The 2019 general election is a great opportunity for Nigerians in general to participate in nation-building by voting the right people into political offices.
This will help in the urgent need to save the country from its stunted growth that has endured for many years.
Former Editor in Chief of Newswatch magazine and Chief Executive Officer of MayFive Media Limited, Mr. Ray Ekpu, made this assertion while delivering a lecture at the 19th edition of the Pastor S. A. Odunaiya Annual Memorial Lecture.
The event was held at the Christ Apostolic Church Auditorium, Ebute Metta, Lagos.
Ekpu made the declaration against the backdrop of the poor level of development of the country despite attaining independence 57 years ago.
In the lecture titled “See who is 57,” the reputable journalist took an indepth look at the history of the nation pointing out its achievements and foibles and concluding that except the right people were chosen to run the affairs of the country, Nigeria would continue to remain in its poor and shameful state.
Said he: “Nation building is a task that belongs to all of us. If we want a better nation than we have now we must work for it by voting the right people into office. The year 2019 offers us a gilt-edged opportunity to exercise our franchise with wisdom.”
Ekpu who emphasised the relevance of the church in nation building pointed out that the onus was on the Christian leaders to direct their members to toe the path of truth and honour.
This, he said, was because the church had the force of moral authority given to it by the leadership example of Jesus Christ.
He said if the church did not hesitate to speak truth to power then it would have made a significant contribution to the nation’s renaissance.
He said however that “Unfortunately some church leaders have yielded to temptation and have failed to continue to walk on the straight and narrow path of moral rectitude.”
Ekpu who blamed the stunted growth of Nigeria on a number of factors, stressed the effect of corruption, saying that it was largely responsible.
He said the present government was therefore right in “making some noises about curbing corruption.”
He argued however that much as the leaders might try, they might be unable to fight it successfully except the present methods applied were changed.
According to him, rather than prevent it, the government had been fighting the punitive aspect of it.
He said besides, another factor that would make the fight against corruption a mere slogan was that the money spent in installing people in political offices were proceeds of corruption too.
His words: “Let me declare here that to fight corruption is a worthy, a very worthy cause to which all of us should in our own ways, big and small, subscribe. We must assist the government to succeed. I know that the success is likely to be obviously limited because corruption in Nigeria is rooted in the system, in the way we conduct ourselves as a country.
“No elected government in Nigeria no matter how well intentioned can make a significant impact in terms of curbing corruption. The money that puts any President in Aso Rock is from sources known and unknown (apologies to K. O. Mbadiwe) is largely dirty money but dirty money and clean money have the same colours.
“But if you take a close look at those who have always been the midwives of our presidency you will get my message. And now you can see that some of the allegedly corrupt persons have made their grand entry into the ruling party assuring the President that they will deliver their constituencies to him in 2019.
“How will the President pursue those allegedly corrupt fellows when they have promised to smoothen his way to power in 2019.
“Besides, the President seems to pursue only the punitive and not preventive aspect of corruption. I have seen no measures being initiated to stop corruption before it occurs.”
Buttressing the claim that the economic situation has continued to go bad, he said “the suicide rate has gone up. We are number 30 on the world’s suicide map according to the World Health Organisation’s report of 2015….
“Now some people are selling their children to buy food. We paid off our foreign debt during the Obasanjo years. Now we have found our way again to the money lender’s door. The foreign debt is piling up again. So is the domestic debt. Virtually everything has gone up except our standard of living.
“There could be no clearer evidence of the failure of leadership if a 57-year old country can look the way Nigeria looks today.”
