NIGERIA IS A FAILED STATE
Nigeria as a country lacks nothing in the distinctive elements that is used in a Nation building. But, up to today, Nigeria is not a nation-state. If the traditional meaning of state, is a politically organized body of people under a single government then, Nigeria is a state but a failed one. Calling Nigeria a failed state may draw the attention of critics but, despite this fact, I remain resolute in my conviction and I stand firm to defend it.
The institutions of the state in Nigeria is different from the one we used to know in our literature. Literally, the state has institutions and machineries that fuel the continuation of justice, rule of law, human rights, democracy and good governance but, in the case of Nigeria, the institutions meant to impose this control are weak.
We have the judicial institution, it is the institution that is meant for delivering justice and equality before the law. But our own judiciary is contrary to the one that exist in literatures, Nigeria’s judiciary is different. Instead of administering justice and treating people equally before the law, they engulf in corrupt practices, making the judicial institution weak and rendering it useless. The executive do not escape the flight of nepotism, mismanagement, bribery and corruption, not to mention the institution that is charge with the responsibility of making laws, which will guide the conduct and affairs of the state (legislature). The ravaging of these 3 authoritative institutions of the state, earnestly dissemble the role of other institutions, such as Education, Police, military and paramilitary institutions that made up the Nigerian state.
Looking at what our institutions has become, it made many patriotic citizens to lose hope, that Nigeria will someday be redeemed and finally develop like her counterparts in Africa, Europe, Asia and America. Instead of our educational institutions to stick to its natural course of impacting knowledge and morality to students, who in due time will become leaders at various institutions of the state, it is now degraded to a place where immorality and incompetency has become a culture. The indecency that exist between lecturers and students, is quite alarming, not to talk of injustice of not allowing students in certain departments to graduate with a particular class of degree. The evil forces of corruption infiltrated the mother of all institutions (education), so what do you think will happen to other institutions?
The police institution in Nigeria has long been condemned for their haunts corrupt practices, which led to the slogan of “Nigerian police are corrupt”. Their involvement in politics, makes the already existing corruption in the institution to extend beyond imagination. Times without number, they were used to abuse the rule and supremacy of law instead of them to enforce it. The police institution appear not to know their traditional function since, the military has been performing the function of maintaining internal security.
The military institution is not so different from the police institution. They lack military professionalism because of their involvement in mainstream politics. Bribery and corruption, nepotism, mismanagement, ethnic bigotry, abuse of law, violation of human rights and other indecencies is what made up the behavior of our military. The morale that makes up part of their behavior is gone.
Paramilitary institutions doesn’t know their functions talk less, of its limit. They intertwine in the function of each other and makes the system weak. Both the citizens and leaders lack confidence and hope for the Nigerian state not to mention, patriotism.
Of late, many people believed that restructuring Nigeria will end the existing quagmire. The country was entangled in a serious dissent regarding the issue of restructuring. But, is restructuring the solution to Nigeria’s problems? I doubt so, what is the essence of restructuring when the institutions are not at fault but the people? The political system of Nigeria, is what other countries used in attaining development, so what is stopping us from doing the same?
Can we obviate the numerous problems that besiege and threaten the existence of Nigeria? If at all, we cannot do away with the issue of ethnicity, nepotism, mismanagement, bribery and corruption, indeed we are a failed state.
Yaseer Ismail Kugu
Twitter handle Yasoh
