Independence anniversary: Why Nigeria is still crawling at 66 – Hayab

The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has identified weak institutions, poor democratic participation, insecurity and persistent social divisions as major factors slowing Nigeria’s development, saying the country can only realise its vast potential when its institutions begin to work effectively for citizens.

Hayab stated this in a statement on Thursday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, in which he compared the country’s development with that of nations such as Singapore and Malaysia, which he described as Nigeria’s contemporaries.

He said Nigeria had continued to grapple with the consequences of weak governance and poor followership despite its abundant human and material resources.

‘Division is why Nigeria is still crawling’

According to Hayab, Nigeria’s challenges require a fundamental strengthening of institutions rather than reliance solely on individual administrations.

He said institutions responsible for security, education, economic opportunities, democratic accountability and public services must be strengthened to enable the country make sustainable progress. Blueprint reports

Hayab also blamed persistent ethnic, religious and regional divisions for weakening the sense of national ownership needed to move the country forward.

“When you really put Nigerians together, you will see the division that exists among us is the reason why, at 66 years, we are still crawling.

“But we can jump fast within a few years if we close ranks and start seeing ourselves as Nigerians, treating this country as our country, as our nation,” he said.

He urged citizens and leaders to begin treating Nigeria as a common project, rather than approaching national issues primarily through ethnic, religious or regional interests.

Hayab faults voter apathy

The NCA chairman also linked weak democratic institutions to low citizens’ participation in elections, warning that voter apathy could create room for manipulation of the electoral process and weaken citizens’ ability to demand accountability from elected officials.

He urged Nigerians to take greater interest in elections, arguing that active participation was essential to producing leaders chosen by the people.

Official data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that 93,469,008 voters were registered for the 2023 general election, while turnout in the presidential election was 26.7 per cent.

Hayab said credible elections would have greater impact when citizens participated actively in selecting their leaders and subsequently demanded accountability from those elected.

“Just begin to have credible elections. All we need today to change Nigeria is when we have good elections that give us the people we chose,” he said.

Insecurity threatens development

Hayab also identified insecurity as a major manifestation of institutional weakness, saying the inability to adequately protect lives and property continues to affect agriculture, education, transportation, commerce and investment.

He urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts against criminal elements and prevent non-state actors from undermining peace and security across the country.

“Government must sit up and not allow non-state actors to dictate how our peace should be,” he said.

According to him, effective institutions must translate public resources into services and infrastructure that directly benefit citizens.

He noted that roads, hospitals, schools and other public facilities should not be regarded as favours to citizens, but as responsibilities funded with public resources.

Nigeria can learn from Singapore, Malaysia

Hayab cited Singapore and Malaysia as examples of countries that have recorded significant economic and institutional progress, saying Nigeria could draw lessons from their emphasis on effective institutions, disciplined governance, investment and long-term development planning.

He said Nigeria must look inward and address the institutional weaknesses preventing it from converting its abundant resources into sustainable development.

He stressed that institution-building should extend beyond politics and security to education, the economy, religion and other sectors of national life.

He also encouraged Nigerians to become more economically active through legitimate businesses and investments, saying ethnic and religious considerations should not prevent citizens from taking advantage of opportunities capable of improving their economic wellbeing.

According to him, rebuilding Nigeria requires complementary roles from both government and citizens, with authorities strengthening institutions, providing security and delivering essential services, while citizens participate actively in democratic and economic processes.

As the country marks 66 years of independence, Hayab called for renewed commitment to national unity, credible elections, institutional accountability and active citizenship, saying Nigeria could overcome its developmental challenges if citizens collectively took ownership of the Nigerian project.