It has become of primary importance to solve the economic crisis in Nigeria. Several ideologies have been spotted by different people in different fields, yet the economy is worsening.
Comparing the country today and decades back, it is obvious that the economy is on the deteriorating side. How then can this problem be solved?
Fifty-seven years after independence, we are still stuck in the mud. We can hardly boast of good roads that are devoid of potholes. Public schools deteriorate, our hospitals remain in stagnant conditions, our international airports are an epitome of under development, while civil service is at the point of decay. Nothing can easily be done in any public or private firm without corruption.
Nigeria, which is a product of the amalgamation of the northern and southern regions, initially was seen to be a country that will experience a great trend of development as it combines the resources of both regions. But the reverse has been the case.
From 1960-1985, there were four development plans in Nigeria which were referred to as the first, second, third and fourth National Development Plans; each of which had well articulated objectives. The full achievements were, however, interrupted by two major political events – the military intervention in 1966 and the civil war of 1967-70.
These major interruptions notwithstanding, both the federal and regional governments recorded a number of landmark achievements during the development plan period.
The Federal Government alone successfully executed projects like the oil refinery in Port Harcourt, the paper mill, the sugar mill and the Niger Dam (in Jebba and Bacita, respectively). The government at that time also built the Niger bridge and ports extension, while it constructed a number of trunk ‘A’ roads.
It is interesting to note that it was also during this period that the first generation universities were established. University of Ibadan and University of Lagos by the Federal Government; University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) by the eastern government and the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, by the western government. Despite the political crisis, these great achievements were made because of the existence of a working budget operated within the development plan framework.
General Yakubu Gowon launched the Second National Development Plan in 1970 on behalf of the federal and the government of the then 12 states. Because it was a post war development plan, it focuses on rebuilding the destroyed economy and promotion of economic and social development in the new Nigeria.
The Third Development Plan was also launched by Gen. Gowon. The implementation of the plan which covered a five-year period from April 1975 – March 1980 failed due to the change of government barely three months after the launch of the plan.
The Fourth National Development Plan was launched by President Shehu Shagari in 1981 on behalf of the federal and 19 state governments. This plan was again affected by the change of government in 1983 and another change in 1985.
The journey towards neglecting development plans in Nigeria started from October 1988, under Babangida regime. In the same way that the traditional five-year development plan was jettisoned by the Babangida administration, the idea of rolling plan was also shelved in 1996 by General Sani Abacha for vision 2010, which was launched on Sepember 18, 1996.
From our discussion so far, it can be seen that the military intervention in 1966 and its subsequent prolonged rule in Nigeria became the genesis of truncating the process of adhering to national development plan as a strategy for economic and social development.
Meanwhile, corruption is one inherent feature that has hastened the deteriorating development status of this country. Within the last three to four decades, so much money had been made from oil, such that if properly managed, it would have made Nigeria a better place today. The money that was meant for infrastructure which will in turn foster development had ended up in the pockets of private men and women who had been given the mandate to pursue the said national development.
The establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and its tribunal is a laudable start on the war against corruption. Unfortunately, though some successes have been registered by these bodies, the general impression is that these bodies have gone after the tail of the monster of corruption rather than its head.
If corruption is to be given a short shift in Nigeria, then the social, business and bureaucratic environments must be corruption hostile rather than friendly. This means that there must be well funded comprehensive public education and enlightenment programmes on the nature of corruption as well as its negative effects on the nation’s economy.
Nigeria has, indeed, been endowed with all the human and natural resources it takes and requires, to become a great African and world power. But she cannot achieve that potential by her relying on mediocrity and people of questionable integrity to run her affairs.
I agree with the millions of Nigerians that think leadership is the major issue confronting the nation’s development. Nigeria today is an outcome of the wrong choice of leaders that had emerged.
I, therefore, advise we should elect God-fearing leaders that have the country and its populace at heart as we approach another general elections next year. Leaders that are competent and patriotic. This is the solution to our present economic challenges.
Tamunosaki wrote from Port Harcourt.

Bobmanuel Tamunosaki