Opinion
Nigeria: A Nation At Risk
The National Commission on Excellence in Education in the United States of America used the title: ‘A Nation at Risk’ in its report in 1983. Nations all over the earth do set up some commissions of inquiry to look into various challenges so as to make recommendations on how the nation can move forward in terms of excellence. In Nigeria, there have been such commissions of inquiry set up to look into the nation’s challenges, demonstrating the desire to ensure stability and also provide some worthy legacies for future generations.
Among other things, there was “Vision 2010” and other programmes such as “War Against Indiscipline”, “Structural Adjustment Programme” etc. The promotion of a culture of excellence, good behaviour, diligence at work, etc, were sought to be imbibed by Nigerians for the good of the country. How effectively Nigerians have cultivated the culture of excellence and discipline would remain controversial. Excellence or discipline, as a personal culture, can be seen easily in how an individual behaves and interacts with others.
A nation is at risk when there is absence of personal polish among the citizens. What we see in Nigeria daily include grossness, meanness, brashness, shamelessness and lack of consideration for others. In conduct and utterances crudeness features.
Emergence of a League of the Living Dead in any nation signifies a serious risk. Such category of people, even though living physically, is characterized by seriously diminished degree of deep inner feeling which manifests in obtuseness.
A nation is at risk where a battle rages, without anyone knowing what the ground or grouse of the war is. How would any one explain the logic of a bill being proposed to treat “repentant terrorists” as if they were on a humanitarian mission? The league of the living dead include wealthy and powerful people in society who become so befuddled that they begin to behave like demigods. Great opulence can make some people lose touch with ordinary human beings.
The fact that the class of Nigerian political leaders has lost touch with the masses that they are supposed to represent, is demonstrated in the current issue about purchase of “exotic cars”. The fact that there are protests from various quarters against spending huge sums of money to replace the cars being used by our lawmakers, illustrates the idiom that “the falcon cannot hear the falconer.
Obtuseness in the ruling class manifests in making lavish spending on luxuries, but at the same time looking for where to borrow money and also raising taxes in various ways. Hubris, defined as great and unreasonable pride, is indeed an idiom. Those who live in opulence, ask for more and more comfort, but tell others to be prudent, while they themselves grow pot-belly, exemplify features of the league of the living dead. In their hubris, they behave as if the country belongs to them alone.
A nation is at risk where the citizens or some sections of the leadership class live in bondage; a situation where people are held hostage by terrorists, kidnappers, obtrusive law-enforcement agents, etc. A society where the thoughts, aspirations, values and desires of the greater majority rarely rise beyond mundane issues, there is a risk of attracting some ignoble psychic forces. There are people who become patrons of such energy-centres, from which sources they draw power to do some ignoble deeds. Thus, there are a number of human robots who are physically living but whose humanity is zero.
The best legacy which any leadership can give a nation and its future generations, include such lasting values which manifest in the nobility of the actions and aspirations of the people. Part of the risk that a nation can encounter include the cultivation of life-styles and propensities which would take several generations to put right again. This is where exemplary leadership puts a nation in great advantage. It’s good to have role models!
It would be wrong to lay all the blames for the current aberrations in Nigeria on the leaders. Truly, every nation gets the kind of leadership which it deserves, just the same way that every individual gets the kind of experience most appropriate for him. But where no efforts are made to eliminate observable risks and correct unhelpful mind set and propensities, then the risk of unpleasant experiences in the future becomes greater.
To learn from unpleasant experiences of the moment is better than passing blames or glossing over wrong doings. Whether such wrong doings are individual or national, they provide opportunities to make appropriate adjustments and change for the better. It follows that if through our current sad experiences we can change and improve for the better, then our present travails would not have been in vain.
What Nigerian lawmakers can do for the nation is to compile and study various complaints, fears, genuine demands and aspirations of the Nigerian masses. Then bills can be proposed for inquiries into the various areas of risk or challenges, so that each of them can be addressed realistically. Peace, stability and progress cannot grow from the soil of injustices in personal and collective dealings.
A most common complaint across the country is the nation’s reward system. Do we place emphasis on merit, diligence, productivity, etc in political decisions with regards to dispensing of national largesse? Are we being circumspect in the demands that we make, with obtuseness about the state of the larger majority? A nation that does not recognize or reward merit and place emphasis on social justice is a nation at risk. Bishop Matthew Kukah would say: “We have practised madness for too long!”
Dr Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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