Most Nigerians and many objective observers of the country are of the view that the nation should rightly be classified as a failed state. Evidences of a nation that can be regarded as a failed state are very glaring, even to the blind and audible to the deaf in Nigeria. They are characteristics that mark Nigeria out negatively from other politically and economically sane nations globally.

The nation is characterised by failed road network all over the country. In fact, the picture that Nigerian roads present to regular road users is that of a nation without government. Potholes developing into craters that can almost swallow a whole vehicle could be seen on our so-called express roads for weeks and even months without attracting the attention of those who are being paid with tax payers’ money to do the work. And no one would raise a whimper!

It is not that huge amount of money is not being earmarked for the fixing of the roads yearly, but the results of the money earmarked have not always been “eyemarked.” Where the money earmarked usually ended up remains a known “mystery” to hapless Nigerians. Only those in charge can explain where they are.

To compound the problem, the ubiquity of articulated vehicles (trailers) owned by politically influential and callous businessmen had upstaged the rail system in haulage business across the nation for their exclusive interest. These trucks not only damage the gallingly neglected road network further, they also constitute constant hazards on the roads, claiming lives of many innocent and hapless commuters on daily basis. No one appears bothered about the daily slaughtering of innocent road users by the trucks.

The issue of power supply follows the same sad experience in road network, just as in every other sector in the country. The power supply situation in the country today presents a mark of a failed state. Or, how does anyone explain the relocation of many industries to other nations that are less endowed than Nigeria? For instance, many industries, including those owned by Nigerians, had moved their businesses to more business-friendly environments like Ghana, where they do not have to contend with the suffocating cost of power supply as in Nigeria.

The appalling state of education in the country also clearly points to Nigeria as a failed state. If the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, should wake up today to see what education has become, his reaction would definitely unsettle the powers that be all over the country. The so-called free education today is no more than mere rhetoric or political gimmicks. The sad reality today is that everything about education is a shamble.

Ironically, Nigeria as a polity is one of the richest nations of the world. It can boast of the abundance of readily available human and natural resources. Yet, Nigerians are sadly but justifiably classified among the most wretched people in the world. Majority of Nigerians are wallowing in pervading abject poverty today. Poverty is a common companion or denominator of most Nigerians, though a microscopically few of their compatriots are swimming in the ocean of stupendous opulence. A great irony indeed!

Almost everyone within and outside the country agree that the root cause of this irony is bad leadership unfortunately foisted on the country since independence in 1960. In other words, Nigeria is a victim of mismanagement or maladministration and pervading corruption that characterised governance in the country over years. And bad leaders are always imposed by undemocratic (including pseudo-democratic) processes.

Nigeria had experimented with the parliamentary system of government and ended up in unmitigated failure. The aberrant military regime came, ostensibly to correct some glaring anomalies. The khaki boys not only compounded the problems by multiplying the anomalies they met, they also succeeded in dumping Nigeria in political wilderness, from where it appears the nation does not to know the way out.

Apart from the disastrous experience in the ill-fated Second Republic, another experiment has been on for almost 12 years now, without the much desired breakthrough in any critical area of national life. Many regard the eight years of Obasanjo’s regime as wasted years. Under the late Umaru Yar’Adua, the situation remained sour for Nigerians. It is difficult to objectively assess Jonathan’s efforts so far, given the situation and circumstances surrounding his access to power.

As we are now witnessing the countdown to another periodic charade that we usually call election in Nigeria, it is pertinent to sound it loudly and clearly that 2011 may be the last chance for the nation to ensure peaceful democratic experiment. Lack of genuine democratic culture arising from the sad entrenchment of pervading election rigging culture is the remote root cause of socio-economic decay in the country today.  President Goodluck Jonathan and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, had assured Nigerians of their desire (or is it resolve?) to give Nigerians a free, fair, credible and generally acceptable election in 2011 and consequently steer the nation off its prevailing outrageously expensive pseudo-democracy for the first time.

Papa Awolowo predicted in 1983 that if that year’s election was allowed to be rigged, the nation should say goodbye to democracy for a season. The election witnessed landslide rigging and moonslide violence! Twenty six years after, Nigeria is yet to witness genuine democracy.

If the promise of a credible election fails again in 2011, that should be seen as a way of saying goodbye to peaceful attainment of social, political and economic sanity in Nigeria. And the eternal truth remains: “those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.” In other words, if peaceful democratic changes are prevented by the Nigerian rigging machinery, it will be a clear signal to bloody revolution imperative. So, Nigeria may be in for the last chance to avert a bloody revolution.

The ruling elite reasonably hate the word revolution, even minus the adjective “bloody.” In fact, nobody is in love with violence because of its non-recognition of the innocent. This is why many Nigerians detest this option. But the hard fact about Nigeria today can be seen in a Yoruba proverb that says: “They say a child is foolish, the mother says let him just not die. But the pertinent question is; what kills a person faster than folly?”

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Nigeria only solution :bloody revolution
written by goke elujoba, December 17, 2010

Only a thorough revolution that cleans the nation of corruption,looters,ex-bad leaders and their proteges can change Nigeria for good.

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