“SHIFTING THE SOCIO-POLITICAL PARADIGM IN NIGERIA: MOVING BEYOND STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE”

ʙʏ: ᴄᴏᴍʀᴀᴅᴇ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀ ᴏᴊᴇɪ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴡᴏɴɢ ʙᴏx ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪsᴛ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛs ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ғᴇᴇʟ ғʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜs ᴠɪᴀ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ᴏɴ 08038785262

ɪɴ ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴠᴀɪʟɪɴɢ sᴏᴄɪᴏ-ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ʟᴀɴᴅsᴄᴀᴘᴇ ɪs ᴍᴀʀʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ʀᴇʟᴇɴᴛʟᴇss ᴘᴜʀsᴜɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟ ɢᴀɪɴ, ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴠɪᴄɪᴏᴜs ᴄʏᴄʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛɪᴏɴ, ɢᴏssɪᴘ, ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋʙɪᴛɪɴɢ. ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏғ “sᴛᴏᴍᴀᴄʜ ɪɴғʀᴀsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ,” ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴀɴᴄᴇ ʀᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇs ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ sᴇᴄᴜʀɪɴɢ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟ ʙᴇɴᴇғɪᴛs, ʜᴀs sᴛɪғʟᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇᴛᴜᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴇϙᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴀᴍɪᴅsᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴏs, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀɪsᴇs ᴀ ᴄʟᴀʀɪᴏɴ ᴄᴀʟʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪɢᴍ sʜɪғᴛ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇssɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇϙᴜɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ.

ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀ’s sᴏᴄɪᴏ-ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴍᴀʟᴀɪsᴇ ʟɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʙsᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴡᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴀᴄᴄᴜᴍᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇɴsᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ. ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀᴘᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴀssᴏᴄɪᴀᴛᴇs ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴘʀɪᴍɪᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴜᴍᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴀᴍᴀssɪɴɢ ᴡᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɴᴇɢʟᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇʟғᴀʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀᴄᴇ. ᴍᴇᴀɴᴡʜɪʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛᴏʀᴀᴛᴇ, ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ ᴏғ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴛ ɢʀᴀᴛɪғɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴏᴠᴇʀʟᴏᴏᴋs sᴜʙsᴛᴀɴᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄʏ ᴄᴏɴsɪᴅᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ɪɴ ғᴀᴠᴏᴜʀ ᴏғ sʜᴏʀᴛ-ᴛᴇʀᴍ ɢᴀɪɴs.

ᴛʜɪs ᴘʀᴇᴠᴀɪʟɪɴɢ ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ʙʀᴇᴇᴅs ᴍɪsᴛʀᴜsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴠɪsɪᴏɴ, ᴀs ɪʟʟᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀsᴇ ᴏғ ᴡᴏɴɢ ʙᴏx, ᴀ ᴠɪᴄᴛɪᴍ ᴏғ ɪɴᴄᴇssᴀɴᴛ ɢᴏssɪᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋʙɪᴛɪɴɢ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛs ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪsᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ, sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴄʜᴀᴍᴘɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴊᴜsᴛɪᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇss, ᴡᴏɴɢ ʙᴏx ғᴀᴄᴇs ᴜɴᴡᴀʀʀᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ sᴄʀᴜᴛɪɴʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀssᴀssɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇxɪsᴛs ᴀ ᴛᴏxɪᴄ ᴇɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀʙᴏᴛᴀɢᴇ, ғᴜᴇʟᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴀʀᴄɪᴛʏ ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟɪᴛʏ ɪɴɢʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʙʀɪᴄ ᴏғ ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀɴ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ.

ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ғʀᴇᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴄʏᴄʟᴇ, ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀ ᴜʀɢᴇɴᴛʟʏ ɴᴇᴇᴅs ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪɢᴍ sʜɪғᴛ—ᴀ ғᴜɴᴅᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʀᴇᴏʀɪᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴠᴀʟᴜᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀɪᴏʀɪᴛɪᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏᴄᴜs ᴍᴜsᴛ sʜɪғᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ɴᴀʀʀᴏᴡ sᴇʟғ-ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴡᴇʟʟ-ʙᴇɪɴɢ, ғʀᴏᴍ sʜᴏʀᴛ-ᴛᴇʀᴍ ɢᴀɪɴ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ-ᴛᴇʀᴍ sᴜsᴛᴀɪɴᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ. ᴛʜɪs ᴇɴᴛᴀɪʟs:

1. ᴘᴏʟɪᴄʏ-ʙᴀsᴇᴅ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴀɴᴄᴇ: ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪᴢɪɴɢ sᴜʙsᴛᴀɴᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄɪᴇs ᴏᴠᴇʀ sᴜᴘᴇʀғɪᴄɪᴀʟ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇs. ᴠᴏᴛᴇʀs ᴍᴜsᴛ ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴄᴀɴᴅɪᴅᴀᴛᴇs ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴀɢᴇɴᴅᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋ ʀᴇᴄᴏʀᴅs ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ sᴜᴄᴄᴜᴍʙɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴍᴘᴛʏ ʀʜᴇᴛᴏʀɪᴄ.

2. ᴇɢᴀʟɪᴛᴀʀɪᴀɴ ᴘʀɪɴᴄɪᴘʟᴇs: sᴛʀɪᴠɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴠᴇ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴅɪᴠɪᴅᴜᴀʟ ʜᴀs ᴇϙᴜᴀʟ ᴀᴄᴄᴇss ᴛᴏ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴏᴜʀᴄᴇs. ᴛʜɪs ʀᴇϙᴜɪʀᴇs ᴀᴅᴅʀᴇssɪɴɢ sʏsᴛᴇᴍɪᴄ ʙᴀʀʀɪᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ᴇᴅᴜᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜᴄᴀʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴄᴏɴᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.

3. ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀsʜɪᴘ: ғᴏsᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴜᴛᴜᴀʟ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴄɪᴠɪʟ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪsᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴇɴᴛɪᴛɪᴇs. ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴠɪᴇᴡɪɴɢ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀs ᴀᴅᴠᴇʀsᴀʀɪᴇs, sᴛᴀᴋᴇʜᴏʟᴅᴇʀs sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ ɢᴏᴀʟs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏғ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ.

4. ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴄʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ: ᴇsᴛᴀʙʟɪsʜɪɴɢ ʀᴏʙᴜsᴛ ᴍᴇᴄʜᴀɴɪsᴍs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜʀʙ ᴄᴏʀʀᴜᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴsᴜʀᴇ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴄʏ ɪɴ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴀɴᴄᴇ. ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴏғғɪᴄɪᴀʟs ᴍᴜsᴛ ʙᴇ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜᴇsᴛ ᴇᴛʜɪᴄᴀʟ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʀᴅs, ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴛʀɪɴɢᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇs ɪɴ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀ ᴍᴀʟғᴇᴀsᴀɴᴄᴇ.

5. ᴄɪᴠɪᴄ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ: ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢɪɴɢ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄɪᴘᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇss ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs. ᴄɪᴠɪʟ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴘʟᴀʏs ᴀ ᴄʀᴜᴄɪᴀʟ ʀᴏʟᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛɪᴇs ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴏᴄᴀᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄʏ ʀᴇғᴏʀᴍs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇғʟᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴀsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇϙᴜɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɴɪɢᴇʀɪᴀ ɪs ғʀᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴsᴜʀᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ɪᴛ ʀᴇϙᴜɪʀᴇs ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴇғғᴏʀᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀʟʟ sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀs ᴏғ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴄᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴍɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍʙʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴀ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴅᴇғɪɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏsᴘᴇʀɪᴛʏ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ. ᴀs ᴡᴇ sᴛʀɪᴠᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪɢᴍ sʜɪғᴛ, ʟᴇᴛ ᴜs ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴏғ ɴᴇʟsᴏɴ ᴍᴀɴᴅᴇʟᴀ: *”ɪᴛ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs sᴇᴇᴍs ɪᴍᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴅᴏɴᴇ.”* ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴡ.