Former President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed why he set up the 2014 National Conference, saying it was how to make Nigeria work.

Jonathan made the disclosure in Abuja during the unveiling of 21 books written by distinguished radical scholar, renowned public intellectual and political strategist, Professor Udenta .O. Udenta.

The event whichh was organised to commemorate Udenta’s 60^th birthday, witnessed a national dialogue titled “Location of Intellection and Praxis in Human Subjectivity – The Nigerian Dilemma.”

Jonathan, it would be recalled, ruled Nigeria from 2010 until 2015 and on March 17, 2014, inaugurated the national conference chaired by the late Idris Legbo Kutigi, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Speaking on the topic, ‘How to Make Nigeria Work,’ Jonathan said: “When I set up the 2014 National Dialogue, the key thing was how to make Nigeria work, though we did not emphasise that so that people will really discuss the country.”

Jonathan recalled the comments made during the conference whereby a number of people agreed that Nigeria is a country because it is a defined geographical area, whereas others said the country, although a state, was not yet a nation.

Jonathan further said when the North and South were amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard, probably that beginning, that formation period from 1914 till the early election, party formation and independence struggles, there was the failure to integrate Nigerians into a proper nation and operated as individual’s interests.

He noted that the country was so polarised, particularly at the beginning of early political party formations and the parties were regional parties.

Jonathan said: “There was no sense of commitment to integrate Nigeria into an entity that you can say yes, we have a nation with a common philosophy and people will be patriotic to that nation. Most of the parties belong to regions and there were some alliances for the purpose of ruling the country.”

He stated that when compared with Tanzania, Julius Nyerere is celebrated for his fatherly role in the country, the same way Kenneth Kaunda did in Zambia.

Jonathan, however, said even though Nigerians lost it in the formative years that could have been the easiest time, for those who participated in the National Conference, it was believed that if the country had practised and followed steps, over the period, Nigerians would not have only said they have a state or a country called Nigeria, but a nation called Nigeria.

In her keynote speech, former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwisili, said democracy has not failed Africa, but very corrupt leaders.

Ezekwisili said: “We have resorted to practising pseudo-democracy in our continent and we pay the price for it.

“Democracy has not failed Africa. What has failed Africa are very corrupted leaders, masquerading as democrats. That is what has failed Africa.”

Ezekwisili also said democracy, as a principle of governance, has not been practised in the majority of countries, adding that the closest country to have practised democracy, which she is praying every day doesn’t corrupt, is Botswana.

“Botswana has been consistent in the practice of the tenets of democracy. But in most African countries and as we see it unraveled, we pretend to be shocked that a situation like that is going on. You cannot practice a process in a breach and expect anything less than what you see.”

Also speaking, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, called for proportional representation in government.

Fayemi also canvassed alternative politics to the challenges bedeviling the country rather than political alternatives.

“And my own notion of alternative politics that can lead us to build a better consensus around progress is that you cannot have 37 per cent of the votes and take 100 per cent of the spoils. It is not going to work. It is not going to help build consensus.

“It is time that we as a country begin to look in the direction of what is generally known as proportional representation so that the party declared to have won 21 per cent of the votes also has 21 per cent of the government. That way, we will all see ourselves as critical stakeholders because we know what adversarial politics breeds. Adversarial politics always breed division and enmity,” Fayemi said.

In his contribution, former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, said no Nigerian should in any way support any attempt by any military officer to return to power in Nigeria.

He recalled the atrocities committed by the military while they held sway in the country, particularly in delivering poverty and death and concluded that democracy has made progress in the country. (Daily Sun)

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