A not-for-profit movement, ‘Rescue Nigeria’ says the country required urgent reorientation and good leadership to set it on the path of greatness.
This is part of submissions during an online discussion organised by ‘Rescue Nigeria’, an organ of Initiative for Good and Informed Citizenship.
This is contained in a press release, jointly signed by Biodun Durojaiye and Tunde Odediran for the movement.
The panellists were unanimous on the need for massive reorientation of Nigerians from the infant to the adult population.
The discussion forum noted that the 2023 elections showed deep cracks and that restoring trust among the various ethnic and religious demographics must be the first assignment for any serious administration.
It argued that building a new foundation based on trust, honesty and transparency should, be the most urgent national priority.
The NewsZenith reports that the theme of the online discussion forum is “A New Foundation for Nigeria’s Greatness: Rebuilding Nigeria from the Ground”.
The panellists include Malam Hassan Gimba, a notable journalist; Mallam Abdul Okwechime, a strategic communications consultant and Ms Abiola Raimi, an experienced teacher.
Anike-ade Funke Treasure, a renowned broadcaster and journalist moderated the discussion.
They observed that National Orientation Agency (NOA) was conspicuously found wanting in discharging its duties before, during and after general elections.
They, therefore, called for an overhaul of NOA by injecting new creative professionals with capability to deliver reliable information.
They also want the government to revamp educational curricula to inculcate the values of citizenship in the youth.
Abiola Raimi lamented the widening gap between the poor and the rich in society.
According to her, the disturbing gap is increasingly becoming the defining factor in Nigeria such that the economic reality of people’s daily experiences determines their perspectives.
She argued that the denial of equal political, economic, social and civil opportunities to all Nigerian citizens “is causing a loss of trust and quakes in the system”.
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Raimi blamed the British colonial masters for setting Nigeria and other Commonwealth countries up for failure at independence.
She added that the educational system bequeathed was to maintain the perpetual dominance of the crown, rather than engender creative solutions to national problems.
To her, Nigerians are led into a trap and set up to fight each other, leading to the current quagmire.
“We must start educating our children to move on and start educating the adults to think differently.”
In his contribution, Hassan Gimba argued that leadership has to be deliberately good and responsive.
“This is such that citizens can see that their country is doing a lot for them.
“The current situation is such that an average person provides his own social insurance – security, water and electricity among others.
“But such a person is lacking in critical areas such as healthcare,” Gimba said.
He noted that the just concluded election has further deepened the division amongst Nigerians.
He argued that the new leadership must go all out and be deliberate in building trust and unity.
“As long as people are not united, we can never achieve anything.
“Therefore, we have to do things deliberately that would make us trust one another and forgive one another.”
On his part, Mallam Abdul Okwechime argued that the military intervention in 1966 had greatly impeded Nigeria’s development trajectory.
“We would have learnt some lessons we are learning now, about curbing rigging and ballot-box snatching, if the military had not intervened.
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