PART TWO

Basic plausible definitions exist for the concept of the Civil Society; but my theory is that of totality. As in the total essence of the word ‘civil’ being part of our national consciousness and re-orientation. Be warned that it is not going to be on a platter, for its workability would definitely depend on all of us, the government and the governed, waking up to our civil responsibilities and constitutional obligations, with a spirited effort to teasingly nudge our neighbors to do same.

Permit me therefore, in the spirit of a free thinker, with an accepted certainty of critical disputations from other learned thinkers, to present the following as my wistful conjecture of the picturesque civil society.

The ideal civil society, in my thinking, should be a society where there is no chaos at all in what ever measure or guise. A society of perfect peace and tranquility, where there is no web of ill feelings entangling the chord of relationship between the government and the governed. Where there is orderliness and harmony in the working relationship between the three arms of government on the one hand and the three tiers of government on the other. So that rather than be constantly distracted by undue engagements in internal policy and administrative wrangling, government would direct its energies towards being responsive to the needs and aspirations of the citizenry, by fulfilling its socio-economic obligations.

While the Citizenry on their part would reciprocate the gesture by reposing an unalloyed confidence in government as well as being responsible enough to redeem their lawful civic indebtedness to the State, by making conscious efforts to sometimes think along the line of "what have I done for the State"? Rather than always thinking about "what has the State done for me?

A society where square pegs and round pegs are fixed in their fitting holes. Such that employment opportunities and promotion in the office are not based on what sex you are, what are you willing to offer, what tribe are you, what is your religious affiliation and who is your god father, but on what qualifications and practical experience do you have? What can you do? And what have you ever done before?

A society where there would be a clear distinction of functions between the constituent assembly and the Constitution Drafting Committee. By this I mean that the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) should comprise of lawyers only. Seasoned learned ones only. I know some interested parties would think this to be very preposterous, but I swear, neither am I raving mad nor am I insensitive to the greedy biases of the legion of professional interest groups like the doctors, engineers, mathematicians, politicians, economists, business moguls, agriculturists and so on, or the government appointed religious bigots with their deep seethed hatred and despicable disposition towards one another. Far from it, I’m quite aware that these ones have some professional and religious wisdom to contribute to the Constitution as it affects their interests, but they should wait in the ante-room of the constituent assembly, with their advice prepared in concise and simple everyday English language, devoid of technical jargons, so as to prevent misrepresentation or equivocation.

But the real guys that would put pen to paper to compile the Draft Constitution should be lawyers only. From the typist, the computer operator to the cleaner and tea girl, all should be experienced lawyers. So that at every stage of the draft, they could read, proofread, re-read, dispute with themselves, and go through the draft with a fine-toothed comb before making it public knowledge. So that there would no longer be inconsistencies in the interpretation of a single portion of the constitution, as is the case with the Abubarkar Abdulsalami’s hurriedly put together parting constitution, with regards to the ambiguity on the tenure of Local Government Councils.

A society where the executive arm must not grease the itchy palms of the legislative arm before bills of our collective national interest could be assed. Or didn’t you know? It is common practice for the legislature both at the National, State and Local Government levels – to brazenly demand for monetary gratification from the executive, before executive proposals could even be considered. So the legislature must wake up to their constitutional responsibilities, in order to forestall a re-occurrence of the kind of International embarrassment caused Nigeria by the obnoxious and inglorious electoral bill Saga. Where a bill passed by the Senate and duly assented by the president could be out rightly amended on the strength of a simple motion raised to that effect on the floor of the house. Imagine that, and we are told that such controversial bills must pass through a process of amendment under a time frame not earlier than six months.

A society where the judiciary shall be an upright institution and the courts really the last hope of the common man seeking redress. Where the concept of equality before the law shall be given practical applications in civil courts. Such that "justice for all" shall be free and merited and not negotiated upon like a piece of antique at the auction counter. Their honor the judges have an important role to play here. They should be honourable enough to apply restraint, moral aesthetics, ethical considerations and professional decorum to the act of signing out court orders, warrants and injunctions.

This could go a long way in checking the practice of blatantly flouting court orders by the government and the top brass of our civil society. Where our law courts are treated with flagrant contempt without the courts being bold enough to enforce contempt charges against the culprits. How could they? when even the high players of the judiciary system know that many of these court orders – especially the most bizarre and outrageous ones-often emanate from the backdoors of the court room or the windows and never from the front doors. I tell you, some are signed over glasses of whiskey or wine at exclusive clubs, at the golf courses or squash Courts. Yet again some are signed atop the kitchen sink of the honourable judges, such that you could still perceive the sweet aroma of curried chicken stew from the document that is if you are favourably disposed towards sniffing documents.

Because of this abuse of office or lapses in the process of signing these orders, knowledgeable citizens and influential tycoons would have the temerity to flout the orders. And why not? I have never approved of employing illegal means to achieve a legal goal. That means yours sincerely would easily dare to flout any court order which my lawyers are convinced beyond reasonable doubt – that did not sweat it out through the rigorous process of the judiciary’s administrative red-tapism – with relevant stamps, imprints, signatures, time of day, date and name of day, the whole works. What with the legendary "Certified True Copy" stamp being so abused that if a random stop and frisk campaign is mounted on staff of the judiciary, even the security at the gate and messengers would be found to have copies of this stamp in their right and left hand pockets for sharp practices.

A society that is full of love for one another. A society devoid of petty hatred and ethnic consciousness. A free society where there is peaceful co-existence and equal opportunity for all of the citizenry. Such that Nigerians, wherever they find themselves within the four compass regions of Nigeria, could live in total bliss, conducting their lives and the businesses of their livelihood within the legal and moral frame work of the greater constitutional laws of Nigeria and the injunctions of his personal religious faith.

A completely secular society. Where religion would be seen and accepted as a thing of individual’s choice. Such that all is free to worship his God, Allah, gods and goddesses in whatever style and fashion applicable to his faith, enjoying the goodness of life in whatever ways his faith does not really frown upon, without their rights of freedom of worship being infringed upon by sudden unwarranted attack from overzealous and fanatical faithful of a rival religion, whose minds have been poisoned against their fellow brothers by their greedy religio-tribal leaders who should have told them the salient truths about the history of our nationhood.

A society where there would be adequate security protection for the lives and properties of all Nigerians against all forms of ethno-religious inspired hatred, boundary clashes and other such forms of civil strife. Such that Christians, as bona- fide Nigerians, living and doing legal businesses in the north, would not live perpetually with what I call "almajiri-phobia", or the fear of suddenly being attacked, maimed and slaughtered by the roaming vandals called "almajiri", with the cherished trophies and memoirs of their entire lives sweating and toiling set ablaze. So that Muslims, as bona-fide Nigerians living in the South East, would not be visited with same faith as retribution.

So that, never again would a personality of Bola Ige’s calibre, be so cheaply wasted within the peace and comfort of his bed chamber. Ever since it happened, I’ve been wondering what the fate of ordinary Nigerians would be if such could be the fate of the chief law enforcement officer of Nigeria.

So that people can take a night walk without the fear of being mugged. So that Nigerians can feel safe to travel the length and breadth to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria for the adventure of sight seeing. Believe me there are so many marvelous natural and man made wonders to be seen all over Nigeria, be it in the night or day time.

A society where there would be a high sense of moral rectitude in the psychology of officers and men of the police force. Such that they would be duty bound to know, that their statutory duties on our roads does not include intimidating and extorting money from motorists at gun point as if we were in a State of anarchy rather than a civil State. If this is not armed robbery in broad day light, I wonder what else it is.

Where there would be a split-second response from the police to emergency calls, rather than arrive there three hours later, and that is if they arrived at all, if they didn’t tell you that there is no patrol vehicle or no fuel in the tank.

Where government, through the Ministry of Police Affairs, would constantly supply the police Stations with stationeries and other daily working materials, such that the citizenry would not have to be forced to pay for blue pen, red pen, paper for writing statement and money to photocopy bail bond at the police Stations before being attended to. I wonder if the authorities ever get to know about this distasteful phenomenon.

Where the practice by the police, of arresting a father in lieu of an accused son, would be a thing of the past. I have never subscribed to the woes of police inefficiency being visited on an innocent father, more so when the father did not take the son on bail and the son took a jump. I mean, if I’m wanted by the police, whether on factual or trumped up charges, let the police have the patience to do their job effectively so as to get me, no matter how long it may take them. That is what they are paid for, rather than be financially pressurized by interested parties to go and forcefully arrest my aged father or pregnant wife as a ploy to get me. What if I don’t have any soft spot for my burdensome father or nagging wife and as such refuse to show up? What would happen to the innocently detained ones? Methinks this is infringing on the basic human rights of these ones and this shouldn’t be in a civil society, for the mental and emotional torture in these circumstances can be very traumatic.

A society where there would be equitable distribution of the nations wealth, with a greater consideration being given to the areas where these wealth emanates from. Be it crude oil, groundnut oil, palm oil, cereals, coal, tin, salt, sugar and what have you.

A society where there would be marginal accuracy in the census figures declared, without one region crying foul that the other region has beaten it to the game of falsifying regional figures for selfish political reasons. So that government would know for sure the exact number of persons to budget for when planning to provide social amenities.

Such that the creation of local government areas would be a uniform thing as much as possible and on the basis of actual census that physically counted human beings and not camels, donkeys, goats, sheep’s, chicken, tsetse flies, pots, plates, spoons, forks and cups. So that a greater percentage of the nations wealth would not be directed to a particular region on the guise that they have more local government areas.

A society where the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) would have a better job to do other than to call workers out for a strike action. Something like sponsoring a bill at the national assembly to legislate against forced child labour as well as stipulate minimum wage and incentive packages for house helps and maids. After all they are a part of the labour force and again their kind of labour is without leave, promotion or transfer, whereas they put in more labour hours than the rest of the labour force.

A society where police investigation into the deaths of prominent political figures – of course in the Nigerian civil society nobody investigates into the death of a lesser being – would be thorough, conclusive and made public. So that there would be international regard for our police force. So that Nigeria would not be offered investigative assistance from the MOSSAD into the murder of our dear attorney general. And so that the government would be well meaning enough not to reject such a once in a life time offer under the guise of unnecessary pride. As if they’ve never heard of international police cooperation before or never witness. ‘The great America’ employing international cooperation to untie knotty issues like Osama bin Laden.

Where there would be total re-orientation of the police force in all departments. This would engender confidence and hope in the national or central police. Such that there would no longer be agitations for sectional or state police. A society where motorists would be wise enough to remember that although speed thrills, it kills. Such that they would not be in too much of a hurry as to be kind enough to make the road safer for all users by observing little traffic signs like the Zebra Crossings.

Where the citizenry would be decent enough not to liter public or private properties with posters and bills, even when the fences of these properties duly bear the "Post No Bill" badge. I say this is contemplated irrationality which soils the white linen of the civil society.

A society where all forms of private businesses would wear the human face. Such that the only concern of private businesses would not just be to maximize profit at all cost and by any means possible, whether by straight deals or by crooked means.

Such that tradesmen like motor mechanics and electronic repairers would be sincere enough not to siphon your hard earned full tank and change your spare tyre when you leave your car at their workshop. Or replace the original parts of your electronics with phony ones so as to do tax-free trading with the former. Perhaps lady luck smiled at you, and you have the good fortune of re-buying back your original parts, thank your stars. If not, what ever polished parts they fixed for you, take it in good faith.

Such that tailors and cobblers would totally remove the come today come tomorrow syndrome from their daily practice, knowing fully well that in a civil society, breach of contract is liable to a civil law suit. You see, in their haste to maximize their take home pay for the day, they’ll accept tons of jobs and give each a collection date they wouldn’t keep.

Such that rice and garri retailers would not drastically reduce the depth of the measuring cups by several inches with melted candle wax. So that the unsuspecting buyer would not pay for ten cups of garri or rice, only to see seven cups on getting home. Abracadabra, three cups have disappeared.

A society where the staff of the public health department would rise to the occasion to ensure that those of our frightful brothers and sisters with knocked engines in their skull that litter our streets and cause pandemonium every now and then, are consigned to psychiatric asylum where there would be fearless and able hands to cater for them. So that they don’t die on our streets, with their corpses left there till full cycle decomposition by those whose civic responsibility it is to clear unclaimed corpses from our streets.

A society where the citizenry would realize that social amenities put up by the government and erroneously tagged government property, are not the government’s property in the literary sense of the phrase. Rather they belong to the citizenry, of course they were financed by the taxpayers money.

Such that every citizen would know that it is his civil responsibility to timely report cases of broken down water pipes or fallen electric cables to the right authorities, rather than saying "what’s my own, after all it is government property".

A society where the civil apparatus of dialogue would be effectively exhausted at all times in settling civil matters before the unnecessary considerations to carry placards with one hand and arms with the other.

A society where there would be no measure of eccentricity or deadlock in the personality relationship between state governors and their deputies. Such that never again would we be unfortunate witnesses to the ugly situation where a certain governor would proceed on his statutory annual leave abroad, handing over the reins of executive power to his crony the speaker of the state house of assembly instead of the deputy governor.

A society where there would be a well defined road network. So that government could improve the transport system by creating bus and taxi routes or subway stations to connect the major intra-city streets. Such that we poor fellas who cannot yet afford personal cars can at least move about with ease. This would go a long way in reducing the number of junk vehicles clustering our roads and the attendant amount of carbon monoxide emission choking our breath.

A society where the culture of bribery and corruption shall be reduced to the barest minimum in all spheres of our daily endeavors. Such that admission into higher institutions and unity schools, would be based on merit and not on bribe of tribe.

Such that vehicle inspection Officers (VIO) whose duty it is to inspect vehicles and grant them road worthiness status, would do so with a high sense of responsibility. So that our roads would be free of the menace of rickety ‘death boxes’ which are not worthy to be on our roads. I tell you, some usually have bits of their body falling off as they crawl along emitting gales of smoke. I’m told these kind of things are taken very seriously in model civil societies.

A society where there is an effective price control mechanism put in place to check excessive pricing by traders and dealers in basic essential commodities. This would reduce the level of inflation in the economy, such that the poor man can afford to get along.

A society where there would be food in every stomach and coins in every pocket, with a guarantee of social security. Like the provision of basic corporeal needs for the aged, retired, jobless, homeless and physically disabled. As opposed to what is presently obtained, where this category of members of our civil society roam the streets and refuse dumps begging for alms and scavenging for food, and consequently being exposed to dangers accompanying survival on the streets.

A society where the spirit of forgiveness shall flow, like fountain, from the hearts of every citizen and every tribe. Such that we would find it a no difficult task at all, to forgive one another either individually or collectively. So that the desires of "an eye for an eye" would no longer find a foothold at the threshold of our sub-consciousness, realizing that the continuity of this "an eye for an eye" disposition would sooner leave every body blind. Such that the tribal warriors of Ikot-Offiong in Cross River State and Itu in Akwa Ibom State would permanently sheathe their swords and embrace the spirit of good neighborliness. So that their wives could cultivate the same farmland or trade in the same village square, and their children bathe, drink, or fish from the same river. Knowing that the lands and rivers belong to none but God.

Such that the youths of Ogoni, Eleme and Okrika would realize that the wealth of Rivers State belongs to all of them. That as riverine people, they are connected as of fate by the same murky tide of environmental degradation, socio-economic devastation and infra-structural denial that flows into the estuary of the Niger Delta. So rather than engage themselves in senseless boundary clashes and man-power wastage or vandalizing oil pipelines they should avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the SHELL/NNPC scholarship awards and go to school. So that they would be better equipped to emancipate their kiths and kin.

So that the Ifes and Modakekes, the Tivs and the Jukuns, the Zangos and Kartafs, the Ishekirins and the Ijaws, and the rest of the restless communities would know that they owe this country a duty to tolerate each other and live in peace. So that we would have a society devoid of civil Strife, so as to provide an enabling and predictable business environment to lure foreign investors.

Finally, as prerequisite to our being called onto the order of civil societies, we must be found worthy both in our individual and group character, thought, action and disposition towards social responsibilities.

It is not an uphill task. It is surmountable. All we need is a disciplined determination to sanitize and re-engineer our character and thoughts to morally harmonize with the things we ought to and ought not do. Such that every time we say or plan to do something, we would be conscious enough to ask ourselves this simple question- are the words that spew forth from our mouths, the meditations cooking in our hearts and the physical deeds of our hands, are they in perfect harmony with the dictates and aspirations of a civil society?

Then every Nigerian, especially in the Diaspora, would have a sense of pride in the nation and be bold to say anywhere "I’m a Nigerian" Such that the green white green would not be left tethered to the pole while so torn, tattered and worn out without being changed, and such that when the first notes of the: "Arise O Compatriots" calls, the citizenry would have reasonable satisfaction to hum to the beats even if too hungry as to sing aloud.

April 2002