"Faced with the crisis of pandemic disease, economic collapse and racial injustice, we must make a choice to remake society and its systems to make it just and equitable, a society that provides for all and affirms in practice the fundamental value and dignity of every life. Education, Healthcare, Justice, the Economy, Environmental Protection and the basic frameworks of rights and freedoms that some of us take for granted and others have never enjoyed-all these must be made more just and equitable"-Social Progress. Photo: Google Image.
In Nigeria, wealth in natural resources has not translated into prosperity for the country and its citizens, due to 'capture, corruption and coercion'. what happens without oil remains a huge question especially as the world is seeking to de-carbonise the economy by 2050, this would mean less oil revenues for oil economies like Nigeria. Whereas the global conversation has shifted from achieving economic growth to prosperity, neither is the case currently in Nigeria, something must be done about it.
Poor Societies stuck on the ground must learn to abandon barbaric ideas that create misery and discontent and think about 'prosperity -well-being and environment'. There are preconditions for growth especially in the modern era. Nigeria's Unitary Centralised Political System is the wrong model for success it must be overhauled to drive Social Progress. Social Progress requires new thinking not same old style.
Nigeria ranks 129/149 on Basic Human Needs on the 2019 Social Progress Index, relatively poorly, Personal Safety, freedom and choice, very poor, inclusiveness very poor, health and wellness, very poor, etc. Click on this link to see the report: https://www.socialprogress.org/?tab=2&code=NGA . The Social Progress Index measures progress in three dimensions: a)Basic Human Needs, b)Foundations of Well-being and c)Opportunity. The classification is as follows: *Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Well-being, Opportunity,Water and Sanitation, Access to Information and Communications, Personal Freedom and Choice, Shelter, Health and Wellness, Inclusiveness, Personal Safety, Environmental Quality, Access to Advanced Education.
I read a report about Britain's Supreme Court hearing Nigerian farmers and fishermen appeal to pursue claims against oil major Shell BP over spills in the Niger-Delta. According to DW Africa; The Ogale and Bille communities allege that Shell's oil operations have polluted their land and waters. They are seeking justice through British courts because cases heard in Nigeria can take decades to resolve, this should be a huge cause for concern.
Few elites with access to wealth and power take decisions that impoverish lives and create disillusionment and disharmony in the society. In 1999 the focus was a return to civil rule, today it has to be upgraded for the 21st century by focusing on progress and economic welfare, citizens well-being, equity and justice. People everywhere can build a more hopeful and prosperous future if they embrace a better 'value system' rather than being preoccupied with 'materialism', of-course, prosperity is not 'materialism'.
"Does everyone in the society have the basic needs of survival-food, water, shelter, safety, rights, freedom of choice". How can we improve the quality of life for all not just a few people, How can we drive inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity, How can we guarantee citizens security and prosperity, How can we build world class infrastructure and social services including education and healthcare, affordable housing for all, well paying and sustainable jobs, How can we build a prosperous and inclusive future for citizens and make sure people are not left behind should be the priority not Guardian of the society nor divine rights to rule.
The focus should be 'flourishing and prospering'. The country must be committed to approaches that drive social progress and advance the Sustainable Development goals. How is the economy progressing? How is the society progressing? There is a huge disconnect. "Prosperity is promised, but insecurity, desperation and in-work poverty grows"-Institute for Global Prosperity(IGP). If the system is not working we need something else.
We need to change the dysfunctional system that creates persistence of poverty and stagnation with a new model for "well-being and flourishing", something that will really address the question of the quality of peoples' lives, something that will produce societal progress. The monstrous unitary centralised political system has failed to address the question of the quality of people's lives, well-being and flourishing, today we need an alternative to guarantee a sustainable prosperity.
We need to change the system that creates dysfunction and takes power away from people in their everyday lives."A value system that is preoccupied with possessions and the social image they project", must be abandoned. Building prosperous lives in Nigeria requires a new approach. In the words of great Einstein; "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" The present system benefits only a few, something must be done about it.
What Works: Social Progress requires change. Change needs action. Pressure works, the question is are we ready to take action. People are not as ignorant and impotent as the politicians think if they can discover their people power and the willingness to get off the hook of "Stockholm syndrome"-identity and narratives, propaganda and ideologies that held them down.
Wikipedia defines Stockholm Syndrome as a condition in which hostages develop a psychological alliance with their captors during captivity.
"Our politicians would only move beyond gestures once there is a critical mass of informed citizens"-Professor Sir Paul Collier. One thing is for sure, change happens whenever we are ready. Peace and well-being, overall socio-economic well-being and stability requires a new conversation.
Let me conclude this with a remark from the Institute for Global Prosperity; "A basic level of material consumption is needed to lead a dignified life, However, when materialism becomes a guiding principle, this rarely leads to growth in well-being, and often leads to people being less happy. If this is the case, as so much evidence suggests, it shows the need to have a new conversation about prosperity".
I think this is the great challenge, how to achieve good life for citizens and eliminating obstacles to 'flourishing and thriving' despite wealth in natural resources in their own country. Prosperity is not just about income rather 'happiness and well-being, about quality of life and well-being in our communities, and our families and our sense of security', these are things that really matter not just elections every four years.
We have been told that the 21st century presents a lot of challenges especially 'unprecedented' increase in human population to about 10 billion by 2050 and climate change, so "ensuring these people can thrive, not just survive, is the ultimate challenge of the 21st century"-UCL Institute For Global Prosperity. Everyone a change maker. Change Makers are needed now more than ever to help inform and inspire common action to improve lives and help save the planet. I think we are all stakeholders in this regard.
The world has changed and we cannot afford to be left behind. The policy makers in Nigeria must key into the new global renaissance and direction on how to ensure that people "flourish in a sustainable way and lead good, productive lives". Peace and Prosperity rather than Destruction and Anarchy as we are currently witnessing-senseless killings is not the future. "Prosperity is about improving people's quality of life and their ability to flourish as individuals and communities".
Rwanda is a shinning example despite lack of wealth in natural resources, leveraging boom in foreign direct investment to build a platform for sustainable development. In Nigeria foreign direct investment is in decline with the country's rich seeking investment havens overseas due to insecurity, fear and terror, lack of essential infrastructure and social services and hostile political climate.
Uche Okeke is the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation. He lives in London. He has participated in 'Global Prosperity Beyond GDP', University College London, UCL.
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