Dr Austin Nweze of the School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos Business School) shared with PAUL OMOROGBE his perspective on leadership, economy and the people of Nigeria as the country clocks 54 years since independence. Excerpts:
What has been the lot of Nigerians economically over the years since independence?
The people have been left poorer at 54. In 1996 or so, when one of the Clintons visited Nigeria, about 40 per cent of Nigerians were said to be living below poverty level. But in 2014, about 71 per cent of Nigerians still live below poverty level. What is responsible for this? A whole lot of factors! Some aspects of the economy have grown. Due to the rebasing, the economy has been said to be larger than what it was before, and some sectors that were not captured in the previous rebasing exercise were captured, like Nollywood. Media and entertainment in Nigeria is the fastest growing in the world and it accounts for two to four per cent of the country’s GDP. These are just a few indicators of how the economy is growing.
In terms of balance of trade, not much has been exported apart from oil, and in the account balance in terms of import of foreign exchange into the country, even though it has gone down from $11 billion in the past year or so, to about $7billion, it is still the highest in Africa.
Has democracy benefited the people of Nigeria?
Democracy has never and can never develop any economy. Democracy can never provide jobs for people. Democracy cannot cure sicknesses or improve the health sector. What develops an economy is leadership, not democracy. Africa and Nigeria are making a huge mistake by running the kind of democracy we run.
Democracy without true leadership is retrogressive. Democracy with leadership based on greed, leadership based on selfishness is retrogressive. We need visionary leadership, like the type we have seen in Dubai, Singapore and Brazil. When Vision 2020 was conceived by Yar’Adua, Brazil was number 10! But between then and now Brazil has moved to number 6, taking over Britain and others. Why? Because of visionary leadership! We need to begin to look at the big picture, but our leaders have been so myopic and parochial in their thinking. They are short term thinkers. At 54, I am not happy the way the nation is.
Who do you hold responsible?
I hold the Nigerian elite responsible for how the nation is. The political elite, professional elite and business elite, I hold them responsible! Because the elite in any country in the world determine the direction where the country is headed. But Nigeria’s elite are confused. They don’t know what they want. They don’t want to participate in the process. They are all concerned about themselves! I am happy that Nigeria is still one nation at 54, but beyond that I am highly disappointed at the way the leadership and economy is. What future is there for our children? We need to participate in the process.
During the colonial era, our leaders were interested only providing leadership of liberation. They kicked out the colonial masters. But when they got power, they asked what do we do with it? They were confused. So they said, let us sit down and hold on to power and consolidate power. They did not understand leadership of development. Africa has not learned leadership of development. I hold Nigeria responsible for what is happening in Africa, because Nigeria is supposed to provide leadership. The whole of Africa looks up to Nigeria for leadership.
The president of Ghana, when he was vice president said Nigeria should lead Africa out of the woods. Africa is looking to Nigeria to wake up!
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