We Need Strong Institutions

IT is imperative to note that strong institutions, not powerful individuals or leaders, make the society’s systems work. Such institutions include civil service, military, police and paramilitary formations, presidency, judiciary, educational and research institutions, political parties, and even religion to mention but a few.

THE founding fathers of modern Nigeria inherited strong institutions from the colonial masters and strove to develop them until things went awry.  For instance, when the military struck and took over power in 1966, citizens were surprised that public utilities like water, electricity and other services were running without the likes of the  Late Obafemi Awolowo, Namdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa in power. The civil service and other government services were intact because the then existing institutions kept the system running.

TODAY, the reverse is the case as we talk about the office holders instead of the office; we depend on the occupants of the office instead of the structure of the system which makes a way for growth and stability. We now de-emphasise institutions as individuals that occupy offices see themselves as those offices with the mentality that without them, such offices may not function. Political offices are even the worse hit as politicians see themselves as the government and the state instead of stewards holding the positions in trust for the people. For instance, once a person becomes the president or a governor of a state, the political party that sponsored him for the election becomes a tool in his hands which he directs and deploys at will and eventually eroding the principle of party supremacy.

THE story is the same in other public institutions where structures are built around individuals holding leadership positions at such point in time. That is why policy summersault is the order of the day in our system as whatever happens in any of our secular, religious or political institutions is at the whims and caprices of whoever is the chief executive with no strong structure to compel whoever is leading to follow a developmental plan towards overall growth and health of the system.

AS long as we continue to follow this mentality, promoting individuals above institutions, development will continue to elude us. This is because the gains of building strong institutions far outweigh promoting individuals. Humans are not permanent but institutions endure. Once there is a structure on ground that is binding on all including whoever is chief executive, such a system becomes strong and last and that is what we need in Nigeria.

THE HOPE therefore calls on our leaders at all levels to work towards laying a strong foundation and emplacing a good structure that will outlive them bearing in mind that what makes a society work is not limited to the efforts of individuals but largely depends on strong institutions which compels individuals to follow a structural pattern of developmental goal for the good of all.

IF our institutions are strong, our systems will be self-regulating and no one will be above the law. Holders of offices will see themselves as servants who are under obligation to show commitment, patriotism and accountability and followers in turn will not see the leaders as demigods but public servants who can be held accountable within the confines of the regulations governing their engagements. This is necessary if we must take our nation out of the woods as the future belongs not to the youths or children but to the super structure of strong institutions.