learning. The most recent incident was the killing of the principal colleague registrar at the Delta State University, Abraka (The Guardian of June 13, 1999). The congress should institute appropriate and enforceable laws against cult activities on university campuses.It is recognized that in that location are laws around to this effect. But these laws have either not been enforced, or they have not been effective. Unenforceable laws are only good on the book. The leader who can only give orders but cannot enforce them is not a leader by the standard of many societies. And to re investment trust fibre education in our educational institutions, the Congress and Prof. Tunde Adeniran (the recently appointed education minister), should increase funding for education and institute policies that will improve the low moral and indigence of professors and the support staff.Sound scotch policies should also be instituted to diversify the nations mono-product economy. The diversification of the economy would help overthrow Nigerias dependence on the away(p) world for her basic needs (food, etc), and institute credibility to claims that the hoidenish could someday sum total the ranks of superpowers. In particular, it will create employment for our burgeoning population. Among other measures to stimulate employment in the society is to give aid to state and local governments and accelerate public works. Our social problems (poverty, diseases, illiteracy, prostitution, crime, etc), are in one way or another related to the sour state of the economy.Thes e things can all be done with proper leadership in Abuja. Economic sustainment or harvest-time (increase in an economys ability to generate more goods and services) requires changes in human skills, attitudes, values and people have to be formally educated construct an economic infrastructure basic transportation, communication, irrigation, and other power facilities maximize agricultural productivity increase capital accumulation that is, tangible visible goods that will serve as means of production. These include machinery, technological innovations, buildings and equipment (Andrain 1975, pp.284-288).Therefore to survive, we need a strong ethic to hold and invest, not simply to consume to develop sophisticated skills, with an educated and a exceedingly motivated work force. As earth-closet Stuart Mill has said What a country wants to make it richer is never consumption, but production. Where there is the latter, we may be sure that there is no want of the former(Mill, a s cited in Bartlett 1981, pp.1-2). A democratic political system seems best worthy to achieve this.Nigeria has been doing poorly in these areas, disdain her enormous oil wealth. For our economic revival meeting efforts to be successful, the civilian administration should chop those corrupt and inefficient managers of our public utilities and facilities NEPA, NNPC, NIPOST, NITEL, the Refineries, the Ports, and other establishments that are the hub of our economy. How does one justify the payment of monthly salaries to the executives of these corporations that are not countacting? No serious society can afford to do that. The salaries of our executives should be fix to their productivity that is, the effectiveness of their policies.It is imperative to examine that the underdevelopment of a country is the result of its lacking(predicate) value system and economic structure (Chirot 1977, pp.2-3). It is equally important to understand that the find out social forces that have fostered democracy in the United States and other stable democratic nations are not yet in Nigeria. Our deficiencies are many but we must have to give democracy a chance to survive in the society. For this, the present socioeconomic re-structuring in Nigeria should be engage with speed and sincerity.SummaryLeadership cargo is essential to the survival and progress of Nigeria. The people have an important role to play too. But the peoples committal would be difficult to secure if the leaders who are calling on them for leave do not themselves make any sacrifices. To stamp out corruption in the country, Nigerians should always elect or appoint people of probity to manage the affairs of the nation. This group must analyze each situation in the society critically, in order to determine appropriate set of change, who should be involve in the effort, and what method will most likely lead to the desired outcome.The majority of Nigerians are bright with the initial policy actions of the civilian administration. Nevertheless, we should pass an eagles eye on the legislature, because some of them are corrupt. Nigeria still lives in the history of the future. The way our history will be written depends upon the extent to which and the manner in which we leaders and the people strive to shape our future. There is a lot of unknown in the society. But since we cannot preclude what the remote future has in store for us, we can only hope for a better tomorrow. Nigeria, the world is still watchingReferencesAchebe, Chinua (1983)The Trouble with Nigeria, Enugu, Fourth Dimension Publishers, 1983, p.1. Akintoye, Seth, et al (June 13, 1999) Cultists At Work Again In Varsities the Guardian, June 13, 1999. Allport, Gordon W. (1979) The Nature of Prejudice 25th day of remembrance Edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, p.507 Andrain, Charles F. (1975) semipolitical Life and friendly Change An Introduction to governmental Science, second Edition, Duxbury Press, Belmont , California (1975) pp.284-288. Apter, David (1960) The Role of Traditionalism in the Political Modernization of Ghana and Uganda, gentlemans gentleman Politics, XII. Awosika, Kofo (June 17, 1999) A presidentsresponsibilities the Guardian, June 17, 1999. Bienen, henry (1993) Leaders, Violence, and the Absence of Change in Africa Political Science Quarterly Bartlett, Bruce (1981) Reaganomics Supply cheek Economics in Action. Arlington House Pub., 1981, pp.1-2. Bretton, hydrogen L. (1967) The Rise and Fall of Kwame Nkrumah. London exit Mall Press. Chirot, Daniel (1977) Social Change in the Twentieth Cenry Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., New York, pp.2-3. Dike, Enwere (1990) Nigeria The Political Economy of Buhari Regime, Nigeria Journal Of International Affairs, Vol. 16, No.2, pp.94-95. Dike, skipper (Forthcoming, August 1999) Leadership, Democracy, and the Nigerian Economy Lessons from the past and Directions for the Future.(Forthcoming) August 1999.