Hold On To Our Nigerian Dream- Joe Gadzama

 

Nigerians have been called upon to keep the hope for a better country up by keeping the dream of a better Nigeria even in the face of the present challenges facing the nation

Renowned lawyer Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN, made the call while delivering a discussion paper at the opening of 2021 Law Week of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Monday in Lagos.

He stated that dreams are important as they encompass goals and more.” Dreams give one’s life purpose, direction, and meaning. They shape life choices, help to build towards the future and create a sense of control and hope. The same can be applied to a nation. A country needs a dream, hopes and a purpose to move on.”

Barrister Gadzama further stated that “many fellow concerned Nigerians have earnest dreams for our great Nation. However, whether these dreams have found fruition or yielded manifest results remain a recurring rhetoric we must all ponder on.”

Asking rhetorical question such as, have these dreams been achieved? Can we say for certain that we live in an ideal Nigeria? Or can we at least say that we are on the right course towards achieving the Nigeria of our dreams? Why are we not living the Nigerian dream? Indeed, who bells the cat for the current predicament of Nigeria? Do we blame the professionals, the technocrats, the scientists, the businessmen or the entrepreneurs?

He blamed both the military and civilian bad leadership for killing the Nigerian dream via their visionless leadership

“Although we may blame non-partisan and apathetic followership as having played a role in the quagmire, the overall and root cause of the problem is lack of quality, devoted and objective leadership born out of true democracy and patriotism. Sadly, leadership in our country has not been motivated by true federalism, fairness, equity, nationhood and good conscience. Rather, we have continued to experience a blatant scene of tribalism, nepotism, favoritism, unfair politicization of government policies, impunity, corruption and insecurity. Despite these setbacks impeding the materialization of our dreams for Nigeria, we must continue to dream.”

Further stating that “the idea of developing and sustaining a national dream is to ensure that at every time in the nation’s existence, there are short-term, medium and long-term strategies set up to drive the nation towards living true to its strength and potentials for the benefit of its citizens. These laid down strategies will form the substratum of all the policies of its governments at all levels.”

Gadzama also stated that Nigeria as a nation does not have anything like the American which is what push American to lofty dream and aspirations, maintaining that the nearest we have to that is preamble in the 1999 constitution.

“In the case of Nigeria, we can only refer faintly to the lofty dreams and hopes of our foremost nationalists who ensured the birth of Nigeria but not a national dream per se. The closest semblance to a national dream in Nigeria would be the Preamble of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), but this Constitution has often been adjudged to be document not emanating from Nigerians”

He maintained that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) had made bold statements as to the system of governance the Nigerian State is to practice, which without a doubt is Federalism, but Federalism connotes a system of governance built on the strengths of a nation’s federating units. However, the provisions in this same Constitutions make the practicability of federalism a herculean task or even an impossible feat.

“I firmly believe curing some of these provisions might just be the flame that spark-kindles and sets ablaze Nigeria’s prosperity to create a Nigeria we all love and enjoy living in. In the quest to realizing a Nigeria of our dream, the practicability of federalism I believe, is the linchpin” he added.

Further adding that the time has come for every Nigerian to get involve in both the constitutional and political process so as to pull the country out of the present stagnant position to creating a true Nigerian dream

“As the process for alteration of the Constitution is ongoing, we must continue to speak to our elected representatives at the National Assembly to critically consider, for the sake of national cohesion, integration and prosperity of the country, various workable proposals already submitted in the course of public hearing recently conducted. The era of standing aloof watching our legislators to do as it pleased them is over, now it is time to get involved.”