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Re – Launching Nigeria - The Role of AANI Being the text of speech delivered by the national
president of the Alumni Association of the National Institute, Prince Julius Adelusi – Adeluvi. Mni. On Monday 30th
of August, 1999, on the occasion of the 1999 Annual Dialomie with the President and commander in Chief , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the Aso Villa.
Let me thank you, Mr. President on behalf of the executive and members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute AANI for granting us an audience today. We
appreciate this wonderful opportunity for us to resume the Annual Dialogue during which we rub minds with Mr. President on various silent issues concerning the general well being of the people of this great
country. We notice that the atmosphere is as relaxed as when we met with you at Otta before your inauguration. Despite the weight and pressure of office, you have managed to remain healthy, clear-minded and
cool-headed, receptive, fortnight and forthcoming. May the good Lord continue to guide and guard you.
Let me also on behalf of the Association extend our warmest congratulatory greetings to you mr.
President on your assumption of office. We are indeed thankful to God that the transition and change of baton from the military to civilian democracy went on smoothly, in spite of the general apprehension to the
contrary. Every welt-meaning Nigerian continue to savour the joy of this momentous period in the history of our country. We are fortunate that the lot fell on a man whom providence had properly prepared well
in advance to lead this great nation into the next millennium. We can assure Mr. President that your choice is neither by accident nor by man's design. You therefore carry a divine mandate backed by the will
of the people to dynamically and courageously execute the job of relaunching Nigeria on a study course of progress and development.
It is rather too early in the day to do a critical assessment of the three arms
of government, in terms of an objective scorecard. However, it is not out of place to mention that the executive arm has been noticeably active. The flurry of activities coming from this arm shows a
government that is serious and determined to make a quick headway.
The national Institute for Policy and strategic Studies was founded by you in 1979 as the highest public institution in Nigeria. The
institution has come of age. Since its inception, NIPSS has turned out over 800 persons of significant statute in diverse disciplines and callings both from military, civil society. There is virtually no area of
national concern where quality, well-researched work has not been carried out by participants. The Alumni Association of the National Institute AANI, is the umbrella body which co-ordinates the input of alumni
with regards to effort being made to achieve a better society. AANI has therefore become a veritable pool of combined intellectual capital well-positioned to be of strategic service to the nation.
AANI is
mindful of the motto of its mater "Towards a better Society". AANI remains quite sensitive to the Nigerian condition. AANI is pro-active and will not seat on the fence on issues concerning the betterment of
Nigerian Nation. Our collaboration with this new administration will be strategic and issue based. We intend to also maintain pro-active linkages with the other units of the executive, Legislative, state
Government and even Local government. Our advocacy programme will pursue the erection of building blocks of national unity, attitudinal change, good and responsible governance as well as new national ethos that
will make Nigerians proud and satisfied. We positioned ourselves as partners in progress, and we have resolved, while working hard as usual in the background to make our presence a little more visible, and our
voice a little louder, in contributing to the shaping and monitoring of policies and processes in the country. This government should have no need, and obviously no time for frivolities, no time for hypocrisy,
unsolicited and insincere encomiums, and no time at all for the sedentary. We will offer none of these.
During our first meeting with you at Otta, you raised quite a number of critical issues confronting
the NIPSS and AANI. We took note of several of the points you raised. We have actually moved on some of them. For example, a day to the inauguration of the new republic, we hosted the vice president, Africa
Region of the World Bank, Mr. Jean Lious Sarbib to a luncheon. We are happy to note that some of the promises he made in his presentation at that luncheon are actually now beginning to come through. We note
with great delight and satisfaction the recent granting of a 0.75% confessionals rate on new facilities from the World Bank. We congratulate you on this arrangement. It is an indication that the World Bank
trusts that you will match your pronouncements with action. AANI will stand by you on this and similar salvaging moves.
The Nigerian condition:
The Nigerian condition is there for any discerning
persons to see. The nation is bankrupted economically, politically, socially and morally. There is a conundrum of mistrust. Evil is felicitated and celebrated. Institutions are virtually
destroyed; public services, the armed forces, and the police are all demoralised and rudderless. Nigerians have a reputation as a corrupt and fraudulent people. In the last 15 years, Nigerians have been
blighted by undemocratic governance and delinking of the people from instruments of governance.
Mr. President Sir, we sympathise with you. You have to sit down listening to delegation after delegation
repeating to you a litany of national woes and demands as if you do not already know. We of AANI will avoid the enumeration of statistics and national ills. We have made a presumption in the favour of your
excellence that you are more familiar with this problems than most Nigerians can ever hope to be. Is it the demand to build more and better roads? You have experienced the vicissitudes of entrepreneurship as
a private farmer and NGO activist. Is it the need to review the constitution? You wrote a book in 1989 entitled "Constitution for National Integration and Development" Has it got to do with integrating the
Military? You were Commander Third Marine Commando as far back as 1970. Is it the need to institute new values and new virtues that will bring about the transformation of the Nigerian Society? You are
filly aware of that. We recall that you took the advantage of the uniquely long interlude between your election and installation as President to embark on a good will tour of 25 cities in some 23 different
countries of the world. You also embarked on a thank you tour of six cities in the six zones of Nigeria. You experienced the suffering of the masses. But you also witnessed the goodwill, which abounds
for you within Nigeria. You must have been deeply touched by the confidence reposed on your experience, vision, mission and passion to deliver must have been fired anew by the illuminating and inspiring
discussions you have had. The plea from Nigerians at home and abroad as well as our friends everywhere is that with the help of God Almighty, you will not let Nigerians down. Your determination is robust and
the expectations of Nigerians are usually high. You need all the support and understanding you can get. AANI is ready, willing and able to contribute its own quota of quiet but dependable support. Call
us any time. We need no notice, whatever the subject matter.
If things are to improve in this country, there is unending list of issues, which must be addressed. Some of these include:
1. National Integration: removing the ghost of fragmentation in Nigeria.
2. POLITICS AND Nigerian politicians
3. The Police and National Security
4. Poverty Alleviation and economic Development Issues
5.
Infrastructure issues: communication, Transportation, water and energy generating and distribution
6. Constitution
7. Strategies for recovery of looted funds
8. The theory and practise of the doctrine of
separation of powers as well as devolution of power in a Presidential Democracy.
9. Role of the Military in a civilian democracy
10. Youth and gender issues
11. Corruption: Discipline and Accountability
12. Unemployment, Crime, Poverty and Violence
13. Environmental Issues
14. Justice, Ethical and Peace issues
15. Nigeria's role in global politics
16. Diplomatic and International Networking
17. Leadership training and development for better governance.
18. NIPSS and role in national building
19. Nigeria and reputation Management
20. Educational sector improvement strategies
21. Niger-Delta.
We have well-documented position papers on all these and more. Permit me Mr President to comment briefly on only three of these namely:
1. NIPSS and role in Nagano-Building
With visionary leadership,
NIPSS can fill a unique and clearly necessary institutional niche in Nigeria. This nation urgently needs to grapple with the challenges and pressures of democratic reforms and resuscitation of the economy.
Nigeria's chances of avoiding the pitfalls that undermined previous efforts and evolving sustainable and effective strategies for national development and stable governance will be greater if there is an early
recognition of the need to develop an African model that is responsive to and supportive of an Afrocentric view rather than an attempt to mimic Western models that are not necessarily relevant to African realities.
Nigeria has a wealth of gifted intellectuals and skilled politicians and economists. There is a need however to build an institutional base for cognitive work that can effectively bridge the gap between the
theoretical and experimental environment of the University and the practical but narrowly focused undertakings of legislative and political bodies. NIPSS is a logical site for such an enterprise. And it can
function as a socially acceptable avenue for continue high level participation by many of Nigeria's most gifted and talented leaders. In the hands of a visionary leader, indeed in your hands sir, NIPSS and AANI
constitute a potent vehicle, a strategic community that can be used for accelerated realisation of your mandate.
Now we have a new director – general, in the person of major general Joseph Garba. With him
in the saddle, and with his experience and exposure we accept that the process of revamping and properly repositioning the institute will start in earnest. However, we recommend that a strong team of staffers and
relevantly exposed and experienced board members must be in place for NIPSS.
With the support of the Presidency, AANI is determined to get involved in the general upliftment of the Institute. We are working
on a comprehensive assessment of what is on ground with a view to coming up with practical plans which will enhance the general condition of the institute. These will include improving the general learning
environment, in terms of quality infrastructure, both human and physical, improvement in staff welfare and their ability to perform their duties and the revision of the curriculum to relate and respond appropriately to
our changing circumstances.
We should also be looking at the welfare package for our members as well as the quality control of participants selected for the senior Executive courses. Whatever criteria
prevailed in the past must now be reviewed, while the agreed requisites for participation must strictly be adhered to. The Institute must be able to vouch for the competence and integrity of any of the alumnae.
2. Leadership Training and development for better governanceIt is a critical imperative that the three arms as well as the three tiers of government must function competently and responsibly within the
purview of their respective constitutional prerogatives. Area of conflict and overlapping of functions must be consciously and deliberately whittled down. Functionaries at every level of governance must also
be satisfactorily perform their functions. They require the requisite skills in a wide spectrum of national and indeed international matters in order to be able to touch the lives of thier people. At this
time the demands are high, the stakes are higher, while the challengers are enormous. To assist in this crucial areas of institutions and capacity building for our public functionaries n effective policy
formulation, implementation and in the understanding of basic issues relating to their functions, AANI is willing in collaboration with NIPSS to facilitate specially-packaged retreats, short courses, seminars and
workshops for our leaders at the various levels of governance.
We realise that ours is a nascent democratic dispensation. We know that many of the elected members are virtually political trios. They
need to trained to use a large map, the pan-Nigerian map, rather than hear, see and judge every issue from the narrow point of view of the LGA they represent. The truth is that there are many people in Nigeria,
but there are still very few true Nigerians. We must uplicised three-day packaged courses on Nigeria. Nobody goes through kunt and remains the same. If you are a tribalist, you become detribalised, if
you are too fixed in your opinion, your mind becomes broadened. If you entered as a true Nigerian, you become even more broadened to express your Nigerianess. This sir, was your dream when you set up
NIPSS in 1979. I know that NIPSS would gladly facilitate such packaged courses. The package will include such subjects as Federalism, national integration, constitution making, national reconciliation,
economic development, justice ethics and peace, information technology, international relations and unemployment to mention a few. Such course will make our legislators better aware of the true Nigerian situation,
get them to know one another better, promote good governance and cut down time spent on avoidable verbiage and endless distractions. It will alleviate the prevalent poverty of ideas in our nation.
With the
thilness of time, even civil servants at the federal, state and local government levels as well as CiflOs in the private sector, labour leaders and journalist will be exposed to short term enlightenment courses.
Promising youths with leadership potentials will be exposed to the demands, duties and interdependent world. In this way, major operators of the system will buy into the national vision and mission and help in
consolidating Nigeria's nationhood. Leadership training never fails as was aptly documented in the May 1990 Kampala Document on the Conference on security, Stability development and corporation in Africa
(CSSDA). Other countries have carries out and continue to carry out training programmes quietly and successful. Nigeria can do it. And NIPSS is the place.
In order for NIPSS to operate
effectively in facilitating this desire, it has become very necessary to strengthen its capacity to shoulder the responsibility. This is especially by way of not only improving the infrastructural facilities in
Kuru, but also redoubling our efforts at putting in place a befitting Conference centre for AANI in Abuja. This conference Centre will serve, among other things as a NIPSS satellite resource centre, where access
to the vast resource and intellectual work done at kuru shall become a lot easier for public and private sector functionaries who require such materials. We are therefore using this opportunity to remind the
government about its commitment towards the quick realisation of the AANI Conference Centre Project.
3. Nigeria and reputation Management This issue must be addressed both locally and
internationally, The Nigerian must begin to trust his government again. The rest of the world must feel comfortable again to interact and do business with the country. This will take time. How we are
packaged and presented in today's world is very critical to the amount of good will and positive acclaim we will generate. In the November 30, 1998 edition of time magazine, Nigeria took and paid for a 16 page
country profile advertisement to boost our image and reputation in the eyes of the world. In the long run, it is what we do, not what we claim to be, that will serve as the testimony of our reputation. There
are three quick points to note.
First of all, the average Nigerian wants to see an improvement in his condition of living and to reside in a country where his rights are guaranteed, and his future and that of his
dependents is protected. Every other thing, to him becomes the usual ratings of the dite. The critical questions are: is there a break from the past, a dramatic shift from conducting business as usual;
and is the President really touching base with his people as promised during campaigns? And are all mobilised for the tasks ahead? These are the questions on which the reputation of this government will be
as far as the average citizen is concerned.
Secondly, we must realise that foreign affairs matters nowadays go beyond bilateral visits, signing of treaties and agreements. Communication is the key to foster
quality and beneficial relationships. Foreign based affairs has become national interest-focused; it essentially thrives on forging alliances and real time networks that focus on fulfilling national
aspirations. Brash, abrasive isolationist diplomacy has proven to have far-reaching negative implications. We must make a u-turn and forge a new reputation, which will elevate the status of Nigerians and by
extension, of Africans and black man everywhere.
Thirdly, our President himself must regularly pause and give himself a quiet self-audit. He will not be the first leader to do so. Leaders and
legendary icons like Roosevelt, Churchhill, mahatma Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Julius Nyerere, kwame Nkurumah, John F. Kennedy, nelson Mandela and Pope John Paul II have been known to frequently carry our self-audits on
their reputations in order to ensure that they carry out their mandate thus securing a respectable place in history. Even our Lord Jesus Christ carries out a reputation check on himself. In the book of
Matthew 16;13-16, we read that Jesus as he came to Caesarea Philippi asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" We can assure Mr. President that anytime you ask such a candid question, we of AANI will
provide you with equally candid answers. When push comes to shore, you can depend on us for sincere assessments.
Conclusion In spite of everything, Nigeria remains a potentially
prosperous country. Nigeria has been described as a place where the best is impossible but where the worst never happens. We may not have been in the fore front of technology, having little or no roles in
the technological quantum leap of this century which produced the aeroplane, the computer the television, the satellites or the journey to the moon and the cloning of dolly the sheep. But we have been shared the
harrowing experiences of Vietnam, Rwanda, kosovo or the famines, the typhoons and the earth quakes that have hit many a nation. We may have had it really rough and tough in the last several years. But now we
have been messed with a leader who is a leader in hope. In this connection, Mr. President, permit me to quote from your comments at the seminar on the prospects, opportunities and problems of the Nigerian civil
administration, which you caused to be organised at the Sheraton hotel and towers at Abuja from Monday 17th May – 22ndMay 1999. You said inter alia: "the multifarious challenges we must face, fight
and conquer are challenges which seen daunting, I on behalf of Nigeria accept the challenge together, we will, with courage and determination fight and win. If our nation is to survive and prosper and take her
place in the comity of nations, this is what we will do: we must arrest the drift, return to the path of law, order and honour. We must reconstruct and rehabilitate our national institutes, restore the confidence
and faith of our citizens in this nation, rekindle the hope of our youth and earn the confidence and respect of our friends throughout the world.
AANI says Amen to your agenda and assures you of continued, committed, and credible support.
Thank you. |
