- Failure taking shape almost at all levels – Fr. Raymond Anoliefo
- Corruption, worst enemy of the country – Sir Folu Adekoya
Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo, Director, Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Archdiocese of Lagos and Sir Folu Adekoya KSJI, immediate past President of Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria believe that Nigeria has not fared better over the years, even under a democratic system. Describing Nigeria as a mixed bag at 63, Fr. Anoliefo blamed the woes of the country on bad leadership. When asked in an interview with The Catholic Herald Weekly newspaper on what he thinks of the country at 63, he said, “First of all, from a positive standpoint, grateful to God that Nigeria as a country is 63 after independence.
And we are thankful to God for the abundance of human and natural resources for the good people across the length and breadth of the country. The dynamism and everything that this country is blessed with. So, from a positive point of view, some level of gratitude. “But now, from a realistic point of view, pragmatic view point, not much to be excited about in the entity called Nigeria; failure taking shape almost at all levels. And with current impasse we are going through, the current challenges we are going through, the fuel subsidy removal and its attendant challenges, inflation almost approaching 30 percent, unemployment rate, regardless of the shenanigans of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Unemployment is ridiculously on the high side, and the crisis of food. “There’s a whole lot. The economic indices are terrible, security is at an all time low across the country; from the south to the north, it’s all tale routes of banditry, terrorism, kidnappings and what have you. And it almost seems like the leaders have no answer, no clue to what they want to do. “So, it’s a mixed bag of being positively optimistic that by the grace of God that we have all that it takes to be a great nation.” Fr. Anoliefo further analyses the state of the nation, “But realistically, we are fumbling all the way.
The last elections are nothing to write home about. The decisions of the judiciary have also left so much to be desired. And the only thing we are still hanging onto is hope. “There’s insecurity. There’s lawlessness. There’s impunity. There’s corruption, and what have you. All the negative things can be said about this country. So, Nigeria at 63, I think it’s a mixed bag, but I think we can tighten our belts and beyond just being hopeful, that we intentionally work at getting ourselves out of the dungeon that we have found ourselves. “There’s laxity everywhere. The three arms of government, the executive, legislature, judiciary just so poor, so bad.
The armed forces, the police; it’s so disheartening. “Health care, there’s not so much. Education, not so much to be proud of now. Well, we thank God for life and for a country we can call our own.” He blamed the leaders collectively. “It’s just an unfortunate situation. It’s not about Mr. President, it’s all of them. Look at the Senate President. Look at those who are there with him, looking for prayer points or prayer that will be sent to their emails. Legislators that resumed sitting in the month of June as it were, and then in August, they are going on recess after two months, and will have to be paid. So, why are they going on recess? It’s just a criminal establishment.” Sir Adekoya shared similar views about Nigeria’s circumstances at 63, but not without sincere appreciation to God.
He said, “First and foremost, in my own opinion, we have to give all glory to God because there is something that God has averted for us in this country, and that is the natural disaster which is happening in some countries; like earthquake and a host of others. So, we have to give thanks to God for this aversion of such calamity not befalling Nigeria. “Though, we have swamp, which I think in my own opinion are created, or are made to happen by negligence of actual good planning. The recent one in Abuja can be a typical one while building on drainages or the way of water. That is one thing that we will have to take note of again.” Sir Adekoya related Nigeria’s journey side by side his growing up years and career advancement. “Then, getting back to what I think about Nigeria, because when the independence was granted to Nigeria, I was ten years old.
We had a dream by the time we were living secondary school; and then, some of us travelled abroad and came back, hoping that Nigeria would transform into a great nation from what we have seen. And initially, in the early 60s Nigeria was progressing gradually. “But late 70s to early 80s, because that is when I started my life, working in the late 70s. And then we were seeing some few things that were encouraging. Our foreign exchange was something good. I could remember vividly that when I’m travelling to Europe, that is UK, I even go with naira because I know I can spend naira there. “But that is not so now. So, we have gone totally deteriorated.
The education system is something else. And then the health care system also, because these are social things that make people to travel abroad. And then, the care for elderly ones is not in place. When you are approaching retirement age, you have the notion that if you don’t embezzle so as to keep some money to keep life going, you will not be able to live the standard you were living before you are retired. So, this now makes people to see embezzlement, fraud as the way out that after they retire, they would have something to live on, which is not appropriate. “That is corruption at all levels. That’s the way I see it; corruption at all levels. Even when you are going into a certain place, and then you are driving in, first time the gateman acknowledges you. Whenever you are coming in you are a visitor in that place, and you are not taking care of the gateman, you will see his reaction in attending to you. So, corruption is one of the worst enemies that Nigeria has today. “
And then, the fast-track which the youths of these days are now taking is something worrisome because somebody at the age of 25, 27 wants to ride a Range Rover, wants to ride a very big Benz, which cost so much that his father when he was growing up wasn’t even able to afford to buy a Volkswagen. Now, they are living on the high track. “So, something has to be done for our youths to redefine them so they will start living a life that has future for Nigeria, because if this continues with the youths, Nigeria has no place to go. Youths everywhere are talking about the fast-track way of making money; and then drug, which l always look at and say ‘oh my God, what’s Nigeria turning to?’
That’s an aspect that brings worry as Nigeria attains 63 years of independence, and then, we have not seen the place of the youths of this country, and things are now, very, very bad the way we are going. He bemoaned the high cost of governance. “Then, let us talk about the politicians. Too many positions. Too many offices that have to be used. And then, every office has to be paid. They should try as much as possible to reduce the offices. The number of ministers that we have, I will not say they are not going to be effective in the work they are going to do. But each minister will now have special assistant, senior special assistant, personal assistant, and then that consumes money that can be used to employ the youths. Is the less privileged benefiting from it? So, we continue to look forward, and then, hope and trust since the government has asked us to be ‘hopeful’, and then we are waiting for that hope to come into reality.” Sir Adeokoya added, “We have seen so many things that they have started. Do they have the will and determination to continue to see if Nigeria can be reformed because Nigeria is in a state that needs to be partially reformed from all that has come its path? “
Then, we look at the security issue also. The security aspect is also something we need to work on. Although it’s not a day’s job because the kidnapping and other things that are going on are worrisome, also. But with the steps and then the new Chiefs of Staff and everybody that has now been in place, and then the Inspector General of Police, I think they could rebrand the security aspect of this country. Honestly, it is worrisome. “We need so many social amenities for the benefit of the less privilege. Hospital is one of it. And then, the basic primary education where children of the less privilege can attend. And then, the public secondary schools should also be well equipped so, we could also see that our future which is our children, are being grounded well.
Let’s define it, either the children go to technical school or go to college of education. These are some of the things in my own view that have to be done for a better Nigeria. “Nigeria like I said in the beginning, we thank God that we are still existing. War has not happened. War has not started in Nigeria that would have caused more problems for us. So we give all glory to God. We will continue to pray for Nigeria; the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria designed a prayer entitled, ‘Prayer for Nigeria in Distress’.”
• Read full text of interview with Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo next week.