A former governor of Cross River State, and presidential aspirant, Donald Duke, has warned that Nigeria will become a major problem to other countries in the world if it fails as a nation.
Duke spoke while delivering a commemorative lecture to mark the 10th memorial anniversary of Sir Herbert Ukegbu Osoka, at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, in Umuahia, Abia State.
A book entitled Legacy of Service: Memoirs of Sir Herbert Ukegbu Osoka, was presented at the occasion.
The former governor declared that, considering Nigeria’s huge population and size, the country was ‘too big’ to fail.
He equally warned that ‘time is running out’ for the country.
“Nigeria has attained the level of being too big to fail – we are no longer a danger to only ourselves, we are now a danger to other countries if we fail,” he said.
Duke expressed regret that Nigeria has become a ‘pathetic story of a nation so endowed, yet so poor’.
He identified what he described as ‘failure in consequences and productivity’ as a major problem in the country.
In the same vein, he observed that corruption and insecurity are symptoms of a deeper ailment that is plaguing the nation.
Unfortunately, according to him, the country’s leaders are merely battling the symptoms, without paying attention to the ailment.
The presidential hopeful also noted that there are two types of corruption; corruption of greed and corruption of need.
He said, “Over the years we have been grappling with symptoms instead of the ailment that afflicts us, corruption and insecurity are symptoms of a deeper problem. When the vast majority of the people have no stake they are ready to see the roof burn down. We run a goodwill economy, 85 per cent of the population are dependent on 15 per cent. The Nigerian state corrupts the citizens. There is corruption of need and corruption of greed.
“Nigeria is a developing country of 200 million people, can you imagine how wonderful this country will be if everybody is doing something? Nigeria has far more than it needs but is held back by poverty of ideas. We will never get respect if our leaders continue going to China and other countries to beg. How do we explain a nation in which thousands are killed by supposed foreign herdsmen yet there is no consequence on the heads of the security agencies?
“Nigeria is a nation where anything goes. How do you have a nation plagued by unemployment yet the interest rate is as high as 30 per cent? Recently in Lagos, Proctor and Gamble shut down a $300m business and no questions were asked. Our youths are ill-equipped to deal with the realities of the world because of poor quality of education. Our best graduates are leaving us yet we don’t have any policy to deal with it.
“Nigeria could be one of the fastest growing nations in the world but, in terms of productivity, we are the least in the continent. The danger in all these is that in 20 years we will be 400 million Nigerians and, unless natural disasters take a toll, by the turn of the century we will be almost a billion people.”
Duke further warned that time is running out on the country. Apparently referring to the issue of zoning and the 2019 elections, he said, “Things are far too dire and too serious for the musical chairs of East, West, North and South. We need our best hands. Time is running out on us. Every generation that has come is a degeneration of the previous one.”
Reflecting on the late Sir Osoka’s life, Duke urged Nigerians to imbibe lessons from history, particularly experiences from the civil war, during which hundreds of civilians were massacred in Asaba, capital of the Delta State, in the infamous Asaba Massacre.
“The Asaba Massacre was a sad moment in our history. Those who were responsible later emerged leaders of the country maybe that was why they swept it under the carpet but we pray it will not happen again.
In his remarks, chairman of the event, Prof Anya Anya, a former chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, described the civil war as a mistake, particularly on the part of the Eastern Nigeria.
Anya said, “In 1964, Eastern Nigeria was regarded as the fastest growing economy in the world, but, three years later, against the run of play, we were in war.
“The war was a mistake. I call it a mistake because you don’t go to war when the indices for wining the war are not in your favour. You don’t go to war to lose what you have.”
Anya, a professor of zoology, added that the elders should share in the blame for the ongoing agitation for Biafra among youths in the South-East, particularly the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He said, “The youths of the South-East are not satisfied, they are not happy but make no mistake about it, the IPOB phenomena cannot only be blamed on the youths. The elders must also take the blame.”
Noting that the elders should play a role in charting the way forward for the youths, Anya also observed that the government should listen to the complaints of the people of the South-East.
“The will of God will prevail, we will not fear herdsmen, we will not fear militants, we will not fear Boko Haram, but first of all, we need a listening government.”
Anya, in the same vein, observed that the qualities for which the late Sir Osoka was remembered were no longer obtainable in the society.
“We are here to appreciate the qualities of service and selflessness, which our country lacks now,” he said.
The eldest son of late Sir Osoka, Dr Davey Osoka, in a welcome address, noted that his father had a distinguished career in the civil service, where he became the first indigenous Chief Province Officer.
“Late Sir Osoka was nicknamed headmaster because he was strict to a fault, yet he was caring and very generous,” he said. Adding that he wrote his own obituary, and prepared his will, before he passed on.
“Although he was well to do, he refused to live like a big man, he was more concerned about what he will leave behind,” Davey Osoka added.
The author of the book, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, explained that it was written from a collection of the memoirs of late Sir Osoka, which he wrote down in the form of a diary while he was alive.
“The book is a clinical record of Sir Osoka’s service to Nigeria, to Item community (in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State) and to the church,” Elder Nat Okoro said while reviewing the literary work.
The book, ‘Legacy of service: Memoirs of Sir Herbert Ukegbu Osoka’, was eventually unveiled by the Prelate of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, His Eminence, Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, and the chief presenter, Dr. Enyi Erengwa.