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Tribal sentiment, tax evasion, bane of Nigeria’s growth – Ajimobi
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has called for a paradigm shift
from the culture of tribal sentiment, corruption and tax evasion for
the country to move out of the pervading economic woes and civil
strife.
The governor made the call while delivering the 2015 convocation
lecture of the University of Ibadan, entitled, `Challenges of Good
Governance in an Emerging Democratic Setting: The Nigerian
Perspective,’ in Ibadan, on Wednesday.
He also expressed worries about the wide gap currently existing
between the rich and the poor, which he said was antithetical to the
growth and development of the country.
Ajimobi spoke to an audience comprising the academics, professional
groups, politicians and members of the university community at the
capacity-filled Trenchard Hall of the 67-year-old premier university.
According to him, for things to work well in Nigeria, there must be a
complete shift from the status quo, stressing the need for the public
sector and the political space to be sanitized.
The governor identified the challenges to good governance in
contemporary Nigeria to include under-developed institutions, poor
political governance and representation, as well as weak social
structure and institutions.
He said, “Many people in Nigeria do not yet understand the workings
of democracy itself. This is why people can be bribed to vote for a
candidate of questionable character during elections.
“There have been instances where people without education nor
adequate knowledge won elections against good candidates. Rigging of
elections and snatching of ballot boxes are usually witnessed and even
common in Nigeria.
“This leads to poor representation at the level of governance. There
is no way such incompetent candidates who won elections through
rigging can perform well in positions of authority.’’
Ajimobi also noted that the country’s social structure and
institutions were fraught with a lot of problems which hinder good
governance.
Listed among such problems were ethnicity, tribal sentiments and vote
buying, adding that the electorate vote for some candidates during
elections based on ethnicity and tribal sentiments.
The effects of these challenges, according to the governor, were lack
of respect for the rule of law and human dignity, general indiscipline
among the populace, bribery and corruption, and wide inequality
between the rich and the poor.
Also included were insecurity and threat to life and property,
poverty, under-developed economy and poor public planning habit, poor
attitude to work and lack of job commitment, illiteracy, lack of
dependable data for economic planning, among others.
The governor noted, “In a cursory look, Nigerian economy is
under-developed. It is saddening to note that since independence in
1960, Nigeria is not food secured.
“A country that cannot feed its citizenry but imports rice, fish,
toothpick and other food items is not toeing the path of good
governance.
“Today, we are not operating federalism in the true sense of the word.
We need to reexamine the concept of true federalism and operate it
accordingly. What we have in place now encourages a system of robbing
Peter to pay Paul, thereby making the system to be convoluted.”
As a way out of the quagmire, the governor recommended a robust
town-gown synergy for community public impact, as well as mass
mobilization of the citizenry in pursuit of good governance.
The governor also recommended the adoption of the United Nations
Commission charter on human rights, which linked good governance to
the provision of an enabling environment conducive to the enjoyment of
human rights and sustainable human development.
Ajimobi added, “Other remedial measures to enhance good governance are
the promotion of good political governance through credible political
representation, good economic governance and eradication of bribery
and corruption.
“Enhancing good governance in a federal arrangement is a function of
equity and justice among diverse ethnic groups and this can only be
guaranteed by scientific application of federal character principle.
“In public and private sectors, subjective interview process may have
to stop. Where selection process is tailored to favour a candidate the
outcome becomes subjective. Where juniors are promoted far and above
their seniors it does great damage to the system.”
Speaking earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the institution’s
governing council, Dr. Umar Musa Mustapha, said the topic was apt in
view of the myriad of challenges currently confronting the country,
particularly in the area of good governance.
He said that Governor Ajimobi was particularly qualified to speak on
good governance, being a former senator and having broken the second
jinx in Oyo State, with his re-election in the last general election;
a feat which he attributed to the delivery of good governance in his
first tenure.
In his opening remark, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution,
Prof. Ambrose Ayelari, commended the governor, who he described as a
performer, for his support for the university.
