Sharing The Pain Of Governor Amaechi

On the evening of 2ih of September 2010, I stumbled on the NTA Network showing a live programme during which I just heard the last few words of Prof. Wole Soyunka as he was concluding his address on the lecture organized by the Rivers State government in the run-up to the so independence anniversary celebration. Thereafter the governor of the state Honourable Chibuike Amaechi came on stage. The way and manner he abruptly ended his short but incisive talk and left the stage, which to me, seemed like a reflection of a deep pain in his heart at the loss of opportunities for doing so much to transform the lives of the people and the environment of the state and indeed Nigeria, has prompted me to write this short note.

I said I stumbled on the NTA programme. In truth I stumbled on it, because rarely do I tune in to it because I had discovered over time that in the main, some of the news items are stale as one would have read the same information from the Dailies, and because one is fed up with the news of government plans that will affect the lives of the people positively, but about which nothing is ever done to redeem the promises made by government. Such promises are often made so that people will not become too restive, while at the same time the “kidnapping” of our resources goes on apace within the corridors of power. A few examples of such promises will suffice.

All our roads are death traps, as everyone is aware, due to the very poor conditions in which they have been left, even when such agency as FERMA is established and funded. From one budget year to the next, provisions are made for their remedy so that people can travel on them without fear of the dangers inherent in them. As is common knowledge, nothing is done to get the roads usable. Not too long ago the present Minister for Petroleum Resources was the Minister for Works. While on familiarization tour she was reported to have “cried” on seeing the poor conditions of the roads manned by her ministry, particularly the Benin-Shagamu stretch. She must have contemplated the misery and harrowing experiences of the citizens of this country who have to use the roads to fend for themselves. She vowed to do something about it. Soon afterward she was reassigned to a different ministry. The roads are yet to be properly fixed.

One also remembers that during the tenure of Chief Tony Anenih as Honourable minister in charge of works, some 300bn Naira was reported to have been appropriated to that ministry to also help attend to the roads. We were yet to see the effects, as that period also expired and the roads were not done. Consider also the power sector. For several years we were harangued by the government that they would give us several megawatts of Electricity. Years on, and 100’s billions of Dollars later, we are still trying to talk of providing 6000MWs by the end of 2011. In water supply, so much is appropriated annually for the ministry of Water Resources. Yet the people of this country provide their own means of water supply. What about Education which has been allowed to die? The litany is unending. I just mentioned some of the reasons why I hardly inflict myself with the news and programmes coming out of NTA.

But by his address that evening, the governor made my day. In those few minutes he drew attention to the root cause of the problems that have led to the underdevelopment of our people and our environment namely, the “kidnapping” of our resources by a very small few.

The methodology by which they gain access to our till had not become familiar to many, but the manipulators and the adepts know the trick. They range from the “critic” who wants to be noticed so that he can be “invited to come and chop”, to the administrators who wish to establish new areas of control to attract more subvention which can be “kidnapped”, to the politician who is always after his welfare, to the “teacher” who clamours to be employed but who refuses to teach etc, etc. These points that emerged from the Governor’s address touched me and must have touched many others.

While he spoke, I seemed to have heard or may be, I perceived the inner desperate question “who are going to take over from the like of Prof Wole Soyinka?” This thought has become a nightmare for all those who are passionately concerned about the growth of this nation in all aspect of national development. It seems that his tribe has become a disappearing species.

From the present, the horizon heralding the future is mucky, cloudy and uncertain, whilst the past presents a fast disappearing thin line of brilliance which manifested itself in selfless service, courage, dedication to duty and stubborn commitment to the welfare of the people of this nation. From the present we are confronted by the horde of those who raise dust in the name of criticism only to be invited into government to make contributions that were to bring benefit to the people. They never make such contributions and they never leave even when they know that they are making no meaningful impact on the life of the people.

They “kidnap” our resources from that vantage position and begin to live it up, thereby showing the wrong values to the younger generation. It is this younger generation that will carry the future. A future that looks bleak and dreary. In the past some of these type of people joined the government against the advice of their people and peers, and when they were stung by the despots running our affairs, they ran back with their tails between their legs, but somehow unrepentant. Today some of them are trying to launder themselves back into the society. These people were more in evidence during the uninterrupted military era.

On a more serious note, what has been desperately lacking among those that have purported to rule us are focused leadership and selfless service. Countries where these requirements became the basis of governance include Malaysia, Cuba, Indonesia, libya, “small” Dubai, South Korea and very recently Brazil. Some of these countries were dubbed “Communist”, but their leaders took them to such heights that we look at them today in awe. They uplifted their people.

However the above is a digression. What really made the day for me was the candid realization by the governor, it seemed to me, that governance has now got to get to a higher level from the present pedestrian rigmaroles if the people are to reap the “dividends of democracy”, an expression which today is only noise, signifying nothing whatsoever. Governance has to be lifted from the concept of the “kidnapping” of resources to the concept of “rescue” of resources from the kidnappers to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of the governed. Such good include the provision of good roads, water supply, electricity, healthcare, and a sound education.

One is thrilled though by the efforts the Rivers State government is making in the areas of beneficial infrastructural changes in the state and in the field of education. No nation advances without the proper education of its citizens. Good education ensures enlightenment, and hands-on practical experience. Democracy is advanced as education enables the citizens to be free and articulate, which enhances their ability to make informed choices and decisions, particularly in the area of who governs them. Ignorance leads to backwardness, and the promotion of ignorance encourages autocracy and dictatorship.

One may then be able to draw the conclusion as to why the military governments destroyed our educational system over so many years they were in control of our affairs, helped by their civilian collaborators who helped in the “kidnapping” of our resources, and thereby dealt a death blow to our otherwise organized efforts at training our youths. Today those who helped to produce “illiterate” citizenry are sending their children to foreign countries to get better trained.

Nevertheless and with due respect, in spite of the wonderful work the Rivers State government is doing to transform the state in all aspects, the governor who is directing these wonderful changes is still a politician and all politicians have a few maladies in common. They are afflicted with the diseases of double speak, selfishness and egotism. However it seems to me that the governor is trying, through his simplicity and naturalness to transcend those weaknesses and beating a new track in development, which will write his name in gold, particularly in Education.

It might be necessary to remind the governor that good education is made up of many components: A sound policy, Good infrastructure, Well trained manpower in the field, Willing and enthusiastic children, and Motivation for the teachers. If the newspapers are to be believed it seems to me that the government is seriously addressing most of these components.

In particular the government is promoting literary Arts through the regular organization of conferences and symposia on literary works. This has the potential of encouraging the children to develop interest in the arts and particularly the interest in reading. As everyone knows Reading Culture has collapsed as the younger ones these days DO NOT read and cannot read and understand. The revolution in education will come to naught if the children cannot read the books that the government is providing. One can only say congratulations to the Rivers State government for these efforts.

However to drive the point home, it may be necessary to draw attention to the fact that Rivers State is still regarded as Educationally Disadvantaged State (EDS) in admission to Federal Universities to which the state is attached. This designation should hurt our self pride and would signpost a disservice to the memories of people who held the reins of power in the state and pushed funds into education to train the citizens particularly at the end of the civil war. In relation to our number, only a few of the children from the state get admitted into other universities outside Rivers State due to poor performance. As the government lays the good foundation in education, I am confident that in a few years from now this trend will change.

That should be the target But the question asked earlier is still there and intimidating “Who will take over from the Soyinkas and his tribe of crusaders for a better tomorrow for our future generations?” Those who will be able to look authority in the face and tell them the bitter truth? Nevertheless I see a silver lining in the darkling cloud, heralding a promise of a future that will be led by young men and women who are well educated. The effort of the government in the area of education in Rivers State seems to me to be laying the solid foundation for producing young men and women who will be independent minded and critical; men and women who will be able to dream dreams for their future; young men and women who will know that the future is theirs.

They must be encouraged to take free and independent decisions that will lead them and their country men and women into the future that is full of promise.

As everyone knows, Brazil is on the march, lifting more than 20m people out of desperate poverty and getting more than 20m into the free-spending middle class which is the stimulus for production of goods, and all this under the selfless and pragmatic leadership of President Lula da Silva. Rivers State can start the revolution to transform this nation. The state has the resources at its disposal. What is needed now is a crop of persons who share the vision of the governor, not those who pretend to do so for the purpose of getting their fingers into the honey pot to “kidnap” the honey meant for all and who can be characterized as political jobbers that have only “I am loyal” as their certificate and contribution to the rigorous task of fashioning out policies that will bring the greatest good to the greatest number of the people.

However with a single mindedness of purpose, dedication and absolute trust in the lord the hard working governor will attract to himself men and women of his kind who will support and help him to achieve the objectives he sets for the welfare of the people. In trying to achieve those objectives however, he must not forget what Niccolo Machiavelli said, and I quote:

“And one should bear in mind that there is nothing more difficult to execute, nor more dubious of success, nor more dangerous to administer than to introduce a new order to things; for he who introduces it has all those who profit from the old order as his enemies; and he has only lukewarm allies in all those who might profit from the new. The lukewarmness partly stems from fear of their adversaries who have the law on their side, and partly from the skepticism of men, who do not truly believe in new things unless they have personal experience in them.” By the efforts of his government, new order is being introduced and the government will not look too far afield to notice what Niccolo has said. It is in the light of this that one can appreciate the near absence of applause during his address referred to earlier, an address that would elicit a standing ovation in other climes where governance is first and foremost regarded as a service delivery to the people.

History beckons on this government under Governor Amaechi. Seize the moment, lay a foundation for the future and write the name of this government in gold.

The Yorubas will never forget Awolowo in a hurry.

Nworgu, an associate Professor, wrote from University of Benin

Deric Nworgu