All governments—democratic, authoritarian, militocratic, capitalist, or communist—must separate politics from the public welfare.
Nigerian governments initially focused on the people and fulfilling a common desire for an independent life, one independent of the negative interference that has grown to draw back the essential progress of the people necessary for Nigeria to be a real 2023 country reckoned with other countries and not just a 419 joke.
Before the mid-60s and late 80s milito-political turmoil, citizens found and retained jobs, the country prospered, and manufacturing assumed its proper place because governments enabled mass education and labor, notably through cooperatives and factories.
There should be more places to capture people and hold them.
Sadly, it is now clear that governments have consistently failed the citizenry while excelling in illegality by oppressing them through the criminal activities of unsupervised security personnel and civil servants neglecting their duty or creating obstacles to “normal services” at every opportunity.
To restore government-citizen respect, ministry visits must be discontinued since most citizens are repelled by them. Even when government officials preach about “efficiency,” “Ease of Doing Business,” “anti-corruption,” and “whistle blowers will be protected,” hype outweighs effect.
Lack of office-level control causes ministry and agency workers to overlook service delivery. Nigeria would collapse if it cannot offer drinkable water, 24/7 electric power, pothole-free roads heading in new directions, mass transport, security, expansion of industry and manufacturing, and a better currency value with a planned $50-100b foreign reserve increase.
Previous government ignored life, limb, and property security. Nations need stability. We all watch police and crime movies, so even youngsters know how to prepare a crime scene using tape, gloves, masks, plastic garments, specimen bottles and bags, fingerprint and camera equipment, and tape.
How did our cops overlook this vital security knowledge? 2023–27 administration emphasised security. Buhari mourned and sent condolences almost every day for our brave fallen security heroes and over 63,000 -100,000 estimated dead during 2015-2023, not to mention the unfortunate thousands kidnapped, wickedly murdered, returned, or still held in captivity, most notably Leah Sharibu, and five million IDPs.
Still APC, Nigerians anticipate security improvements. Worst insecurity. Many are impoverished due to the economic and legal finances. Imagine if all governments provided wages and pensions.
Imagine the tens of thousands of families, thousands of small businesses, and millions of people who would have gained a better education, established a new business, improved an existing business, escaped debt and poverty, won family respect, and reduced crime.
Capture and waiting areas are needed. Ibadan passport applicants sit beneath trees till situations improve?
Policing requires far increased use of forensic laboratories in every state and enhanced forensic understanding at even LGA level, including basic logical taping-off of crime scenes and sharing of crime scene and victim photos with police. Nigeria’s 5-6 fingerprint and facial recognition databases and 2-4-week passport delivery.
No Nigerian government can accomplish the minimal Sustainable Development Goal updated targets with outdated infrastructure, staff, or processes. Health, security, power, transport, education, and pay inequalities influence the nation.
Focusing on fattening politicians can deter governments from “Putting Politicians First”. The ridiculous and unethical salaries, perks, and pensions compared to the minimum salary of N30k and what other politicians worldwide earn relative to Nigerian population showed this past government behavior. Politician salaries are strategic security. President Tinubu, start.
