EditorThe vote of the young professional buying a one way ticket to Canada tells a story. But there can be an alternative narrative. In many ways the 2023 elections pose the question: quo vadis. Shall we give up or should work to revive the great promise at independence.
I am currently involved in a book project with a group of scholars, mainly Nigerian but not exclusively so, who are located as far away as North America, Europe, South Africa., and here at home.
The topic seeks witness to history in the tradition of Presidential historians in the US. It seeks to critically evaluate the watch of Nigeria ‘s former heads of state. To bear witness to history may be a profound gift to the future so that yesterday’s mistakes may be avoided and the good lessons built upon.
.But the moment we witness in Nigeria is one of waning hope which gives rise to that one one way ticket to Canada by our finest.
In this sense therefore the 2023 elections has an obligation to bear witness to hope. Can the men clamoring to be President inspire hope in a future not seen? It really is an obligation of that desire to serve at such a level. And there is example of how that has been done even at a global level on the watch of a servant of the servants of the children of God, Pope John Paul 11.
A book of the title Witness to hope was written years ago by George Weigel in biographical capture of the Polish Pope John Paul 11 . Few spoke so much about hope iin our age than John Paul 11. The Weigel book was therefore fitting.
He gave hope to his native Poland under Communism and helped the crystallization of the vision of Solidarity as a Labour and political movement. More importantly, his theology of Hope sustained him as one of the few global leaders in sight as the twentieth century wound its way to a close.
It is interesting that his successor as Roman Pontiff chose hope as topic for an encyclical letter advancing the social doctrine of the church. The writings of Benedict XI in Spe Salve (Saved in Hope) stirred up as I thought of 2023 when I spoke to a group of LBS MBA alumni to give a talk on the current social political and economic environment in Nigeria last week.
I ended my presentation on the upside and the possibilities for Nigeria .
At Q and A one of the MBAs asked how I could manage to be optimistic when facts are discouraging and despair can be seen every where.
In my own defense I told the Brazil story one more time. The journey from great potential to despair and then breakthrough in the wake of the Henrique Fernando Cardoso watch as Finance minister and then as President before the Lula Inatio Da Silva miracle.
In many ways my optimism for ‘for Nigeria is based on hope which flows from faith.
Leaders have a duty to focus the consciousness of the people on great possibilities. It also provides the confidence that brings commitment to investment that can improve conditions. This is why one of the measures of growth possibilities is the purchasing managers confidence index.
What do you say to a person who has gone for three weeks without public power supply, two of his generators have broken down, his savings are completely gone
because he has not received any income in one year and had to borrow to pay the last due fees for children?
The man can surely use hope but it is not just the leadership duty which demands a positive spin that leads to the offer of hope which makes it possible to be positive about the future of Nigeria.
The history of Nigeria seems to host healing properties on the one hand and it’s future draws prospects of triumph from the country’s endowments on the other hand.
On the side of healing properties Nigeria seems ever so often to get to the brink and then it is pulled back by forces of self interest and recognition of mutually assured destruction.
On the side of endowments, the human and material endowments that have thrown up the Tech Ecosystem that continues to attract investments and raise unicorns and the splash of music makers and Nollywood successes tell me there is more sunshine on the way . Imagine then that a few more serious minded people can take the drivers seat of such a craft and crank the engines to full power.
But would be leaders need a certain audacity of their own personal vision of and for Nigeria which can illuminate this present darkness.
As a simple teacher with an audacious vision of a great Nigeria I feel the urgency of the call to sow hope and work towards the promise of that hope. But it is not a pie in the sky. The ingredients are there.
Pat Utomi political economist and professor off entrepreneurship is founder of CVL
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