Our nation, Nigeria, is home to some of the most intellectually gifted people on earth. Our contributions to global development—from medicine to information technology—are immense and undeniable.
In the diaspora, Nigerians are renowned as the most educated nationality. This starkly contrasts with the reality at home, where we face a perplexing paradox: a nation blessed with unparalleled human and natural resources, yet constantly sliding towards underdevelopment and state failure.
Our geography encompasses three distinct climate zones, enabling us to grow a vast range of food and cash crops. Beneath our soil lies a wealth of minerals: iron ore, limestone, gold, tin, coal, bitumen, and more, alongside massive oil and gas reserves. The critical question is: why, with such endowments and a reservoir of intellectual giants, does our homeland remain so backward?
The answer, while complex, is not mysterious. We universally agree on a leadership crisis, but our true failure is our inability to resolve it. Many propose solutions—political restructuring, a return to the 1963 constitution, rotational presidency, state police. While I do not claim our current structure is perfect, I believe the core problem is not the structure itself, but the acute misfits running the system and the concentration of excessive power in the hands of individuals rather than institutions.
To solve this, we must deliberately strip powers from politicians and vest them in robust, self-correcting systems. This transformative change must be driven by a coalition of three critical groups: our academia as the national think tank; our professional bodies as the engine of implementation and our judiciary as the guarantor of justice.
A thriving society is impossible without a fair and incorruptible justice system. This is currently undermined by executive control over security agencies, allowing the government to pick and choose which court orders to obey. I therefore urgently call on the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Judicial Council and security agencies to convene a judicial summit to sponsor a constitutional amendment that would remove the security apparatus from executive control and place it as a partner under the judiciary; create a new, transparent mechanism for appointing judges and security chiefs and constitutionally mandate funding for these critical arms.
Furthermore, for decades, our government has outsourced national infrastructure to foreign entities, leading to colossal debt with little to show. We must look inward. The Dangote Refinery stands as a testament to Nigerian capability. We have the raw materials and the human capital; we only need the will, equipment and training.
This requires a paradigm shift in our thinking. Our political class reflects our societal acceptance of mediocrity and sycophancy. To change this, the academia must evolve into a proactive national think tank, working hand-in-hand with professional bodies. Every sector of our economy has decayed because professionals within them have no say in their leadership. Why should a governor or president appoint a minister of health without the input of doctors, pharmacists and nurses? This must end. I call on every professional body to convene with academia and practitioners to create a vision for their sector and insist on selecting their own competent, character-driven representative for executive councils.
Our universities must also expand their mandate beyond teaching to become active drivers of national policy and industrial development, commercialising research and fostering innovation. We must also focus on specific sectors like the neglected maintenance industry and reform our transport sector by leveraging the capital within unions like the NURTW to enforce standards and improve infrastructure.
Finally, we must address the elephants in the room: tribalism and religion. To command respect and ensure defence, we must build a nation of trained citizens by implementing training in arms use and national service. As a secular state, we must fully regulate religious activities to emphasise love and tolerance. We must prioritise nationhood by replacing the State of Origin with State of Residence and reject anthems that divide us.
True change would come from people-centric laws that empower institutions, not individuals. If we legislate that every home must have portable water and basic amenities, we would industrialise overnight. Ultimately, we must build a nation where love prevails, for love fosters fairness, fairness leads to justice and with justice comes peace and progress. This task is ours alone; only Nigerians can build Nigeria.
Yours in service,
Chukwuma Udeh
Founder, Foundation for Industrialisation and Orientation Network (FION)
