Nigeria at 100: 2015 polls, test case for future –PDP chieftain

■ Lists 3 options for survival

From YINKA FABOWALE, Ibadan

One-time chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Lekan Balogun has said the 2015 elections will decide the future of Nigeria after it has struggled with the problem of nation-building and development for 100 years.
He lamented what he described as a colossal waste of opportunities to build a virile, strong and prosperous nation even after colonial experience on the eve of Nigeria’s centenary, recently.
Balogun, the third in rank to the Olubadan stool, described the foundation of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates by Lord Lugard as faulty, but regretted that successive post independence regimes squandered chances to truly unify and develop the country, made up of diverse religious, cultural and tribal tendencies.
He said the 1914 amalgamation was in line with modern political trend which implied that the bigger the nation, the better, citing successful nations of the world like USA, China and the defunct Soviet Union as examples.
He, however, regretted that the divisive issues of religion and tribes were often played down in the more advanced countries, which explained their success, unlike what obtains in Nigeria.
His words: “Look at the most powerful nations in this world today: USA, China and the old Soviet Union, it is not by accident that they are the largest nations, whoever was behind the amalgamation has in mind some workable variables. If you look at all the variables of big nations in the world; you consider the resources and population. The divisive issues of religion and tribes are often played down in these more successful nations of the world.” He noted that the difference between the successful amalgamation and the failures had to do with the reversal of the variables that made the success of the aforementioned nations.
“Balogun blamed the colonialists for laying the foundation of the pit Nigeria is by playing up religious and tribal sentiments. They allocated resources and made appointments on the basis of those variables. They gave the impression that there are major or minority ethnic nationalities within the amalgamated protectorates who had a right to leadership, whereas every nationality has equal right as the other.”
He submitted that the last 100 years had recorded monumental failure economically, socially and politically but stressed that “potentially we are a great nation.”
The Osi Olubadan said the country is faced with three options today to rid itself of the crisis of under-development and take its seat among the greatest nations of the world.
The, options, according to him, are fundamental reversal of the existing trend of maladministration and corruption; a coup d’état which, he however, noted had become unpopular; retrogressive and as such may not likely happen easily and the third: outright revolution.
Of the three options above, Balogun said the revolutionary option was the most viable.
For Nigeria to survive as one nation, he said leaders and followers alike must forget religious or ethnic affiliations and do justice to the nation.
He said: “2015 is a major test case for the transformation. If we handle it well, it could be the beginning of a new nation.
But if we fail to handle it well, it may confirm America’s prophecy of doom whereby Nigeria will disintegrate. But I pray honestly that America’s prediction is proved wrong.”

-via Sunwp_posts