The Federal Government has been advised to take urgent measures to save the nation from total collapse as a result of recurring terror attacks across the country.
Giving the advice in an interview with TUNDE THOMAS, a former Minister of Education, Prof Tunde Adeniran noted that the attacks portend grave danger for the nation’s socio-economic development and might scuttle next year’s general election.
What’s your reaction to the present state of insecurity across the country, especially the recent attack on a train in Kaduna?
I’m very worried, more worried ever than before because these are ugly developments that are preventable. The signals were there. Those in authority know that all over the country, there are security challenges requiring very innovative ways to tackle. But they didn’t take the necessary actions. With regards to the attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna train, unlike others in the past, the attacks could have been prevented. The terrorists made attempts in the past, they didn’t succeed, and those attempts were sufficient warnings for us. Our leaders should have put pro-active measures in place to ensure that any time attempts are made that the terrorists would never succeed. But unfortunately, pro-active measures were not taken. Our leaders just assume that the situation will just normalise. But the terrorists are so determined, they are so recalcitrant, they are so desperate to ruin the nation, to destroy the nation, and terrorists would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. This is why it is so sad and so pathetic that we are not taking pro-active measures to checkmate these unpatriotic elements. This kind of situation is better approached from a worst scene scenario, assuming the very worst so that nothing will catch us unaware and whatever arises, we will overcome. It is better for us to always be on our guard than to be ill-prepared. The situation in the country today is very sad and very unfortunate because of the way we are just wasting human lives. We are now recording avoidable deaths. This is most unfortunate. Nigeria is bleeding, and we have to take drastic measures to save the nation.
Are you saying that the Federal Government is not doing enough to tackle the insecurity challenge?
Yes. It was clear before now that terrorists have penetrated our country from the north to the south. So this is why I believe that government should have taken precautions. It is sad that instead of taking precautionary measures to prevent these attacks we prefer to react after the damage would have been done. This is most unfortunate and tragic. We should be taking pro-active measures as that’s the only way to secure this country. By classifying those behind these attacks as terrorists, Nigeria has identified part of the problem but having identified part of the problem, we should have put in place measures that will lead to solutions. You don’t joke with terrorists because of who they are and because of their readiness to inflict terror at any time. They are also ready to ensure that terror attacks are carried out to the maximum whenever they are given the opportunity. No country, particularly Nigeria, should give them that room or opportunity to operate which they seem to enjoy now.
Some Nigerians have expressed fear that insecurity may threaten next year’s general elections. Do you share such view?
There are two ways of looking at it. If we don’t tackle the problem frontally and overcome the challenges, it will linger on, and it would affect the elections. But once proactive measures are taken, there will be no problem. Part of the agenda of these terrorists is to ensure that whatever political agenda the country has, that it all amounts to nothing because of the way they plan to sabotage efforts of the government. If terrorists are allowed to have a free day, of course they will achieve their goal of sabotaging the elections. But if the government resolves and decides to take proactive measures by ensuring that the plans of the terrorists do not materialise, then there will be elections. What this means is that every step must be taken to ensure that security is guaranteed, that total and effective security is put in place. And once this is done, nobody will entertain any fear about 2023.
What’s your position on zoning, especially the agitations that the next president should come from the South?
Presently, I don’t belong to any political party. It is the parties themselves that know what is good for them. If their constitution provides for zoning, so be it. Let them go ahead with zoning, but if their constitution doesn’t, let them abide by whatever arrangement their parties come up with. My own personal position and expectation is that this country deserves a leader or leadership that is purposeful, that is ideologically oriented in favour of the Nigerian masses.
We want a leadership that is dynamic, that is competent, and not self-seeking or self-serving, a leadership that will provide for the basic needs of the Nigerian people. Good governance can’t be compromised. The president Nigerians deserve should be a courageous leader who must look at the problems we have in this country and face them frontally.
He should also be conscientious enough to know that this country deserves justice, equity and fairness. He must promote what will make Nigerians proud as human beings and as Nigerians. We need to match our potential with reality. We have for too long been preoccupied with this issue of potential of Nigeria but when are we going to realise them? We need good and effective leadership to realise our potential. But once we end up getting a mediocre as president, someone who lacks these pre-requisite qualities and the virtues that we need, then we are in trouble.
“For those who talk about zoning and also for those who don’t talk about zoning, they should think about the country first before any other thing, or before thinking of satisfying any individual. They should think of leaders who would not only keep us just to be united but united in our collective vision and aspirations, and would also make all of us to have a sense of belonging. God has given Nigeria all that any country could ask for – human resources, material resources, name them. There is no country in this world that is as blessed as Nigeria. So what is the problem with us? Have we been cursed as some people have alleged? But whatever curses that have been placed on us, we should run away from such curses. We should destroy those curses by the actions we are taking, by the actions we are taking on behalf of the nation, and the actions we are taking on behalf of the masses. We should remove selfishness, nepotism and other negative tendencies that have marred progress from our polity. We have indeed become an embarrassment not only to the outside world but also to ourselves. There should be no reason for us to be where we are today.
Yes, there have been agitations for a Southern president, and I’m in support. But that Southern president must have all these qualities that I have just mentioned. Indeed for psychological reasons, what Nigeria needs in 2023 is a president that must come from the South, but not a southern president. What this country should even do at this time, which is my own personal position, is that we should look at those who are aspiring and those who are not aspiring, and do a headhunt of people who we believe will not only unite this country but will also provide dynamic leadership. Taking someone from the South will have a psychological effect in terms of justice and equity. But it goes beyond that. If you take someone from the south, and you call him a Southern president, and he comes and he continues with what we are going through now, then that will be from failure to failure, and that will be a tragedy for the nation.
A president coming from the South is ideal, but such a president must not be a Southern president but a Nigerian president. He should be able to treat all Nigerians as his own citizens. He should be able to make us proud as Nigerians. He should be able to guarantee security of all Nigerians. We have developed violence to such a high level that it has become a culture defining us as a people, but that wasn’t what we were. We should disengage from that past. We have reached a stage that any charlatan or bigot can rise up one day and say they want to become president of Nigeria. It is a sad development and this has revealed how low we’ve sunk as a nation. It is time for us to have the right leadership.
A former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwakwanso recently formed a new political party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Other new parties are also coming up. How do you see this development?
I don’t know what the development will portend, but it merely shows some people’s discontentment with the present situation of things. But whether that will solve Nigeria’s problems is another issue.
Some of the reasons being given by those who are floating the new parties are that both PDP and APC have failed Nigerians, and that Nigerians need an alternative. What’s your take on that?
The promoters of the new parties have a point because when you look at both APC and PDP, what you find there are mostly political jobbers, and not only that, the two parties have disappointed Nigerians. But just as you have terrible people in these two parties, you also have good people there. Same as you have good materials among those who are forming new political parties, you also have terrible people in their fold. What we really need is to identify individuals who have the qualities of good leaders. No matter the number of parties that you form, if the leadership doesn’t have the right orientation, we are not going anywhere. It is important for us to have ideologically oriented political formations led by people of character, and integrity, people who know what it takes to liberate a nation, to build a nation and to serve the people the way they should be served instead of turning the people to conquered people. We need to get it right. The democracy we are practising is a sham. Without having strong institutions, and great men upholding those institutions, we can’t get to where we are going.
Honestly speaking, we are underperforming. We are not supposed to be where we are now. No security, economy is in shambles. The quality of lives of Nigerians is nothing to write home about. We have every reason to have performed better, but it is not too late to do things right.
However, one of the things that bother me which I also found very worrisome is that leaders are human beings just like ourselves. People can make mistakes. But it bothers me when people live in denial.
One of the qualities of a good leader is to be able to accept that there are shortcomings here and there, and then mobilise people to be part of the solutions because the problems were not caused by the leaders alone as the people also contribute their own quota to the problems. You can’t attribute all the problems to the leaders alone but for the leaders to be rationalising the problem is not the best way to go. Our leaders lie and pretend about our situation. Let them be bold to admit that this is not the way we should be. We have challenges, and let us all come together to face those challenges.
What’s your take on the new Electoral Act recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari?
The new Electoral Act should stay and I believe that it is a victory for the Nigerian people that asked for it. People would want it to go deeper in terms of the electoral reforms, but what has been signed is good enough. The new Electoral Act should not be tampered with. We shouldn’t do things to satisfy individuals; the constitution is meant to serve the people. The people owned the constitution, and not these political office holders who like things to be done to suit their own political interests. Our leaders should think of posterity. They should not embark on any action that will serve their own selfish goals but which on the long run will be inimical to the interests of the country.