Today, let's start the REFORMS talk. Its purpose. Its prospects. Its content. Its continuity. And then, its consequences. Anyone who knows our country, Nigeria, must applaud Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for some of the courageous steps he has taken towards the long-overdue reforms in the economy. Sadly, it is not happening in politics and democracy. And that, to many, is the paradox. Dear me, that is a long story!
With barely 12 months to the official end of their tenure, all political office holders should now be ready to truly sacrifice for Nigeria. They have had their place, their pace and their face. They must now create the space for sustainable reforms and enduring change. The place to start is the PRESIDENCY, within the federal administration. The Nigerian bureaucratic behemoth so-called is an unwieldy conglomeration housing everything from the state house to the cabinet office, from the emergency agency to the boundary commission, from the civil service chief to a pool of conference vehicles their drivers, from civil servants housing and numerous guest houses to obscure parastatals, from the presidential air and land fleet to several research/training institutions. It is a breath-taking octopus and bewildering panorama!
If you thought the manpower needed for running this compelling curiosity were a study in Third World management miracles, you have a mesmerising missile yet coming: There is an unwieldy cabinet of about 50 ministers, scores of special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, consultants and political jobbers, with their own retinues of staffers and hangers-on. The Nigerian Presidency boasts the largest bureaucracy in the universe. And, it's largely believed, wastefully so! Had to dispute.
Well, in defence of the president, our constitution short-sightedly decreed a federal cabinet of at least one member from each state of the federation - which means 36 to start with! But, hey, these guys had 7 years before now to get rid of that nonsense - amend the military-imposed document. They did not. If the president stuck to the minimum, there should be less wastage. He didn't. In fact, he compounded it by his clearly over-bloated and overlapping appointments. Some supporters insist that this was a political expediency. Hard to agree. With this president's legendary obstinacy (ask the labour leaders!) , which he prefers to proudly celebrate as "Owu stubbornness" (i.e. from his ethnic heritage!), his spin-doctor's should try again!
If Chief Obasanjo truly means well for his legacy through the current reforms, he must reform and transform the presidency TODAY. He must get the constitution to reflect the "leaner government" decency of modernity and productive discipline of the new millennium. It is absolutely imperative that a new administration does not inherit this abnormality. What is a sensible and suitable rightsizing level? Look around the globe for lessons and lay your level. But, for God's sake, do it. Thankfully, we have paid enough for his study tours and state visits to equip him with first class case studies and enduring best practices.
If I were the president, I will not ignore the damning publications, in and out of the country, which suggest that The Presidency houses the largest proportion of the nation's corrupt practices. And for good measure, I should unleash the anti-corruption attack-dogs on all such criminals. TODAY! If they find nothing, hurray - one more honour for the reforms. We shame the writers and their paymasters! Sound case for doing it. So I will.
With this baggage off my back, I should begin a redefinition of my roles and reforms for a new Nigeria. If I were President Olusegun Obasanjo, the real reforms starts anew, afresh and ablast! Watch my moves....
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