Opinion
Who Are The Progressives?
Since the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu dived into the murky waters of Nigerian politics, he has been calling on all progressives in the country to unite and fight the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And even the swearing-in ceremony of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, John Olukayode Fayemi as the new Governor of Ekiti State on Saturday, October 16, 2010 was reported to have attracted the progressives from across the country.
Now the question is: Who are the progressives? What qualifies them to be known, called and addressed as progressives? Is it their political parties? Is it their pedigrees? Is it their great love for the Nigerian people? Or is it their selfless service to the Nigerian nation? What?
The central tenets of progressive politics are positive changes in the social, economic, administrative, and institutional structures and re-orientation of attitudes that propel an entire society or nation towards a better or more human life.
The core values of progressivism therefore are the elevation of the dignity and worth of every individual, freedom and equality for all, transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency in governance, and industrial justice whereby the middle and working classes are protected. Others include full employment, free education, and free healthcare. Strictly speaking, progressivism is associated with government control of the commanding sectors of the national economy.
Apparently, this is why, in such countries as Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and Ukraine, political progressivism is often referred to as social liberal or socialism. In the United States and United Kingdom, progressive politicians associate with the Democratic Party or the Green Party and the Labour Party respectively. In fact, to some scholars the basic ideological precepts of liberals, progressives, socialism and communism are the same. As observed by James Garrett, “Many socialists, from Henri de Saint-Simon, one of the founders of early socialism (Utopian Socialism), to Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx, advocated for the creation of a society that allows for the widespread application of modern technology to rationalise economic activity by eliminating the anarchy of capitalist production.”
Progressivism is antithetical to conservatism or reactionary ideologies which emphasise free-enterprise and minimal governmental intervention.
So it is doubtful if any of those who are claiming to be progressives can really live the progressive tenets the way Theodore Roosevelt did when he founded the Progressive/Bull Moose Party in 1912 which stood strongly for social justice, labour rights, literacy, self-esteem, life sustenance, and freedom from servitude. It is doubtful if they can engender participatory democracy as the progressives are doing in Australia. And it is doubtful if they can tackle the problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequality like their counterparts in New Zealand.
Why all these doubts? It goes without saying that many of the so-called progressives in Nigeria lack ideological commitment. And their political parties lack cohesive sets of ideals, principles, doctrines, and basic beliefs about the political, economic, social and cultural affairs that offer blueprints for national growth and development. They lack the required vitality for national restoration.
Ideologies are different from party programmes that merely talk about projects and isolated issues. They are sets of ideas on which political actions and election programmes are based.
And they are concerned with how a nation or society should function and the most effective and efficient way to achieve their goals. This means that without ideological commitment and platform, there is no way the so called progressives can really reconstruct the Nigerian society. Progressivism is not rhetorics and does not mean junketing from one political party to the other.
The list of political party defectors including the so called progressives has continued to increase over the years. Both the small and mighty at whatever level-local government, state, and federal levels have been part of the zig-zag, to and fro political movements. Many Nigerians still remain shocked over the defection of such prodigious politicians as the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Isa Yuguda, Governor Ikedi Ohakim, Governor Theodore Orji, Chief Sergeant Awuse, Chief Orji Kalu, Senator Patrick Osakwe, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Senator Satty Godwin, Hon Uche Ekwunife, Hon. Ahmed Wase and Hon. Bello Moriki among others from one political party to the other. They may give several reasons for their defection but the fact is that they lack ideological commitment and are obsessed with the desire for power, wealth, and fame. And as Lisu Akerele once put it. “It is not good for the development of party politics. You have to stand for something and not for naira, not for money all the time. It is either you are on the left or on the right. Because of the way people are looking for money you find that they lack principle and keep moving from one place to another. Is that how to play politics? How do we grow?”
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and others who profess progressivism as their political philosophy have a great challenge before them. They must carry the banner of progressive tenets to the length and breadth of the country and live by example. They should learn from the legacies left behind by the models of progressivism in Nigeria – Mallam Aminu Kano and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They were so disciplined and focused that they became the magnets of their people. To them, their rewards were in their selfless service to their people and the Nigerian nation – not money, not wealth, not any material possession.
The progressives are those who have a burning desire for and spirited commitment toextricate the Nigerian nation from its political and socio-economic quagmire and the zeal to place it on the path of greatness.
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