Nigeria now in Hobbesian state

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Nigeria has had 16 Presidents and Heads of State since independence in 1960. Each of them has contributed incrementally to nation building. However, while we are not where we were at independence we are not where we ought to be in the comity of nations. We failed to meet any of the eight Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations and we are not on course to meeting any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals barely six years to the end date in 2030. We have set many targets such as Health and Education for All by 2010. Vision 20:2020 was to make us part of the twenty most industrialised countries by 2020, however, they all turned out to be a mirage.

The Tinubu administration which kick started 16 months ago came with the mantra of eight broad Renewed Hope Agenda. Unfortunately, with the rising cost of living occasioned by the removal of subsidy from petrol and the floating of the naira which is our national currency, Nigerians now live in an Hobessian state painted by the philosopher Thomas Hobbes where life is poor, short, brutish and nasty. If at all this administration is making progress as it will want us to believe, let it come out with credible statistics of how many gainful employment has been recorded in 16 months, how many poor have been lifted above the poverty line, state of infrastructure, success in the war against corruption and insecurity. Until the development indices start looking north rather than south, there will be no accolades for this government. There is need for political and economic restructuring. For instance, shouldn’t we reduce the estimated 1,300 Ministries Departments and Agencies currently existing to cut cost of governance? There is need for fiscal federalism that will make states to control their natural resources while paying royalty to the federal government. It is imperative to rein in insecurity; promote ease of doing business and genuinely fight corruption. 

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