Date Published: 07/06/09
Nigeria is a Dysfunctional and a failed state.
By Ndiameeh Babrik
There is no need to argue about this comrade Governor Adams Oshiohmole. Our former glorious Nigeria is now a failed state. Before you crucify me, please check the internet for the definition of a failed state and you will sadly agree with me that the once upon a time former promising nation that was the hope of the black race is truly failed state now.
My check has revealed that a failed state has the follow characters:-
1. Dysfunctional government.
2. Dysfunctional Educational system
3. Dysfunctional health system
4. Dysfunctional Transport system
5. Breakdown of law and order
6. Corruption in high places of the highest order.
7. Dysfunctional social services.
I hope I will be allowed to explain myself though the above listed items are actually self-explanatory in the Nigerian context.
That the present Nigerian government cocooned in Abuja is a dysfunctional one does not need any explanation. While the Niger-Delta militants are lord unto themselves in the south, the sharia council in Nigeria led Ibrahim Datti and the Jama’atul Nasir Islam (JNI) is another functional government in Northern Nigeria supported of course by the hisbah sharia police. Last week for example, the jama’atul nasir (JNI) warned the so called National Assembly not to dare amend the Nigerian constitution? You start wondering then which one actually is the effective government ‘elected’ by the people to give direction to state matters. Is it the Jama’atul Nasir Islam? Is it the sharia council or the Abuja people led by Umoru Yar’adua? From the fore going Nigeria has three groups laying claim to sovereignty therefore the first point of a failed state has been met.
Even the diehard proponent of the Yar’adua government will no doubt have known that the educational system in Nigeria is at its lowest ebb since educational development began in Nigeria. In the latest global university ranking, Nigerian universities have crashed to their worst ranking in history to the position of 68 th in Africa and 7169 th position in the world. It is so disheartening that the officially classified failed states like Somalia have better universities than Nigeria. In fact Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Benin Republic, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, Malawi and Zimbabwe amongst others have better rated universities than Nigeria. Of course Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon are far ahead that I do not need to mention. I assume people would have known that by now if we are talking of Somalia ahead of Nigeria. To confirm the above rating as I am writing this article, the University Lecturers on strike, Nigerian union of Teachers on strike. The only people that are not on strike are the students and the pupils. Condition of a failed state number two is met.
The Nigeria Medical Association has given a 21-week ultimatum of an Impending strike if they have not started it already over obsolete medical equipment in the Teaching hospitals and of course over pay. All the looters and their family members plus their cohorts jet to South Africa, Egypt and lately Ghana for medicament. Nigeria is a failed state my friend.
Every day we hear of billions and now trillions of Naira either allocated or voted for roads rehabilitation or construction but year in year out not one road has been rehabilitation rather more and more is allocated with each budget but ‘shiru kake ji kowane shekara’. The railway system? Forget it is more on NTA news than on ground. We give credit to the private airlines for still keeping us in the air. What index of a failed state do you need more than that Mr Oshiohmole?
As for breakdown of law and order, there is hardly any state in Nigeria one can walk along the street without watching over his back. Islamic fundamentalists hold people to ransom in Northern cities like Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna and lately Jos. The fear of armed robbery attack or kidnapping is the beginning of wisdom in the south. Check points are mounted by both uniformed and non-uniformed people men and women whether legal and otherwise on the dysfunctional roads nationwide.
We have talked about the issue of corruption in Nigeria especially in high places as a societal malice. That is a classical case of a sign of a failed state, especially when people who arrogate to themselves the authority to lead turn around to steal people’s commonwealth. In a country whereby the much you have stolen from the national treasury it is then you have more blind followers and are plotting for you to come and finish your unfinished state looting, it is a failed state. Olagunsoye Oyinlola is a case study.
The total sum of all the above is a dysfunctional social service. Recently I read in the news that Nigeria is a state that runs on generating plants. No coordinated functional central government with a firm command and authority, no functional educational, health and social services. Corruption is at its highest level.
What are the indicators of a failed state then? An answer is needed urgently.
Ndiameeh Babrik
ndiame_2005@yahoo.co.uk
