Redefining Nigeria

Amagargal Renechinnyam

Nigerians urged to redirect their priority as Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation concludes Democracy lecture
By Olawale Abideen
No country can break up if the citizens of the country do not wish to do so, Nigeria must be reinvented.” This was the position of many speakers at the 9th annual Democracy lecture organised by the Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation, CENCOD.
The centre which recently launched a book that x-rayed the level of Human Rights abuse in Nigeria commended the Civil Liberties Organisation CLO, Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, CDHR over what it termed “the duo's long history of consistent struggle against abuse of rights."
The guest lecturer, Amagargal Renechinnyam, former Prime Minister of Mongolia in his lecture titled. The Mongolian Democratic Experience: Any lessons for Africa, urged Nigeria to take a cue from the Mongolia example on economic development. Amagargal noted that there cannot be meaningful political development until there is structural foundation for economic growth. The former Mongolian leader added that his country's style of privatisation is such that each and every citizen of Mongolia buys the shares of any privatised company. He also added that no company or country has up to fifty percent share in any corporation in Mongolia. He disclosed that Nigeria's idea of selling its public corporations to particular persons, group or country is dangerous to the economic health of the country.
“Mongolia before 1989 was a country of authoritarian political system. The country, for many years was governed by dictatorship with no opposition, no freedom of speech and total control of the media. The economic principle of the country then was purely socialism. But on December 10, 1989, there was democratic revolution that started with small demonstration. This was later expanded as there was a total change of social attitude because people were ready to accept democracy. This led to the collapse of the socialist camp. It was a dual transition of both political and economic change that led to building and strengthening of political parties.” Amagargal he urged Nigerians to spell out in its constitution, the role, membership and how to finance the political parties in the country. He also urged civil organisation to step up the war against corruption because according to him, corruption weakens democracy.”
Although some participants at the event were skeptical about the lessons that could shape Nigeria's development. Abiodun Aremu, Secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF) expressed doubt over the entrenchment of real democracy in Mongolia. Aremu argued that there is no democracy in the world even in the United States, China or Nigeria hence the economic fortune of these countries are determined by few instead of collective participation.
In her view, Stella Nkem – Onyekpe, Managing Director of Stellkins Nigeria limited argued that the population of Mongolia put at 2.8 million is incomparable to Nigeria and that Mongolia’s policies may not be effective in Nigeria. Onyekpe noted that population explosion may be one of the numerous challenges facing the country.
While commending the Mongolian former Prime Minister for enlightening Nigerians to issues in Mongolia, Gabriel Ajayi, a retired Colonel and President, International foundation for the Advancement of Social and Cultural Right (IFASCR) appealed to Nigeria not to be perturbed by claims of the western world of a possible break-up of Nigeria. Ajayi noted that investigations has shown that no Nigerian wish the country to disintegrate and that Nigerians must emulate a social change of attitude as the one that transformed Mongolia.
Corroborating Ajayi’s claim, Biodun Kolawole, a social rights crusader pointed to the fact that few elites in Nigeria who are reaping from the recent political structure have made peaceful change impossible hence the need to redirect priority.
Earlier in his address, president of CENCOD, Sylvester Odion, Akhaine noted that Nigeria is witnessing some challenges today because of inability of state actors to fulfill their mandate. Akhaine agreed that unimaginable social problems have over shadowed the country, listing some of them to include “sophisticated armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, prostitution ritual killings, gang raping and suicide bombing" claiming that most Nigerians are silent over the problems. He commended the media which he described as the only strength that has been championing Nigerias' plight and urged Nigerians to ask questions on issues bordering on development.