Even weakened and corrupted that once-sound, hopeful foundation. “Under the Jonathan government, the vaunted Transformation Agenda is but an elaborate name for old-fashion pocket stuffing. They do not have a national blueprint or vision. They do have a blueprint and vision for excessive self enrichment. Their equation is simple. You work, they feast. You toil, they grow fat. You seek a decent wage; they pilfer the collective treasury to enjoy a king’s ransom. ”Meanwhile, national planning has been haphazard and people unfriendly. For most of our 54 years and for all of the past fifteen, honest men have been given scant opportunity to lead Nigeria. We have wandered from the path of economic empowerment for our youth and the mass of our people. Nigeria has become adept at creating economic refugees, brain-drain migrants, decimated institutions and the building of a venal ”Wallet Economy” benefiting only a handful. “As if this cynically induced poverty is not sufficient hardship, this government compounds the public burden by sowing discord with the alacrity that a wise government would plant charity and accord. Rather than promote religious tolerance and harmonious living, this Government believes its electoral chances are enhanced by promoting ethnicism, internal divisions, religious suspicion and scapegoating. Successful nations are not built this way. Have we not learned the lesson that we paid the high price of civil war to learn. “We emerged from painful civil war with the singular objective of establishing an equitable, tolerant society. We sought to unite all into one people with a sense of one nation. We would turn our diversity into one of greatest assets. Decades later, it seems the memory of that period has faded. Political figures of dubious quality dabble with forces they may not truly comprehend and have no chance of ultimately controlling. “This supposedly democratic government struts the stage, using our diversity to further divide us. An asset is turned into a wedge separating friend from friend, neighbour from neighbour. But I know that our diversity is a unique strength we can use to erase hunger, banish poverty, limit civil strife, build tolerance and enrich our civic education and awareness by learning so much from each other.“While Nigeria’s current leaders failed to build upon the foundation provided them, there are some rays of hope. On this day, I commend the people of Lagos and other progressive states in the southwest and throughout Nigeria. You have tried your best to keep faith with the best practices and policies of those who founded this nation. Against strong odds and the strong arm of a reactionary federal government, you have improved the foundation then built upon it. If only what you have done could be replicated by the federal government. ”On the contrary, 16 years of PDP rule has been a period of diminishing return. The longer they rule, the less benefit the people derive. Nigeria now needs a ‘common sense revolution’, a revolution that calls forth a return to decency, probity, transparency of process and fairness in outcome. This is done not by subterfuge, divide and rule and turning Nigeria in a field of discord or a street of broken institutions. It is accomplished by honoring the principles of democratic good governance and economic justice. It is done by persuading the people they are better off as one instead of better off tearing at each other’s throats. “Governance is about trust. And this government is not even trusted by itself. That is why it does nothing except feed itself. This is not the road for a better Nigeria. We must proceed from this 54th anniversary to embark on a common sense revolution that brings about progressive change for the benefit of most of our country men and women, our youth and the vulnerable among us. “I speak here of a Common Sense revolution that promotes the well being and improve the lot of the average person, regardless of his or her ethnic, religious or regional affiliation. In this way, Nigeria will not only be unified in national purpose it will have recovered its better path. That will be an Independence Day we can and should celebrate. Until then, we strive to keep from falling further. “We dare not remain lost forever. I am positive that help is on the way. Nigerians should be prepared for change. We must rescue Nigeria from those set to cause it irreparable harm. The change I talk about is the only route to our deliverance from 16 years of the PDP locusts. Nigeria is ours to keep and its democracy is ours to save, the statement read.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 08:19:49 +0000
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