Former Minister of Education, Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili, said, “Public Accountability is our constitutional right that must be protected, respected and enforced. Always.”
She said, she “will continue to regret one of the biggest mistakes of the administration I served on”, that, it was their “failure” to notice that Nigeria had been milltarized for decades, and as a result, “the mindset of the people would be severely affected”.
Ezekwesili revealed, it was their “hugely successful comprehensive economic reform program that convinced the Paris Club of Creditors to grant us – an oil producing and exporting country- the massive $18Billion Debt Reduction.”
“Many of our Citizens still believe that demanding Public Accountability from political and public leaders is an act of disrespect”, she said.
Ezekwesili wrote: “I have said and will continue to regret one of the biggest mistakes of the administration I served on. It was our failure to recognize that since our country had been militarized for decades, the mindset of the people would be severely affected.
“Our Economic Team missed on adding a Mindset Reform to our hugely successful comprehensive economic reform program that convinced the Paris Club of Creditors to grant us – an oil producing and exporting country- the massive $18Billion Debt Reduction.
“The economic reforms designed and delivered by the 12-member economic team under the political leadership of President Obasanjo and technical leadership and coordination of Dr Okonjo-Iweala should frankly have been accompanied with a strong Mindset Reforms program.
“The gap is why 26 years after the 1999 democratic transition, many of our Citizens still believe that demanding Public Accountability from political and public leaders is an act of disrespect.
“The willful Nigerian politicians and public leaders take advantage of this self-defeating Mindset to engage in impunity because they know that the Demand Side of Accountability is weakened by those among suffering citizens who will always “fight on behalf of their Oppressors”.
“The “learned helplessness” and subservient behaviors are what empower the serial misbehaviors of those who perpetuate Bad Governance because they have been accorded absolute authority by citizens that they trample on, the freedom to act like “emperors”.
“Well, there’s no imperial presidency in our Democracy.
“None whatsoever and some of us will constantly remind all who occupy public office that they are ACCOUNTABLE to Nigerians.
“Public Accountability is our constitutional right that must be protected, respected and enforced. Always.
“Whenever in the not-distant future that a sensible set of people form the Government of our country, they must trace steps back to the Beginning by launching a well-designed Mindset Reforms program for our people.
“I so look forward to when this happens because finally, the Nigerian citizens will know their Worth in a Democracy.”
HC: “Accountability is weakened by those among suffering citizens who will always “fight on behalf of their Oppressors”. – Hmm…What a statement!!
