STATE OF THE NATION: We must halt descent into anarchy

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE,  Deputy Political Editor
Several eminent Nigerians recently dissected the state of the nation and returned a grim verdict: Nigeria is on the brink of implosion and urgent actions are needed to halt the drift.
Leading Nigerians who shared this view include: former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke; former Information Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili; Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Chief Leo Stan-Ekeh; former Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador George Obiozor; Chairman of the Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Bruce and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, among others.
They spoke at the first Nigeria Leadership Summit organised by Anabel Leadership Academy in Lagos.

Solutions proffered to save the nation include empowering the youth, ensuring the emergence of good leaders and followers, pursuing revolution of ideas instead of bloody revolution and amending the constitution to cater for the welfare of the citizenry.
Other eminent persons at the event which drew about 3000 delegates from all walks of life include: former Presidential Candidate, Prof Pat Utomi; Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu; Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi; Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Otti; Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr Sam Amadi and Group Managing Director of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole.
Where Nigeria went wrong – Okoye
Prince Nicholas Okoye, convener of the Nigeria Leadership Summit and president of Anabel Group, kick-started the discourse when he spoke on the need for a new direction of leadership for Nigeria.
Okoye outlined the major political failures of the past and hinged the blame on the Nigerian constitution, which he said must be amended for the nation to make meaningful progress.
“The indigene clause must give way to state of residence; if a Nigerian works in Lagos and pays his taxes in Lagos, he should be allowed to represent Lagos in national issues,” he said.
He identified the indigene clause as the primary cause of recurring sectarian violence in Nigeria, especially in Plateau State where people are being referred to as settlers even after living in an area for over two generations.
Not done, Okoye decried the billions of dollars Nigeria loses by being heavily dependent on imported rice, sugar, fuel and generators. He berated the Nigerian middle class for spending over $500 million a month or $6 billion a year on medical services abroad and between $10 to 12 billion a year on educating middle class children in the United States, Great Britain and Ghana.
He argued that there would be opportunities for job growth that would accommodate Nigeria’s millions of unemployed youths if only the leadership would focus on plugging the leaks in the system.
Citing the fear of poverty as the major cause of corruption in Nigeria, Okoye advocated a complete mindset change for leaders in Nigeria and making job creation the single most important driver of all government policies.
He lamented that about $400 billion stolen funds were stashed in foreign bank accounts by corrupt politicians and civil servants.  To recover the funds, Okoye advocated a six-month financial amnesty for anybody that has never been charged, whereby the Federal Government will allow all looted funds to return to Nigeria over a six-month period with no questions asked, provided the individuals responsible pay a 10 per cent Federal Government tax, 5 per cent tax to their chosen state of residence and invest the 85 per cent balance of the funds in key target areas of the economy that would create jobs for millions of Nigerian youths.