You don’t repair a damaged car just by changing the initial bad driver,
Instead you take the car to the mechanic for total repair of damaged components.
Evil in social interactions and personal conducts is a product of ignorance of the effects of misguided social conducts to the actor(s) and to their environment. To free citizens from social evil is to free them from social, moral, intellectual, economic and industrial ignorance, which is grafted into the different levels of their social structures and institutions. Hence, the state of a nation is not just the product of the leaders’ efforts, but the cumulative efforts of personal and interpersonal leadership in their institutions. No system of government is good enough with a majority of illiterates.
The old system cannot continue like this
“Sometimes, it has to get worse before it gets better…” This has been the expression that characterized the mixture of enduring hope and realistic hopelessness that has held many supporters who are disappointed by the economic, political and institutional downturn of Nigeria after long years of national management and mismanagement up till the recent takeover of the APC administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari. The return to democracy in 1999 was heralded as the dawn of sustainable progress under President Olusegun Obasanjo, followed by President Umar Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan and presently by President Muhammadu Buhari. The initial spark of hope has gone down significantly and the volume of the initial optimism has toned down. Despite the gloominess of the Nigerian political and economic cloud, the statement – it has to get worse before gets better – seem true for Nigeria and for many other institutions that experience constant quakes instead of stability. There might be no better way to amend a house with a faulty foundation, than to carefully dismantle the whole building in order to restart the foundation. After the foundation had been strengthened to meet up to the task of carrying the size of the intended building, then the pillars of the building are re-fixed in, followed by the walls, the roof and other necessary parts of the building.
Restarting Nigeria is like restarting a computer (when it is overloaded and about to hang)
Restart as a word became popular when computer system manufacturers included the restart option in the power menu of the subsequent computer systems. In contrast from the shutdown and hibernate options in the power menu of different computers, the restart command is given by the user or by the system itself when the system’s processor has encountered some unusual input either by the excessive load on the computer’s processor leading to a logjam, or by the introduction of a new Windows-level software.
Restart begins with shutting down the computer system before restarting
When the restart command is given, the system either forcefully or gradually shuts down all running applications and system components, powers off the mouse and keyboard, shuts down the workspace, the Windows and the operating system. After few milliseconds of shutdown, the system restarts with a new energy. It comes back alive with a fresh disposition having being relieved of the fatigue of overload, or having been prepared for the shock of the new software. On restarting, the system adjusts all the components relevant for its smooth and sustained functioning. The processor through the operating system powers on the mouse, the keyboard, the monitor and all other components that are both functional and compatible with the operating system.
Nigeria is internally overloaded and externally manipulated, thus needs to restart
Despite its continued existence and unity, the Nigerian polity has not only been overloaded with the burden of tribalism, corruption, internal sabotage, mediocrity and mismanagement, but has also encountered series of foreign and presently incompatible influences and interferences for which it needs a restart. That Nigeria requires a restart is no more an option among many others, but the only option for progress and survival among other nations of the world. One of the most fundamental questions that has been constantly neglected by many is how the restart focus should be. Whether Nigeria has to restart as a reformed unitary state under a ruthlessly competent, selflessly patriotic and unbiased leviathan (if there is such a person); or whether it should restart as a united nation in true confederation with each region owning and managing their resources while depositing some percentage to the center; or whether it should permanently split and restart along its ethnic borders and congruous alliances.
Restart must be planned and programmed well, otherwise chaos takes over
Whichever choice becomes popular at the end, the shutdown and debut of the restart process has to be planned, hatched and perfected in the mind of Nigerians, even before the shutdown process kicks in. This is necessary because the result of many hastily or recklessly conducted revolutions and opposition governments in national and world history turned out to be worse than the initial problems for which the revolutions were initiated. The sustained clamor for any power, position or instrument often overtakes the evaluation of the present skills to goals and road map for handling and utilizing the power, position and instruments.
Process of restart must be articulated and well-understood
RestartNigeria is thus a proposal for a systematic deconstruction, followed by a mental and an eventual reconstruction of Nigeria towards a harmonious, productive and progressive coexistence. This deconstruction project is not aimed at the physical structures and institutions that make up Nigeria, but the deconstruction of the prevalent mentality and mindset that has gripped Nigeria: dependence on external production, unquestioned wealth, expecting something for doing almost nothing, indifference to the ignorance and incapacitation of productivity in citizens. It is therefore a call –
- To reevaluate the current beliefs, activities, roles and present effects of the primary institutions that influence, reform and sustain societies.
| Validated Traditional Values -Behavioural and Industrial |
| Industrial values transmitted through formal education |
| Behavioural values transmitted though informal education |
| Behavioral tenacity for learning, research and progress + consistent foreign and local cooperation in industrial values = Industrialization and harmony |
| Informal Education via media |
| Formal Education & Research |
To go back, identify and extract the good values of hard work, honesty, integrity, curiosity and spirit of communal development from our cultures, religions and traditions through the interrogation of elders, traditional and religious leaders. The social values are grouped into two: behavioral values (virtues) and industrial values (previous efforts at science and technology).
- To appreciate and transmit the behavioral values informally by stories, songs, films, dramas, historical lectures; and the industrial values through vocational trainings for skills transmission, workshops in the social media and live gatherings.
- To seek to advance from the local industrial values to in a higher system of productivity (industrialization), by learning from and cooperating with industrialized nations.
RestartNigeria is thus, a process of ejecting unproductive dispositions by rediscovering our true values, transfer of these values through education, demonstrations and testimonies, until they are readopted.
There are few major social components that require the restart
Like in the computer system which has to shut down many of its components before restarting, the Nigerian polity equally requires a shutdown of many of its institutional dispositions before it can generate better dispositions during the process of restarting. The institutions that require more evaluation in the reawakening or demise of the Nigerian society include: the LOCAL COMMUNITIES, TRIBES, EDUCATIONAL and RESEARCH SYSTEMS, INDUSTRIES and TECHNOLOGIES, and the LINKS between the different groups and institutions. The objective roles, present state, causes of derailment, elements of strength and possible remedies for these institutions shall be extensively discussed, starting with education for a renewed society. When these components of the society are put in place, commerce and economic progress is guaranteed.
The idea of restarting Nigeria has always been in the minds of good Nigerians
RestartNigeria project is not a new idea. The brand only represents several efforts at reorganizing Nigeria for good by well-meaning Nigerians; these efforts have often been categorized or named differently. Many Nigerians have worked towards restarting Nigeria through different means such as writing, fighting, acting, singing, scheming, arm-struggle, criticizing, preaching, blogging, empowerment, educating and training people. Yet there have been little national cohesion in the different approaches towards the restart. Often different groups who aim for the same healthy restart clash among themselves because of the absence of cohesion, and a degree of misunderstanding of the others’ intentions, mode of operation and approach to the problem.
Guiding Principles for Restarting Nigeria
In each stage of these tasks towards restarting a unitary, confederated or separated Nigeria, the discussions will be ordered according to four main principles, namely the principles of WHY, principles of WHO, principles of WITH WHAT and most importantly, the principles of HOW.
Maintaining Positivity as a better disposition for planning the restart
Several analysts and commentators on the Nigerian situation, both professional and amateur, local and international, seem disposed to fault-finding in different areas, past leaders, colonial masters, other tribes, parents and opponents, even among other evident good qualities. We seem distracted from the main issues, the main causes to the problems bedeviling the nation by sentiments and bias to a different party or social institution. Many questions will arise in the course of the discussions, many disagreements will equally arise as well as emotional outbursts. However, the tone of this forum will remain positive as it is geared towards a positive end of restarting a better society.
Look on Nigeria and its past and present actors with care and forgiveness
Our inability to see good elements in the different circumstances of our national evolution remains an inability, an incapacitation and a weakness instead of a positive quality or laudable strength. Hence all contributors, commentators, observers and moderators of this forum are enjoined to maintain positivity, even in their criticism of perceived faults. It is not an enterprise for bitter or vengeful excavation and display of faults and shame, dirt and weaknesses, but a humane and objective analysis of where we are, how we got here and how we can move forward from here. Good begets good, and evil begets evil; since our focus is to obtain good outcome from the discussions, we choose to be disciplined in beaming a modestly humane, generously appreciative but thoroughly therapeutic light on the persons, events, institutions and factors that have contributed to where we are as a nation, and how they can take us to where we want to be.
In planning together, you communicate to be understood, not to impress or oppress anybody
It is important to note that our levels of proficiency and exposure to several technical jargons and terminologies vary from person to person, discipline to discipline and from one social class to another. Yet, we all have to communicate with and understand one another in order to form a common ground for our discussion, bearing in mind that restarting Nigeria may not be achieved only by any particular class or set of people. Therefore, we implore that all contributors and commentators on this forum communicate in the simplest English writing that is comprehensible to secondary school students. Each person could make more effort to break down technical terms to their barest and understandable state.
Respect other people’s views and inclinations
As you have been invited to this forum, many others have been invited from different levels of academic and industrial strides, from other religions and tribes, from other parts of country. The best contributors to this forum would be those who maintain their focus to trace the causes of any of the many problems that will be highlighted down to their primary causes, and/or are able to provide feasible suggestions toward resolving the cause of the problem itself. Secondly, patience, humility and tolerance would be highly required, especially when there is a disagreement from our views.
Re-enact your critical mind
Many of the questions that will arise from this forum may seem simplistic, having received some unquestioned answers from Chiefs, colonial masters, expatriates, professors, professionals, Oyibos, soldiers, officers, parents, pastors, prophets, politicians, kings, emirs and other authorities. However, attempting to re-answer these questions critically and objectively, without resting on to the ‘normal’ answers given for them, may help us to understand the purposes differently, deeper and better. Some of the questions that will be treated in this forum as the discussions advance are organized below.
WHY RESTART:
Retrospective– describe the present, highlighting the causes of problems
Prospective– design the future, painting how it should be
Part I – RETROSPECTIVE
Why restart when some people are already developed and are enjoying?
Who are the ‘some’ that are already enjoying in the present state of the country?
Could it reach others in due time, since it has reached some people?
Who are those opposed to restarting? Expatriates? Foreign oil exploration companies? Foreign powers and their local affluent allies? Politicians? The poor but ignorant? Unambitious or fearful? The learned? The established people? Pastors and religious leaders?
Would those enjoying agree to a change in status quo?
Can the majority ever obtain appropriate benefits at the same time?
More questions….
Why not shut down completely so everyone goes his own way?
How important is the nation’s population advantage to its inhabitants?
Why are secessionist movements and utterances growing?
Why are some people uncomfortable with the united state of the nation?
Could the center ever hold justly, or things continue to fall apart?
Would the components not fare better on their own?
Would separation erase the spirit of division even among the regions?
More questions….
Why restart together instead of restarting differently to converge later?
Is it absolutely necessary to restart together as a nation called Nigeria?
Would the division of Nigeria not lead to further division within the regions?
Would the division not bring further oppression of minorities in the regions?
Can it restart on regional or tribal grounds and converge later, when strong?
More questions….
Why restart from Community dimension?
Nigeria, like many other African countries, is a conglomeration of different communities. Individual citizens may still retain special attachment, loyalty and influence to their local communities despite the amalgamation as one, such that some behavioral features from the different communities of origin influence citizens’ dispositions to national matters. A policy that favors the North is opposed by the east, while a policy that favors the southwest more than the north is opposed by north and southeast.
How important are the local communities to the state of the nation?
What is the present role of the local communities to the state?
What are the different communal values that influence us positively? Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and the others
What are the causes for abandoning our positive communal values?
What are the different values that influence us negatively?
How have local communities contributed to the condition of the nation?
More question…
Why restart from tribal dimension?
Is there a necessity for collapsing the tribal differences between Nigerians?
Would any effort to collapse the tribal differences be possible?
Can the tribal differences be harnessed to imply tribal contributions?
What significance do the tribes of origin have in the state of the nation?
What are the tribal values that have influenced the national way of life?
What are the positive contributions of the tribes to the state of the nation?
Which values should be upheld or jettisoned, for any sustainable restart?
What have been the negative contributions of the tribes to the state of the nation?
More questions….
Why restart from religious dimension?
Politics cannot be divorced from religion, as the same religious people who cast votes are invoked in, and are affected by secular government policies; Religion has contributed to the revolution and development of strong nations right from the medieval era till date; Religion observes and sensitizes citizens on their social responsibilities, criticizes the faults of the state and in some cases suggests solutions to national problems;
What is the level of importance of religion to the nation?
How influential has religion been to the crisis or progress?
Does the state of crisis in Nigeria provide fertile ground for religious exploitation?
Which aspects of the different religions require adjustment for the nation?
What elements of Christianity and its denominations are healthy for the nation?
What elements of Islam and its sects (Shia and Sunni) are healthy for the nation?
What elements of traditional religion is healthy for the nation?
Which aspects of these different religions deserve to be upheld for the nation?
Can these different religions maintain a sustainable harmony for national progress?
What level of importance should be attached to religious matters on national issues?
Are there religious platforms that have national outlook and agenda for restarting Nigeria?
Are there elements of unity in all Nigerian religions upon which restart agenda can be built?
Is religion absolutely a necessary factor for consideration for the state of the nation?
Do we really need to have or not to have religious inclinations in/as nation?
Is religion not becoming a bank of excuse for our inabilities and sentiments?
More questions….
Why restart from educational dimension?
There seem to have been a higher emphasis on grades and certifications in Nigeria, than on the true capacity for evidential output in production of goods and services. Some Northern Nigerians rightly observed that a level of western education in Africa is paper knowledge, which is different from engine-production knowledge and thus, inadequate to effect real-life environmental changes. The paper knowledge, they observed, allows Nigerians to communicate with their exploiters while being denied of the capacity to engage in technological production.
What is the actual effect or product(s) of education in a nation?
How important is English as a language of education and communication in Nigeria?
Is the knowledge of English language necessary for national development? Bridging communication gaps?
How many Nigerians have the interest and opportunity to English education?
Could Arabic, French or any native language substitute for English as a national language of communication?
Could nation-wide spread of English language help in bridging the nation’s social differences?
How essential is the first 9-year education seen in the Northern parts of Nigeria?
Could the knowledge of God and religion satisfy our material needs and curiosity?
Could illiterate adults be ever taught to flow in and adopt English in their matured ages?
Is formal education truly as important, since some non-educated contribute?
How has the system of education contributed to the development of the nation?
Is our system of education directed and up to the standard for productivity?
What aspects of our education is neglected that could have been more relevant?
What are the effects of the western values we adopted through education?
Are there perpetually limiting elements in the style of education we got from the west?
Are there elements of productivity that were missed out in getting western education?
What are the problems with our educational system?
What has education done for other nations that it has not done for our nation?
What can education still do for our nation?
What ingredients are needed to get a productive system of education?
Could the awards of honors in education be judged by tangible productive input?
More questions….
Why restart from local research dimension?
Are there relevant researches going on at the moment on the local level?
How have we responded to the culture of local research for improving our own nation?
Has there been relevant local researches that didn’t get the attention they deserved?
Why have our local researches not received the attention they deserve? Inferiority complex, negligence by authorities, laziness by researchers, inability, lack of funds and culture…
Are the western based researches, discoveries and philosophies suitable, sufficient and available for us and our environment?
What local researches have ever brought environmental development to the nation?
Do our researchers need new discoveries from local environment for the nation?
Could our researchers discover solutions to our scientific and social problems?
More questions…
Why restart from indigenous industrial and technological dimension?
Technology is the practical application of scientific knowledge to commerce and industry. It is the productive aspect of all scientific research and inquiry, which is manifested in the manufacturing and production of day to day machines and consumable goods. With the presence of different solid and liquid minerals, an application of human resource of scientific knowledge to its extraction, processing and distribution could make Nigeria capable of producing almost everything it consumes and uses. However, the questions of who remain:
What are the products of our indigenous industrial and technological efforts?
Why have our engineers not manufactured so much from local resource?
Is there truly a need for local manufacturing and engineering at high cost of learning and development, when there are professional expatriates to manufacture for us?
Do we really need our own local production, especially with its present quality?
Could our local scientists actually learn the new ways of scientific production?
Could they apply their acquired scientific knowledge to local productivity?
More questions….
Why restart on readjusting the legal and constitutional bonding between the different groups and institutions?
“You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.” Even when you put something (a glass cup) on something (a table), you owe it to yourself to evaluate the integrity of the table upon which you put the glass cup, otherwise the table disintegrates and the glass cup breaks in pieces. The constitution of Nigeria was placed on different cultures and traditions which have not seemed to blend very well in terms of education and cultural understanding for holding the lofty idea of a nation.
How effective has the practice of democracy been in Nigeria?
Can there be a progressive democracy amidst a majority of unexposed illiterates a minority of literates?
How did other strong, productive nations come together to become one progressive nation? Mutual agreement?
What is the basis of our national formation and unity? Oil, resources, agreement for mutual contribution and growth, population, strategic position of the map?
What makes a constitution binding on constituents? Agreement, force, necessity, acceptance, imposition…
What influences the terms of a constitution? Indigenous cultures, model countries, social philosophies…
How was the Nigerian constitution made?
What were the prevalent motives and influences at the formation of the constitution?
How many people (tribes and communities) agreed to the terms of the present constitution?
How true are the opening declarations (we the people) of the national constitution?
How sustainable is the constitution for engendering a peaceful and progressive nation?
Has the constitution indirectly contributed to the problems of the nation? Through legal loopholes?
Has the constitution shielded a group of people and exposed the others to manipulation?
Does the national constitution and other laws (mostly borrowed) require a partial amendment or total overhaul?
How have the citizens been enlightened about the stipulations of the constitution? What are their opinions?
What percentage of the citizens would concur to the dictates of the constitution when enlightened?
How just are the prescriptions of the constitution?
How have the provisions and prescriptions of the constitution been enforced?
What was the constitutional link/agreement of all the ethnic, tribal and communal components that form Nigeria?
Do the masses among the Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Ijaw, Efik, Benin, and other groups share the same sentiments of ‘One Nigeria’ as the political class?
Why do some group still get weary in their relationship with others?
Are there national wounds that require healing that have not been attended to?
How effective would the Oputa panel suggestions had been, if applied for reconciliation?
More questions….
Part II: PROSPECTIVE – THE IDEAL NIGERIA OF OUR MINDS
Normally, people are more attracted to lively celebrations and parties than to solitude, isolation and sorrow. When people dance at celebrations, they dance to the beat of the music without considering tribal and ethnic differences. However, great celebrations are often planned and hatched in caucus or solitude. Three areas widely determine the health of nations: social harmony, security and economy.
Many Nigerians both at home and abroad would prefer to have a strong, safe, united and progressive Nigeria for every citizen. They would not mind who is leading or the system of government that is practiced as long as their safety, development, functional fulfillment and means of livelihood are guaranteed. They would want:
A Nigeria where individuals, groups, tribes and communities cooperate like a galaxy;
A Nigeria where the diversity in religion and culture is appreciated and nurtured;
A Nigeria that is tolerant of other people’s religious and cultural beliefs, but yet
A Nigeria where the old beliefs are evaluated to respond to the newest times;
A Nigeria where we go to church with appreciation, not just complaints;
A Nigeria where human rights (to life, privacy, development) are respected;
A Nigeria where our positive communal values of respect, honesty, solidarity, industry, hard-work, inventiveness and integrity are resurrected and adapted into the whole body;
A Nigeria where functions, privileges are assigned according to practical merit;
A Nigeria where every child, as the first pool of human resources, is enrolled into a school and given early direction to tangible productivity;
A Nigeria where each talent, potential and capacity receive opportunities to thrive;
A Nigeria where every education are directed towards existential productivity in the society according to the individual’s best potential and not just some lucrative job;
A Nigeria where laws are screened, justified, accepted and binding on all, rich and poor
A Nigeria where the population is strength not weakness leading to poverty and crime
A Nigeria where the environmental resources are seen as bonus to human ingenuity
A Nigeria where each person is trained to be both managerial and tangibly productive
A Nigeria where modern research and consequent production are taken more seriously to avoid degraded imported goods
A Nigeria where national resources are extracted, processed and distributed by Nigerians, for Nigerians and other interested parts of the world
A Nigeria that has learned and adapted the new ways of processing data
A Nigeria where leadership positions in all levels (family, community, tribes, states, nation) are competent, effective and flexible according to the demands of modernity, progress and enlightenment
A Nigeria where citizens are happy to be addressed as Nigerians because of the quality and label of their products and civil ways of life
A Nigeria where Nigerians abroad will be eager to return, establish and utilize what they have learnt in developing Nigeria and empowering Nigerians
A Nigeria where foreigners would seek to obtain visas even after ten times of rejection
A Nigeria where foreigners would love to stay, establish and make a living
A Nigeria with manured, watered and grown green pastures in almost all sectors
Human rights
More qualities for the ideal Nigeria…
WHO CAN AND WHO WILL RESTART NIGERIA:
God and heaven can only help those who are determined to help themselves
Who wants to restart Nigeria when some people are already developed and enjoying?
Would the few rich and established citizens of Nigeria ever allow a change in status-quo?
United Nations? China, France, USA, UK or other countries?
The frustrated and aggrieved citizens? Unemployed youths? The desperate? Poor masses? The learned radicals? The politically outwitted? The divinely called and committed?
How consistent are the quests for the restarting Nigeria in the minds of the proponents?
Will the proponents not give up the goal of restarting when they obtain sources of comfort?
Will they be able to withstand the pressure and oppression that will come from restarting?
Who can restart Nigeria to obtain social and economic progress?
Who (and who) has the knowledge of how to systematically shutdown and restart Nigeria?
Who (and who) has the resource needed to shutdown and restart a better Nigeria?
Who (and who) has the necessary support, alliance and motivation to restart Nigeria?
Who (and who) has the will, courage and faith to shutdown and restart Nigeria?
Are there scores of politicians who are genuinely interested in the reformation process?
Are there celebrities and media personalities who can cooperate to influence the nation towards the national restart?
Are there learned and disciplined officers who can, without giving into power lust?
Are there leagues of students, lecturers and professionals who can unite to restart Nigeria?
Are there leagues of industrialists, traders, civil servants who can unite to restart Nigeria?
Are there leagues of Nurtw officials, Okada unions officials, laborers, wage and salary earners who can unite to begin the process of restarting Nigeria?
Are there leagues of religious leaders who can unite for the restart?
More questions…
Who wants Nigeria to shut down completely so that everyone goes his own way?
Why are there people continuously agitating for secession from the Nigerian Union?
Why are people still agitating for secession even when some of their people are uninterested?
Are the agitations coming from true frustration in Nigeria or just from hatred and greed?
Could the cause of agitations be addressed or should it be allowed to die a natural death?
Are the agitators to be neglected, silenced or addressed?
More questions…
Who will restart on Community level?
Before the discovery and sharing of oil money, communities contributed manually, financially and ideally in building their hospitals, schools and parks without waiting for oil money from government;
Could traditional rulers garner support of subjects to re-impress social values of hard work, contribution on their communities?
Could fathers retake the function of being directors and role models for their families?
Could age grades and resurrect the spirit of commitment to character development among its members, wherever they are dispersed?
Could groups of families reunite to reawaken the spirit of communal integrity?
More questions…
Who will restart on tribal level?
Could group of chiefs from same tribes meet to discuss their roles in national restart/growth? Could traditional rulers from tribes meet to discuss their roles in national restart/growth?
Could tribal leaders and sages redefine their tribal character for national restart/growth?
Could politicians from same tribe meet to discuss their tribal roles in national restarting?
Could artists, musicians, and actors from same tribe direct tribal roles to national restarting?
Could scholars, academicians, and thinkers from same tribe direct tribal roles to national restart?
Could tribesmen in diaspora reason together to direct tribal roles to national restart?
More questions about who would restart Nigeria from the tribal dimension…
Who will restart on religious level?
Could the present set of religious leaders redirect their doctrines towards contributing to national cooperation for a restart?
Are all the present set of religious leaders truly interested in the intellectual, economic, social and technological restarting of Nigeria, which will be driven by science and not creed?
Could religious groups seriously support the process of eradicating scientific impotence?
Could the different religious associations like Christian association of Nigeria and Islamic association of Nigeria discuss and ignite the process of restarting a new Nigeria?
Are there religious personalities that have national outlook and agenda for restarting Nigeria?
More questions…
Who will restart Nigeria on educational level?
Education is meant to prepare individuals for cooperation and contribution in the society; who redirects education of individuals to the standard where it becomes productive?
Parents who insist that their wards must pass when they do/do not deserve it
Parents who guide their wards career paths according to their potentials
Parents who undertake their assistance in wards’ homework
Parents who monitor their wards’ termly academic progress
Teachers who are weighed down by personal and social responsibilities
Teachers who are underpaid for their impact in reshaping a society’ future
Teachers who are qualified or unqualified in character and learning
Lecturers who wish to emphasize their “high” standards by making students fail
Lecturers who barely understand the practical impact of what they teach
Lecturers who have had little encounter with the physical objects of their enquiries
Educators who are not immune to financial influences of the time
Proprietors who wish to leave great legacy in the lives of the future generation
Secondary institutions who wish to have best external exam grades by any possible means
Institutions who award honors without obtaining practical solutions for real challenges from candidates
Educational boards who monitor school activities properly without bias
Educational boards who direct the process of education towards productivity
Government who makes and monitors significant budget allocation for education
Could more movie-makers address educational prospects and challenges in their movies?
Could religious groups (Islam, Christianity, and Traditionalism) evaluate importance of education in Nigeria in comparison with other countries?
More questions….
Who will restart on local research level?
Could government provide more funds for local research into social and scientific problems?
Could companies and religious groups contribute to funding local researches?
Could educators combine their own efforts towards the success of local researches?
Could groups of researchers teem up, pool resources for successful local researches?
Will government and the public promote products from local research accordingly?
Will home-based researchers collaborate with Nigerian researchers in diaspora?
Will Nigerian researchers in diaspora agree to share data with home-based researchers?
More questions….
Who will restart on indigenous industrial and technical level?
Who would redirect the Nigerian scientific inquiry towards technology and productivity?
Would foreigners who supply these products instead be willing to redirect our science?
Would Nigerians in diaspora who have experienced technological production in foreign industries be willing to come back and collaborate with local engineers towards productivity?
Would Nigerian government design a scheme for training local engineers in foreign industries?
Would the non-certified engineers who are experienced auto-mechanics, welder, and computer / phone repairers be called to collaborate with certified engineers who have little productivity?
Would government develop technical satellite towns in different states to train certified and non-certified engineers to extract, process, manufacture goods and machines in the states?
Would government order the use of indigenous engineers for more than half of its projects?
Who will restart on readjusting the social, tribal, legal and constitutional terms of bonding between the different groups and institutions?
Evil in interpersonal interaction and personal conduct is a product of ignorance of the effects of misguided conducts to the both the actor and to his environment. To free humans from evil is to free them from social, moral, intellectual and industrial ignorance. The type of social ignorance, which is manifested in intentionally or unintentionally treating people badly and expecting silence or goodwill from them.
Are Nigerians enlightened enough to appreciate the gift of nationhood and the requirements for sustaining a harmonious and progressive nation?
How many Nigerians have access to the sources of social enlightenment and intellectual cohesion?
Is the executive government ready to convene a national conference to evaluate and reorder the basis of national bond?
Are the legislative ready or capable, given their interests and wealth invested in securing political positions, to adjust the constitution?
Do the elected legislatives truly represent the opinions and interest of their constituent communities?
Should communities and groups freely appoint people (wise, moderate wealth, non-politicians) to represent them in national conferences?
Are the old crops of statesmen ready to set history right?
Are the octogenarian crop of statesmen ready to reorder the house before death comes?
Which national statesmen have begun addressing the foundational mismatch?
Should the next generation meet a Nigeria that is still riddled with tribalism?
RESTART WITH WHAT:
The emancipation of nations in the colonial era was obtained by different methods, but all of them began with the communication and agreement of the people who were under oppression and/or mismanagement. They initiate their restart process by finding a platform for communication and agreement, for strategizing and execution of plans towards reformation.
With what do Nigerians restart when some people are already developed and are enjoying?
Some people are already in control of the media
Some people are in control of the unions
Some people are in control of religious doctrines
Some people are in control of the traditional institutions
With what can the nation be divided so everyone goes his own way?
Referendum: are the parts planning to break away United in their quest for independence?
Are they ready with their spokesmen to approach the United Nations?
Have they consulted with different groups in their sections to ascertain unity of purpose?
Have they outlined superior arguments to support their quest for independence?
War: will it guarantee stability of the divided groups after the shut down?
Will it not lead to further loss of life and property, even after the division?
Would there be any surviving ground for growth after the war?
Who are the people that are ready for war, have they experienced war before?
With what can Nigeria restart together or restart differently to converge later?
Supreme national conference by group-appointed-spokespersons?
Supreme national conference by existing elected politicians as representatives?
Community-based discussions and opinions about the nature and style of nation to restart?
Group-based discussions and opinions about the nature and style of nation to restart?
With what can Nigeria restart on Community level?
Are the communal institutions influential enough to effect a restart for the nation?
With what can Nigeria restart on religious level?
Which policies are required to guide religious efforts towards restarting the nation?
Which dimensions should be reemphasized for the restarting of the nation?
What conditions of productivity must be attached to religious establishment?
Which regulations are necessary for the religious restart process?
With what can Nigeria restart on educational level?
Which policies are relevant for restarting the interest for productive education?
Which system of education should replace the present system of education?
More questions…
With what can Nigeria restart on local research level?
Research and discovery without disclosure (freely teaching other people) for improving and building the body of knowledge seems to be one of the banes of African intellectual development. Europeans, who eventually colonized and dominated America, Australia and Canada become the vanguard of scientific discovery because they were eager to disclose their discoveries to other people who eventually built on these pieces of knowledge to invent newer and more complex technologies. The lack of intellectual documentation, openness and cooperation in Africa makes people die without trace of the discoveries they have made to improve the relationship of humans to their environment. The few who are introduced to the discoveries of some form of scientific knowledge seem to mystify the science with myths, cults, taboos or blunt secrecy such that others are discouraged from learning and utilizing the knowledge acquired for newer development. Instances of these hidden scientific knowledge are seen in the arts of rain-making, Ifa consultation, herbal medicine, local-orthopedics (bone-setting), special masquerades exhibitions.
Hence, with what policies can new interest and competition in local research be encouraged?
What policies will encourage disclosure of research results for the purpose of general knowledge?
What policies will reward those who have made relevant researches in the past?
With what can Nigeria restart on indigenous industry and technology level?
What policies will encourage true specialization in specific parts of local technology?
What policies will encourage collaboration between the experienced, skilled but uncertified engineers with the university certified but sometimes inexperienced engineers for more productivity?
With what can Nigeria restart on readjusting the legal and constitutional bonding between the different institutions?
How practical is the practice of combined democracy in reordering the Nigerian society?
With what can the legal bond imposed on Nigeria by the colonialists be redefined?
With a national conference of people appointed by the locals from their autonomous communities?
With a national conference of collated views of autonomous communities represented in local governments?
With a national conference of people appointed by incumbent government to represent the people?
With a conference of elected representatives in the national assembly?
HOW WILL NIGERIA BE RESTARTED?
How can Nigeria be restarted when some people are already developed and are enjoying?
How can Nigeria shut down completely so every goes his own way?
How can Nigeria restart together or restart differently to converge later?
How can Nigeria restart on Community level?
How can Nigerian ethnic group converge and restart on tribal level?
How can Nigeria restart on religious level?
How can Nigeria restart on educational level?
How can Nigeria restart on local research level?
How can Nigeria restart on indigenous industry and technology level?
How can Nigeria restart on readjusting the legal and constitutional bonding between the different institutions?
A democracy without basic universal education is comparable to a marathon race competition between many crippled people and a few able bodied people.
ABOVE ALL, THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IN NIGERIA IS THE QUESTION OF EDUCATION FOR THE REORDERING OF THE SOCIETY AND THE APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TOWARDS PRODUCTIVITY FOR RESPONDING TO VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES.