Nigeria as a Failed State? The Issues, the Facts

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Despite the rebranding moves being championed by the Federal Government, Nigeria’s image in the face of the international community has not improved. The country was again named as one of the potential failed states of the world recently. Omololu Ogunmade looks at the development, the related factors and the challenges it poses for leaders

It was yet another fatal blow to Federal Government’s rebranding campaign recently, when Nigeria was ranked as the 15th most failed nation in the world. Nigeria came about that ill-fated ranking when the United States think-tank and an independent research organisation tagged the Fund for Peace, released the 2009 Failed State Index. Nigeria was ranked 15th out of the total of 177 countries that were surveyed. By this current ranking, Nigeria moved three steps backward from its 18th and 17th positions in 2008 and 2007 respectively, which implies that Nigeria’s status is deteriorating rather than improving.

Whereas Somalia, another African nation retained its earlier position as the most failed state, Norway was voted as the best and most sustainable state. The index ranks were reportedly predicated on 12 indicators of state vulnerability, out of which four were social, two economic and six political. The indicators were meant to measure a state’s vulnerability to collapse or conflict.

It is again instructive that of the 15 most failed nations surveyed, 10 of them were from Africa, suggesting that Africa has continued to take the back seat among other continents of the world. The failed African countries so named and their ranks were Somalia (1st), Zimbabwe (2nd), Sudan (3rd), Chad (4th), Democratic Republic of Congo (5th), Central African Republic (8th), Guinea (9th), Ivory Coast (11th), Kenya (14th) and Nigeria (15th).

But worthy of note is that the profile of Ghana, a neighbouring African country, rose again in the comity of nations, when it was ranked as the best state in Africa. Specifically, Ghana was ranked 124 of the 177 states, having been described as a moderate state. Also ranked among the overall best five states were Norway (177), Finland (176), Sweden (175), Switzerland (174), and Ireland (173), while USA and United Kingdom were ranked as 159 and 161 respectively.

Organizers of the survey remarked that a state would be said to have failed when it could no longer perform its basic security and development functions as it is seemingly the case in Nigeria today. They also stated that such a state would be noted to have lost control of its territory.

However, the rank accorded Nigeria at the time the Federal Government has been brandishing a rebranding campaign, has been described as a justification for the criticism of the agenda. At the launch of the rebranding campaign few months ago, critics of the exercise argued that spearheading a rebranding exercise when Nigeria was witnessing a rising spate of corruption, insecurity and infrastructural decay in nearly every sphere, amounted to putting the cart before the horse.
The description of Nigeria as a failed state, in the eyes of pundits, is hinged on the decay and prevalent corruption in the system, which again strengthened United States President Barrack Obama’s decision to visit Ghana at the expense of Nigeria.

Eventually, when Obama arrived Ghana on July 11, this year on his way from Italy where he had participated at the G8 meeting, he lamented the rising spate of corruption in Africa, thus punctuating the emergence of 10 African nations as the 10 most failed states of the world. This development seems to affirm Obama’s picture of Africa as a backward continent, whose leaders’ alleged corrupt and despotic tendencies have continued to relegate the continent to the background.

Obama, whose challenging speech while addressing members of the Ghanaian parliament, was spurred by perceived misgovernance by African leaders, charged the leaders to embrace change and put Africa on the path of progress. Obama frowned vehemently at persistent electoral processes ravaging Africa.

Nigeria’s electoral process has remained a source of concern to the global communities. The country’s 2007 general election was adjudged as one of the worst in global history, while the judiciary that is expected to right the wrongs of the electoral woes, has been allegedly compromised and said to be perverting the course of justice.

Similarly, Nigeria, like other “failed” African states, has allegedly lost grip of its security situations. Kidnapping across the country has now become a norm, while basic infrastructural provisions such as power supply, good roads, food security despite huge budget, have continued to elude Nigeria.

It was against this background that Obama warned African leaders against incessant “failed” elections and the attendant security crises which accompany lack of free and fair elections in the continent. Obama added that tyranny and disregard for due process, free and fair election, will continue to hamper the desire for a “more prosperous, more stable and more successful” continent. He therefore insisted that it was high time Africa turned over a new leaf.

Obama showered praises on Ghana, a country he noted had liberated itself from the prevalent woes in Africa and begun a new lease of life through the consecutive conduct of free and fair election and good governance. Obama did not mince words to state that the United States would only support countries which have opted to toe the path of honour and good governance by shunning corruption and ignore those which have refused to change. If Obama’s threat is anything to go by, then Nigeria which has been battling a number of international scandals, insecurity, alleged poor governance and corruption has nothing to expect from the US.

Said Obama: “This is a new moment of great promise. To realise that promise, we must first recognise a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa’s potential.

“As we provide support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have the responsibility to support those who act responsibly and isolate those who don’t, and that is exactly what America will do,” Obama threatened.

Obama also remarked that prosperity will continue to elude countries whose leaders accumulate wealth at the expense of the citizenry, while the police exchange their civic responsibilities with bribe. The US President talked tough, when he stated without ambiguity, that that no foreign country would attempt to invest in a country where corruption has become a culture and where rule of law has been alternated with oppression and brutality. Little wonder then, that Nigeria was conspicuously voted as a failed state.

“No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 per cent off the top, or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery.
“That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there,” he said adding: “and now is the time for that style of governance to end.” Further, Obama said: “Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war,” insisting that for “far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.These conflicts are a millstone around Africa’s neck.” Obama ended his speech that afternoon with this witty saying: “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.” This expression might be a food for thought for Nigerian leaders who allegedly manipulate public institutions to suit their purposes.

This allegedly failed state of Nigeria has also been beamoned by former presidential candidate of the African Democractic Congress (ADC), Professor Pat Utomi. Utomi lamented that the myriad of woes bedeviling Nigeria, which earns it the label of the 15th most failed state, inflicts injuries on his heart.

But interestingly, Utomi does not belong to the class of pessimists, who have lost hopes in Nigeria. Though he lamented with deep feelings that his heart bled for Nigeria, yet he expressed optimism that despite the allegedly failing state of the nation, a long bud can still grow from the ruins. He therefore enjoined all concerned and well meaning Nigerians to rise up with a formidable spirit of optimism to rebuild Nigeria and reposition the country to achieve the dreams of its founding fathers.
“I HURT and the pain runs deep. I hurt because the dream of Nigeria my father left me on Aba Road in Kano on the first day of October 1960 seems now like jaded treasure. I hurt. Yes, I hurt because I grew up believing the things of the latter rain; the things of the future were bound to be greater than those of yesterday, yet I live in a Nigeria in which indicators have been southbound and the quality of life and the life expectancy is less today than was the case a few years ago.

“I do hurt indeed but I am held up by the fact of a greater gift from my father; the gift of faith and trust in the indomitable nature of the human spirit which can triumph over all adversity. And so I hope. I look to the future with greater optimism because of that gift from my father, which is that united, in collective effort, we can accomplish more. So, I dream and network, confident that together we can rewrite the script of Nigeria. Yes indeed. Together we can. Together we must hand our children a nation of integrity and prosperity in peace and concord.

“Together we can cause dry bones to get up and walk and the phoenix to arise from the ashes of a broken nation and flock with Eagles. But it cannot be about wishful thinking and waiting. Three years ago, I become ‘unemployed’ to dedicate my energies to working with those who seek change, that Nigeria may be transformed. I became unemployed so that tomorrow millions will find employment and their dignity. I know now that I know that together we can together, we must breathe new life into this land,” Utomi said with nolstagic feelings.

Perhaps Utomi’s sense of hope is what Nigerians need to cultivate in order to get the country out of its current doldrums. This sense of hope is also what Minister of Information and Communications and author of the rebranding campaign, Professor Dora Akunyili recently encouraged Nigerians to possess as against the alleged pull it down syndrome. “There is so much crime in South Africa and everybody knows that, yet it is ‘South Africa Is Possible.’ There is so much problem in India, yet it is ‘Incredible India.’ There is so much shooting in New York, yet they say, ‘God’s Own Country.’ Too much shooting is not a part of the slogan. It is only in Nigeria that we compete in who runs down the country the most. If someone gives birth to an imbecile, nobody calls such a child an imbecile but names such as blessing. You profess positively and when you do that, positivity will follow,” Akunyili counselled.

However, as enticing as Akunyili’s statement might be, there are expressions that this comment will only be worthwhile, if only Nigerian leaders begin to portray the country positively, by turning from their corrupt and non-challant attitudes and making the pursuit of good governance a worthy adventure. By so doing, commentators said Nigeria will reclaim its lost glory which it has lost to Ghana and redeem its image from the circle of failed states.