Nigeria is at the point
in history where it needs to be pre-occupied with translating its economic
growth into economic development; this is what her contemporaries like Brazil,
Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India and so on are doing. While economic growth is simply an increase in
a country’s total output of goods and services, economic development refers
to economic growth accompanied by changes in output distribution and economic
structure. These changes may include an improvement in the material well-being
of the poorer half of the population; a decline in agriculture’s share of GDP
and a corresponding increase in the GDP share of industry and services; an
increase in the education and skills of the labour force; and substantial
technical advances originating within the country. Development draws attention
to changes in capacities (Nafziger 2006). The description of development we
have here is certainly not where we are and surely not where we will be by 2020
and beyond going by prevailing trends.
You might say but we
are building bridges, roads, schools, hospitals, training ex-militants, etc but
you know and I know that we have so much more not done than have been done
given the same resources. The problem? Personal interests are elevated above
and beyond national interests where both of them meet. Economic development,
which we all crave for in Nigeria, from the definition above, is a process that
calls for all hands on deck unfortunately, it will be a dream in the distant
future unless we re-align our values knowing that no economy develops beyond its ideals and values. We are at the
verge of an implosion if we don’t put out the fire we have set on ourselves. Development
rests heavily on values. Let’s talk about national interest as a desired
value.
A person with a strong
sense of national interest will always ask- what
will be the short-run and/or long-run effects of my actions on majority of the
people? What is in it for us as against what is in it for me? Those who are
driven by this value will not for example succumb to the temptation of collecting
‘settlement’ from the road contractor so that he will build roads that will
last for years and not just days (like we currently have it, especially the
feeder roads).
Driven by this value, you
will refuse the gratification to sit for exams for others because doing so only
tells those people they are ‘helping’ that they can eat their cake and have it,
that hard work does not pay and that the only way out is the short cut; traits they
will carry over to their places of responsibility in the country.
I have national
interest at heart when I ask my politician brother who is a public servant what
he has done or is doing to better the lot of the public than how much wealth he
has amassed or is amassing for himself and family and by extension, generations
yet to be born .
The skills of the
labour force cannot be increased, industry cannot thrive and technical advances
will not be recorded for development if the means to do so is hijacked by
people who don’t care about everybody else.
What are you talking
about Emeka? Is it not when I see myself as a stakeholder in a project that I commit
myself to it? Well, I know that for the vast majority of Nigerians who don’t
have dual citizenship, they don’t have stakes elsewhere apart from here. Let me
ask you pointedly; where else are your interests? This country will be good if
we start seeing it as ours. If we start seeing it through the faces of those
kids we teach, those who will consume our products, members of our
constituencies, members of our worship centers, our friends, neighbours and so
on.
A child that is
nurtured and given attention will not just grow in size but also develop in
capacity.
Nigeria is my child and
I’m committed to her growth and development. Make this your commitment too.
Don’t forget that
development is value based; one of which is national interest.
God bless Nigeria.
Be inspired!
Remain motivated!
Reference
Aiyede The State, Values and Development:
Towards Re-orientating the Nigerian Youth for Positive Leadership. University of Ibadan,
Nigeria. Assessed online at http://www.cbaac77.com/archives/pdf/Dr.%20Rem_Ayede.pdf
Nafziger (2006) Economic Development. New York:
Cambridge University Press.
No comments:
Post a Comment