Mark’s conference call

Often been accused of being reactionary rather than visionary he has just woken up to the need for a Conference of Ethnic Nationalities despite the idea being mooted over three decades ago. David Mark has reserved a place in Nigerian political history.  He was part and parcel of various ruinous military regimes whose visionless dictatorships […]

Often been accused of being reactionary rather than visionary he has just woken up to the need for a Conference of Ethnic Nationalities despite the idea being mooted over three decades ago. David Mark has reserved a place in Nigerian political history.  He was part and parcel of various ruinous military regimes whose visionless dictatorships squandered opportunities, stunted development, pauperized the nation and decimated our national pride.
Despite his antecedents and anti-democratic tenden-cies he has risen almost to the pinnacle of elective office in a democratic dis-pensation. Now older, wiser, and less motivated by personal gain, the man who told us that telephones aren’t meant for the poor and that army sergeants have better leadership qua-lities than graduates is trying to re-invent himself as a statesman. It would have been appropriate to say good morning to him unfortunately it’s now evening in the affairs of the nation and night is almost upon us! If he and his adventurist military colleagues had the vision to summon a conference before relinquishing power, perhaps many of today’s problems would have been nipped in the bud, alas the opportunity was squandered.
Now kleptocratic politicians have been constitutionally empowered, and people have become less reconciliatory, more violent and desperate. Our problems aren’t about ethnic nationalities but rich and poor. The Senate President simply wants to divert atten-tion from PDP’s failures. A conference of ethnic natio-nalities will not solve the unemployment problem, give us constant electricity, revalue our currency, upgrade our hospitals, revitalize education, repair roads, sanitize the judiciary and improve our sports administration.
The solutions to our developmental problems lay in good government and constitutionalism not politics. David Mark can’t convincingly explain why we should be looking towards constitutional amendments and conferences when neither the National assembly nor the Presidency respects existing laws. Unless they cease the culture of impunity that brought us into this mess, no new Constitution or political arrangement can change our fortunes. While the nation languishes in a political and economic mess, the ostentatious display of wealth by an indolent political class has created widespread dissatisfaction. Successive PDP governments have failed to articulate any realistic plan to alleviate the suffering of the millions who have no job, no job prospects, and nothing to live for.
This lack of a popularly accepted and adhered to national development plan feeds agitation and discontent in the land. David mark should be aware the problem started all those years ago when the military planned coups, cast aside our constitution, assassinated their leaders, enrich themselves and aspired to positions which they had no right to occupy. Our dire situation has been caused by leaders who got there by accident. Rather than a diversionary conference we should face squarely the issue of our failed leadership recruitment processes.
There are intellectually sound citizens capable of leading this nation to greater heights and willing to make the necessary personal sacrifice, unfortunately our leadership recruitment is based upon federal character, quota systems and fraudulent elections which all of which negate merit. We need leaders who prefer the long and tortuous process of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, design and implementation to the simplistic military style solutions of task forces, states of emergency and emergency conferences. There is an overriding impression that our politicians are stuck in their past shunning all processes which embrace dialogue and true democracy and persisting with their confrontational attitudes and repeated references to groundnut pyra-mids, cocoa, coal and oil. In a democracy the language of engagement is that of per-suasion and understanding not intimidation, coercion, threats and bloodletting innuendoes.
The bellicose supporters of President Jonathan who threaten to make the nation ungovernable if he isn’t re-elected illustrate all the fears of opponents of a conference of ethnic nationalities. Most “ethnic nationalists” are incon-siderate of others and too aggressive in their demands. Having witnessed fisticuffs in both arms of the legislature where only personal interest is a stake, there is likelihood a conference will degenerate into innuendos, insults, accusations, outright exchange of blows, and lead to civil unrest.
The problem is that “ethnic nationalists” don’t concern themselves with national problems which are more than simply those of any single area. Everyone sympathizes with the plight of the environmentally devastated oil producing areas. Paradoxically instead of blaming their predicament on the oil companies who carry out the operations, indigenes of the Niger delta blame the rest of Nigeria while at the same time make heroes out of monumentally corrupt political leaders who embezzle their wealth! The poor northerner isn’t responsible for the problems of the poor southerner. Failed leadership has underdeveloped the nation. The underlying causes of poverty are the same everywhere only the manifestations are different.  
The main reason people suspect David Mark’s confe-rence would be a waste of time is that the corrupt and inept National Assembly insists it is limited to only making recommendations. Legislators appear oblivious to the contempt in which the public holds them. Despite failing woefully to solve any of the nations pressing problems they insultingly ask everyone to be patient as they enrich themselves and live a life of luxury while the nation continues to be worse off. It’s no surprise patience is wearing thin and there are dire predictions for 2015.
Maybe the only solution is to be patient enough to wait until nature removes this generation from the political scene. Perhaps only then will future generations be able to face the realities of building a unified nation around young men who are truly detribalized, posses true leadership qualities, respect laws and human rights and are united in one vision for a great nation.