Nigeria has been in the news. The 2023 elections is just around the corner and for the first time in a long time the people are finding their voices. Thanks to the new electoral reform of President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Thanks to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Services BVAS that saw the light of day under Buhari and thanks to the Mahmood Yakubu led INEC that proved Buhari made the right choice. Thanks and more thanks to the renewed hope of a possible nationhood made possible by the Obedient Movement regardless of its shortcomings. Which brings us to the crux of the matter. Are you and I really ready for a presidency that will transit Nigeria from the third world status it shamefully occupies now to a first world status it deserves?
If we are ready, why are we still causing traffic jams due to impatience, selfishness and crass sadism. The way one driver will just stop his car at the middle of the road halting car movements on his lane for a while because someone scratched his car. He does not care that behind him is a hearse hurrying to the ICU of a clinic with an accident victim. The person driving the ‘scratcher’ car is trying to buy a bottle of water from a bottled water vendor who is jogging along to keep pace as he completes the transaction. Of course, there is a police check point just a stone throw in front causing the drag in the first place. And a careful look would find one of the policemen squeezing a 200 naira note into his pocket and handing over a 100 naira note to the ‘benevolent’ driver. So, I ask again; if indeed we have a messiah on our hands and not a soothsayer and if indeed he has the Lee Kuan Yew effect, would we as the citizens play ball? Are we willing to play our own role in the painful birthing process of the First World Nigeria?
Lee Kuan Yew was the man that moved Singapore from a miserly third world seperatist nation to the beautiful bride of the world. The most sought after maiden rather. A first world country in every sense of the word. How did he achieve this?
Lee led Singapore after its separation from Malaysia to emerge as one of the world’s most powerful financial centres.
The tiny nation, whose main industry was manufacturing at independence, saw its GDP per capita skyrocket under Lee to one of the highest in the world in 2013, behind just oil-rich Qatar and private banking centre Luxembourg, according to the IMF. Its population has doubled to more than 5m.
Singapore flourished on the inherited advantages and foresightedness of Lee to transform into the ranks of New York, London and Switzerland as a global financial hub. As a key port in the British Empire, Singapore was in a strong position for trading activity. Lee built on this, as the country had no natural resources of its own to exploit.
Even though Lee was criticised by many for leading the country in an authoritarian style that stifled political dissent and press freedoms, like Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo is being criticised now, his firm grip on power and maintenance of stability gave little scope for corrupt financial practices. The orderliness that Singapore became known for was attractive to foreign investment – billions of dollar poured in, ensuring the country’s success.
Lee maintained a tight grip on domestic finance by preventing the internationalisation of the Singapore dollar and limiting the operations of foreign banks. This meant international firms saw an opportunity to establish themselves in the tiny island nation. Sound financial and economic policy coupled with a corruption free environment and technological advancement meant many multinational firms chose Singapore as a regional hub. Lee championed free trade, which helped Singapore attract a free flow of foreign investment and multinational giants such as General Electric.
Lee knew that for Singapore to compete with global giants, he needed to provide Singaporeans with housing and employment opportunities that would bring the nation economic stability.
For this purpose, he established the Housing Development Board and Economic Development Board. The housing board transformed this space constrained island into a world class metropolis that helped its citizens to move out of small ghettos into carefully planned mixed townships and provided superior living conditions for its citizens.
So, the question remains; are we really ready for a Lee Kuan Yew or are we just paying lip service to it and ever ready to destroy every attempt at a sane society? Can we stand on a queue and not attempt to cut corners? Can we maintain cleanliness codes; sort our garbage and put them in proper bags and dispose them at the right places? Can we approve government contracts without kickbacks? Can we move files as civil servants without kickbacks? Can we eschew corruption and enthrone rule of law at all levels? Can we be ethnically and religiously blind and all champion meritocracy? Can we? Nakwanuechecki.
