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Generic logic would
seem to suggest that when a problem mutates into a priority, which then
becomes a re-current objective, there should be a question mark over
the potential for lasting solutions to it. In recent months, Acting
President Jonathan has opted to wear a few more hats, including the
burning Stetson of the power sector. Cynics wish him good luck with a
wry smile.

Not many Nigerians
know this rather taciturn man. Jonathan had been sitting on the reserve
bench for a long time, perhaps sulking, but certainly observing and
mulling over the progress of the team’s attacking strength and tactics.
Suddenly, the coaching crew has called on him to replace the team’s
injury-prone striker, and also to wear the captain’s armband in green
and white colours. Instructions are specific – organise the midfield
and defence, score some badly-needed goals! A first back pass from the
new skipper is the statement in the US to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour,
that the power sector would be one of his priorities. The lady appeared
somewhat startled, but quickly regained composure before pinning
Jonathan down to agree he meant, “electricity.” Nobody suffering in
Nigeria would quarrel with that, but have we not repeatedly heard about
this priority in the last 50 years?

Did Awolowo and
Azikiwe not promise it in their 1959 and 1979 manifestos? So did Gowon,
Murtala, Buhari, Shagari, Babangida, Obasanjo, Shonekan, Abacha! Awo
and Zik were unfortunately condemned to the reserve bench as well, from
where they watched the destruction of a nation they freed from colonial
rule. In ‘The Problem with Nigeria,’ Chinua Achebe had written that the
country never plays its matches with the best eleven.

As always, when a
team is replaced in the federal or state governments of our nation,
ministers leave in a pique, some removing cars and the office air
conditioners in revenge. We then read in the tabloids that the handing
over was done amicably, and in 30 minutes! Why should anyone hand over
the national affairs of prioritised development objectives such as
power, water, health or agriculture so rapidly? What is the hurry to
destroy the development continuum by our public office holders?

There are now many
calling for this probe or that audit in the power sector, and in
particular, the NNPC. The thinking is to unearth misused funds and get
someone nailed. The NNPC was famous worldwide for awarding expensive
consultancies to foreigners or expatriates, which practice it believed
was commensurate with its high profile.

Foreign ‘expertise’

Unfortunately, not
every expatriate equates to an expert. In view of Nigeria’s shameful
energy predicament, either of two things or both happen at the NNPC –
taxpayers’ money and oil revenues are drawn down to pay charlatan
consultants who write fairy tales, or experts do a fantastic brief and
nobody reads or understands what subsequently gathers harmattan dust in
the ministerial vaults and presidential villa.

An audit or probe should also constitute finding out how published knowledge had been misused or ignored.