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How to strengthen Nigeria’s
democracy by Kohl, Blair
Last week the cream of the nation’s
society gathered at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) for
this year’s Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation lecture which was delivered by the
former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Helmut Kohl and wife
of British Prime Minister, Mrs. Cherie Booth Blair. Iheanacho Nwosu who was at
the occasion reports that it centred on how to enlarge the nation’s democratic
space and bring holistic development in Nigeria.
PREDICTABLY,
last week’s lecture delivered by the former Chancellor of Germany, Dr. Helmut
kohl and wife of the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Cherie Booth Blair at the
Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation lecture series in Lagos is still commanding
attention in the polity.
Months before the high profile event took
place, series of commentators and political watchers had pointed clearly that
the views of the duo and other eminent Nigerians who would be part of the
lecture would set the tone on the colour and shape of socio-political happenings
in the next few weeks.
Titled: "Introspectionism: Green
grasses of home; the key to development is within and around, the large
attendance by people from all social class, race and diverse callings aptly
showed how the occasion was rated.
Billed for 11 a.m., the auditorium of the
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), venue of the lecture was
already overflowing with people as early as 10 am. The situation led to the
mounting of a projector outside the hall for a crowd which was thrice the one
inside the auditorium to watch the proceedings of the event.
For obvious reasons, a few people may have
been attracted by the theme of lecture while majority of the participants
unarguably were lured by the personality of the lecturers.
However, for those who went for either of
the two reasons, there was no room to feel disappointed. Kohl and Blair went
beyond the expectations of many in their lectures.
Mrs. Blair, exuding confidence had kicked
off her lecture with a historical account of how important Nigeria had always
been to the world. She recalled how her grand father, during Nigeria’s colonial
days, was one of the regular visitors to the port of Lagos in the country.
Painstakingly and seriously reeling out
the potentials of Nigeria both materially and humanly, Mrs. Blair contended that
the nation had all it takes to launch itself to greatness.
But, in achieving such feat, she stressed
that not only must its abundant resources be well harnessed, Nigerian leaders
must be prepared to follow the right steps.
First, she said there must be conscious
effort to respect human rights and the laws of the land.
Mrs. Blair, a lawyer, who was waving
repeatedly to intermittent applause from the audience, and who described her
invitation to the lecture, as a great honour, having longed for years to visit
Lagos State described respect for human rights and constitution as the plank
upon which every democracy survives.
Lending weight to the submissions, Dr.
Kohl in his 30-minute lecture argued that respect for the rule of law,
observance of human rights and elimination of corruption in the system were
vital ingredients that the nation needs to propel itself to greatness.
As it is presently, Kohl whose paper was
the lead one, noted that Nigeria is facing a plethora of economic and political
challenges, some of which he said were how to imbibe true democratic ethoes and
reformation of the rule of law.
Lacing his remarks with high doses of
jokes, the former Chancellor corroborated the view of Mrs. Blair that Nigeria is
a nation that has surfeit of human and material resources and predicted that the
country would soon emerge one of the world leaders.
He saluted the country’s current role in
the resolution of many Africa’s teething problems, saying that it was a clear
indication that the country has better days ahead of it.
For Nigeria to fully realize her goal of
stabilizing her democracy, nudge up the socio-economic welbeing of her citizenry
and become a great power both in Africa and the world, Kohl urged the leadership
to cultivate and sustain good relations with the country’s neighbours.
Speaking through an interpreter, he said
"No country can go it alone. You must collaborate with neighbouring countries.
You must work with other nations", he advised.
Using himself as an example, the former
Chancellor who ruled Germany for 16 years, narrated how in the face of
criticisms and scepticism he, alongside other political leaders formed the
European Union (EU).
According to him, severally and
persistently many notable personalities from his home country, Germany
stridently opposed his moves to form a united Europe. In the same vein, they
footdragged on the issue of having a common currency,
Euro.
But, despite all these barrage of
criticisms, scepticism, and outpour of emotions, Kohl explained that he was
dogged on midwifing the union. He anchored his reason on the belief that the
policy, in the long run, was going to place Germany on a better footing in the
comity of nations.
"I know my country was going to be better
for it," he said. Apart from striving to enlarge and broaden the nation’s
socio-economic life, he advised Nigerians to put off the garb of discrimination,
prejudice, timidity and self centredness.
Any nation which has its eyes set on
holistic development, Kohl, who, was coming to the shores of Nigeria for the
first time, said must promote religion and strip itself of nepotism.
Almost hailing the on-going reforms by
President Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Chancellor tasked Nigerians to engage in
introspection and self analysis. According to him such would help the people to
come up with workable pathways of locating and solving their myriads of problems
and have their heads up in the comity of nations.
The richness of the lecture, the style of
delivery and the many jokes that were carefully interwined with it caused the
audience to give a protracted ovation to Kohl as he signed off.
Both Governors Bola Tinubu, and Deprieye
Alamieyeseigha of Lagos and Bayelsa states respectively as well as Chief Emeka
Anyaoku and other notable Nigerians stood and showered encomiums on Kohl.
Earlier, Anyaoku a former secretary
general of the Commonwealth who chaired the occasion had stressed the need for
the developed world to write off the huge debt profile of Nigeria and African
countries to help facilitate development on the continent.
He argued that the debt was posing as a
big hurdle to noble and creative moves to African leaders towards extricating
their countries from the web of poverty and suffering. He contended that since
such gesture could be given to Iraq there was no reason why it should not be
extended to Nigeria.
However, though Anyaoku’s request elicited
applause, it was immediately countered by Governor Tinubu who argued that the
nation was not in a war situation as Iraq and was not a bankrupt state.
Debt, he maintained was not a sin that
could be forgiven. Rather than globe trottle the world asking for debt
forgiveness, the governor called on Nigerian leaders to find a way of making the
nation’s creditors to reschedule the debts in a way that the country can pay
them with less pains.
Tinubu, using a flawless language argued
that writing off the nation’s debt would not only affect the credibility rating
of Nigeria but would make world financial institutions to be hesitant in
offering financial services to the country, a situation he said would adversely
affect developmental projects and initiatives in Nigeria.
Certainly there was hardly any participant who did not
have one or two lofty remarks to make about the lecture. If the participants did
not learn from the submissions of the speakers, at the auditorium, they
obviously took home the rare show of humility by Kohl who boarded a bus back to
his hotel at the end of the occasion.
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