this was a refreshing read. i appreciate your perspective, truly. in all of this, i couldn't help wondering what the purpose of the local government then is, would be or could become if redefined strategically. because of the people-influenced nature of cities, arguments about where they start and end abound. with Abuja for instance, parts of Nasarawa are argued to be "still Abuja", whereas in Jos, the government's definition of the Jos metropolis exceeds the masses'. trust our country people to turn the mayor position into something you would not have anticipated--just another opportunity to disregard democracy and all that it is. long talk just to say your essay got me thinking thoughts of moves towards decentralization of power, and the need for less emphasis on ethnic factors in considerations for leadership positions. a man from Anambra who grew up in my hometown in Benue no doubt understands the terrain, the people and their needs better than I who grew up in Jos, just as I understand Jos better than an individual born and raised in Lagos whose certified LGA is the one I've lived my whole life in. i'm imagining instead LGA chairpersons accountable to the people, Governors accountable to the house of reps (which in turn caters to the people), and a presidency working international relations, and understanding the reports of the governors and their people just enough to represent them globally. don't wake me up
As I see it, it requires three fairly contentious but quick wins.
First, we have a clear delineation of responsibilities between the different tiers of government. We have the exclusive, concurrent and residual lists, but we need a firm and demarcated distinction for the next bit.
Second, we need extensive propaganda and communication to make citizens aware of who to hold responsible for different issues and why. This helps with broadening responsibility and, ideally, should make it easier for local governance since we should be able to run into LGA chairs and management easily.
Third, and most contentious, we emphasise residence over origin in statehood and locale debates. As you’ve said, there are probably more people from Anambra or Adamawa who have lived, breathed and contributed to Lagos than others and are not considered as active stakeholders because of their state of origin. Revisiting this contract helps in challenging expectations of who is entitled to lead and, most importantly, who is entitled to hold leaders to account.
The sad thing is that Nigeria is now totally under the spell of power for the sake of extraction and protection of extracted wealth so that no good idea that challenges that is tolerated.
An important insight into where we need to begin our development initiatives as a nation: the grassroots. Sustainable development starts from the ground up. We need this now more than ever!
Brilliant piece. Well written
this was a refreshing read. i appreciate your perspective, truly. in all of this, i couldn't help wondering what the purpose of the local government then is, would be or could become if redefined strategically. because of the people-influenced nature of cities, arguments about where they start and end abound. with Abuja for instance, parts of Nasarawa are argued to be "still Abuja", whereas in Jos, the government's definition of the Jos metropolis exceeds the masses'. trust our country people to turn the mayor position into something you would not have anticipated--just another opportunity to disregard democracy and all that it is. long talk just to say your essay got me thinking thoughts of moves towards decentralization of power, and the need for less emphasis on ethnic factors in considerations for leadership positions. a man from Anambra who grew up in my hometown in Benue no doubt understands the terrain, the people and their needs better than I who grew up in Jos, just as I understand Jos better than an individual born and raised in Lagos whose certified LGA is the one I've lived my whole life in. i'm imagining instead LGA chairpersons accountable to the people, Governors accountable to the house of reps (which in turn caters to the people), and a presidency working international relations, and understanding the reports of the governors and their people just enough to represent them globally. don't wake me up
As I see it, it requires three fairly contentious but quick wins.
First, we have a clear delineation of responsibilities between the different tiers of government. We have the exclusive, concurrent and residual lists, but we need a firm and demarcated distinction for the next bit.
Second, we need extensive propaganda and communication to make citizens aware of who to hold responsible for different issues and why. This helps with broadening responsibility and, ideally, should make it easier for local governance since we should be able to run into LGA chairs and management easily.
Third, and most contentious, we emphasise residence over origin in statehood and locale debates. As you’ve said, there are probably more people from Anambra or Adamawa who have lived, breathed and contributed to Lagos than others and are not considered as active stakeholders because of their state of origin. Revisiting this contract helps in challenging expectations of who is entitled to lead and, most importantly, who is entitled to hold leaders to account.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
now that's a plan!
The sad thing is that Nigeria is now totally under the spell of power for the sake of extraction and protection of extracted wealth so that no good idea that challenges that is tolerated.
An important insight into where we need to begin our development initiatives as a nation: the grassroots. Sustainable development starts from the ground up. We need this now more than ever!
How do you think this would look like in practical terms.
Great piece. Those who clamour for the creation of state police should seek to convert this wisdom into that policy sphere.