By Ayodele Fagbohun

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For good purposeful and sustainable democracy to  thrive and flourish  in Nigeria, the  ongoing political  experiment must be anchored and firmly rooted on clear-cut political philosophy or ideology not only to also   promote socio-political fortunes  of the country, but to accelerate national development and enhance material happiness of the people.

Alas! the protracted military rule bereft  of any ideological  framework for viable political arrangement for the  country,  constituted profound  political nightmare  and   mirage  on steady growth of ideologically  oriented political parties which normally guarantees stable party  politics cum democracy as practised across African and  so called third world countries.

It is now expedient  on the ruling political  parties in the country to evolve relevant and  acceptable political  ideologies, either  socialism or capitalism, to mention the two well known “isms,” to articulate precise, viable  and  sustainable political  arrangement and the modus operandi, to restructure the  ill-arranged and ruptured federalism  foisted on the succeeding civilian administrations on the  eve of military handover.

The military dictatorship which handed over a failed  constitution steeped in nebulous, violent, impracticable  and visionless federalism must not be  regarded  as  fait  accompli.

The  present generation of politicians should be up to  the task and  call off the bluff of our erstwhile action and  right ideology or philosophy to change the  awful, old and mocking narratives;  and rewrite the history to conform to best practice of good government world over.

It is  imperative for the politicians to bestir themselves from mental inertia and political  stupor; and  be public  spirited, intellectually formidable  and  imbued  with  political  comprehension and spiritual depth to turn around  the socio-economic and  political fortunes of the people; and  guarantee safety of lives and property throughout the length and breadth of the federation.

It is  sine qua non for the ruling party to develop  and  declare in clear term, without any iota of ambiquity  clear-cut political philosophy as a panacea to all perceived  political and economic ills of the society.

Perhaps,  political party becomes the most reliable and virile  instrument  for promoting  ideology.

For  instance, Democratic  socialism, a  political philosophy articulated by Obafemi Awolowo of  Action  Group (AG) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was  evolved to galvanize populist free education, social welfare programmes and other development schemes which put the  Western axis of the country on the frontline; and far ahead the rest of Nigeria.

Dr. Ikwame Nkrumah of Ghana; Julius Nyerere of  Tanzania; Sekou Toure of Guinea popularized different home grown ideologies  clothed in personality cult, aura and enigama  translated to better the rural  dwellers.

I must  emphasize that  Nkrumah fully utilized his  political  party, the  Convention People’s Party (CPP) in Ghana in truly mobilizing the entire hoipolloi which engendered groundswell support for his masses-oriented  programmes and policies.

No wonder, the masses of Ghana almost deified Nkrumah as the political redeemer, the “Osaigyefo ” of Ghana.

President Julius “Nwalimu” Nyere could  not be  forgotten in a hurry by the toiling masses, the dregs of the society of Tanzania. Nyerere  made humble  and  impactful contribution through his “self help” (Ujuma) policy in transforming a great and vast majority of Tanzanian masses who fervidly applauded him as “Nwalimu,” that is,  great teacher or “the giver of  truth” to the  point of  hero-worshipping.

Briefly  stated, ideology defines goals of public activity as national unity, social transformation and  relations with other states. It alerts followers to  injustices and to qualities in society deserving modifications of eradication, as  Nehru’s socialist  pattern of society which criticised  casterism, social  in equality and religious backwardness.

The constitutions of practically all Western countries  confirm that capitalist ideology  is the ownership by a few of the  factors of  production of these  societies.

On the other hand, socialism is set to develop on the basis of self reliance, proletarian and scientific  planning. Socialism accelerates  development since the profits accrued by the  productive forces in the society go into national  coffers. These funds are channeled  to free education, free medical  care, low-cost housing  etc.

Under  capitalism, such  funds and profits go into private hands thereby  enabling a tiny minority  to indulge in criminal  luxury and ostentatious  living, while the masses, the producers  of the  profits, are  left to wallow in misery, squalor, disease,  superstition and  abject  poverty.

Since  the attainment of political  independence in  October1, 1960  our politicians inherited an economy  dictated by the whims,  caprices and pleasure of British imperialism which was brazen capitalist-oriented, pure  simple.

Some of our politicians at the helm  of affairs were bereft of  correct  ideological orientation  and gross  incapacity to manage and  run independent  and sovereign government. Those at the helm  were  buccaneers who pillaged the economy, the life wire  of  any nation,  to the detriment of the nation  and  without  giving respite for the producers, toiling masses for the  comfort of those few  political and social vermins.

It is  hightime Nigeria, as a  sovereign nation  was extricated from the stranglehold of the neo-colonialists who are now commissioned agents and proxies  of the  ex-colonial masters. Over the years, the  neo-colonialists  have profiteered immeasurably and munificently on our  national common wealth and resources leaving  the rest of the  countrymen  and women as hewers of  wood and drawers of water.

As a result of this naked self  interest ,  planlessness and wicked interplay of capitalism, which is the basis of policy of laissez faire in government  business, the increasingly growing population of the   have-nots and toiling masses are impoverished, dejected and enlisted into army of restive youths against the state.

To  avert the looming  collapse of Nigeria as an  indivisible and indissoluble  sovereign entity, the federal government  led by President Bola  Ahmed Tinubu should aggressively pursue socialist- inclined  political ideology premised  on true federation, no  matter whose horse is gored.

According to Professor Akin Oyebode, a renown  professor of law and acclaimed political  scientist, “Socialism has been developed on the basis of self reliance, proletarian internationalism and scientific planning  suffice to say that imperialist wars, plunder, slave trade and gun-boat  diplomacy are not inherent  in socialist development.

It is very pertinent   to reiterate that federalism is the   only basis on which the entire country, given its diversity  geographical contiguity and pluralism, could be  effectively  organized and governed on the formulae of linguistic affinity.

It stands  to reason therefore that men  and women  of proven  integrity imbued with right ideological and political  philosophy,  honesty, courage, public  spiritedness and comprehension  must  of necessity be at the helm, to skillfully run the affairs of the  great country  at this  critical juncture  of our  nationhood.

The fears of mutual  ethnic mistrust, suspicious and undue  rivalries will be permanently obliterated and stamped out in the  public life of the country, thereby giving fillip and momentum to  greater cause of national integration, unity  and  progress devoid  of corruption.

To lend further credence that federalism is the panacea for    unity and progress of Nigeria as a multi-racial, ethnic and  religious  nation Professor  K.C.  wheare, an eminent jurist and erudite scholar of international repute, candidly expressed constitutional view as follows:

“Indeed, it is  usually a matter of surprise that union is possible at all, among  communities which differ in language,  race, religion or nation”.