Onosode’s recipe for Nigeria’s development
By BUCHY ENYINNAYA, Asaba
Monday, March 31, 2008

Seasoned industrialist, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, says the reason the Nigerian nation is still lagging behind in terms of economic development is the inability of those in positions of leadership to show real commitment to the principles of the rule of law and inconsistency in government policies even as the basic infrastructure that business need to flourish is grossly lacking.

In the words of the industrialist, for Nigeria to develop as expected, those in leadership positions should show commitment to the rule of law and equally see themselves as servants of the people, and not self seeking leaders.

According to him, the organised private sector has not been able to put in much to the development of the country because of inconsistencies in government policies and lack of the basic infrastructure that businesses need to thrive.

Concerning the probe of the Obasanjo government’s role in the power sector which led to the wastage of billions of tax payers’s money, the economist said: “I don’t know the details or the facts of the situation. But what I think is that it is an attempt to ascertain the facts, if there is a prima facie, that all the facts that are relevant may not have been (you know) been put to the public to know. You know these are matters that should not be kept confidential. So, if anybody is feeling unease about any transactions , I don’t see why one won’t develop an anxiety about it , because facts are sacred and facts could speak for themselves.”

He says the probe of the sale of the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill and the privatisation programme by the Obasanjo administration should go on. “If they(Reps) feel any unease, or they already have facts that make them uneasy, let them, you know, go ahead with the facts. If they have that fear, then they should try and ascertain the real facts. They should try and ascertain who the real owners, the beneficiaries were. I think it is better not to entertain speculations. Therefore, to ascertain the facts, so that it would not amount to accusing people of what they may not have been guilty of, or sweeping under the carpet things that should be put for the public to know.”

Onosode went further to advise on the way forward for the country: “Let me just refresh your memory on the note on which I ended my chairman’s address to the audience at the pre-trade fair luncheon. I said, and what I say to Delta State I will say to any state and so I will say to the country. Delta State should be a land of peace and plenty. For this expectation to rise above mere speculation, there must be a new commitment to the rule of law on the part of all participants in the development process . For its part, Delta State must insist at all times on getting value for money. Now, you can see the connection between the rule of law and getting value for money. If the conduct of Nigerians, whether they are in the public sector or in the private sector, respect the rule of law and insist on getting value for money, this nation will be transformed to almost beyond recognition and it will be better for all citizens.

On the roll back of ex-president Obasanjo’s reforms by President Umaru Yar’Adua, he said what was permanent is the nation and not the policies. “I introduced the word privatisation, to the Nigerian economic vocabulary in 1981. Government is a continuous thing. Right? As we say in those countries where they have kings and queens, the king is there, long live the king. Right? That means that what is permanent is the nation or the symbol of the nation. Now, policies have to develop.

But implementation is never 100 per cent satisfactory. And, therefore, a review of where you are coming from will indicate whether there is a need to modify a policy, or there is a need to improve on the application or implementation of policy. So, there is nothing extra-ordinary about a new head of state or a new governor or a new chairman reviewing the policies of the nation or institution, where the one is coming from and deciding that certain changes or reviews need to be made.

Why do we get excited about that? Sometimes, I get very bored about the things I hear because I have heard them 40 years ago, I have heard them 50 years ago, and yet we are not making good progress as we should make because there is no commitment to the rule of law and the principle of getting value for money. If we can insist on that at all times in all budgets at all levels, whether in the local , state or federal government, this country will be the better for it .

On why the Organised Private Sector(OPS) has failed to grow as expected and play the great role it should in national development, , Onosode said the number one reason was the fact that the basic infrastructure that business needed in order to flourish had been grossly lacking. According to him,
“Whether you are talking about transportation,or you are talking about power and so on. Number two, and this is an important element, creating an enabling environment. Policies are either non existent that relate to critical issues or policy is so unfaithful.

Today , we say we want private sector involvement and the next we say why do we want that private sector involvement. So, inconsistency of policies along with deficient fiscal infrastructure have been the bane of getting the organised private sector involvement in our development. Solution? The solution is to get as many Nigerians as possible especially those who occupy positions of leadership to see themselves as servants of the people not as self seeking leaders of the people.

Well, the term servant leadership or servant leader has been popularised by the present administration. There is nothing new in that. All right. Jesus Christ was a supreme example of a servant leader . He said I have come not to be served but to serve and to offer my life as a ransom to many. That should be typically true of every leader.”