What is a new Nigeria? What should it connote? And how can the old become new? The thought-picker, new Nigeria, may come off as a philosophical trope as it has been noised threadbare over time. But beyond the philosophism of the motif; there is a reality, a possibility, and a need for us all as Nigerians to steer our nation to a new and better place, not necessarily an eldorado, but a place where tribes and tongues differ, but unity, peace, harmony, discipline, and strong values endure. This is the nation President Bola Tinubu is mobilising diverse consciences to build.
By my estimation, a new Nigeria is a nation where tongues do not divide, but unite; where faith does not poison the cauldron, but heals the broken and gives hope to the weak; where leaders are accountable to the people and followers live up to their civic responsibilities, and where old cherished values of respect for elders and national symbols, of hard work, discipline, honesty, modesty, and good neighbourliness live supreme in the national consciousness.
A new Nigeria begins with me. It begins with you.
In one of my treatises years ago titled, ‘We need the Nigerian dream and identity’, I philosophised the whys and wherefores of the Nigerian identity. I suggested surrendering to the Nigerian identity, which does not imply abandoning our roots, culture, and traditions but embracing an expansive identity for the survival of our country.
I said: ‘’It means putting the interest of the nation first; it means acting on the philosophy of the monolithic whole as against a group agenda; it means eschewing divisive utterances and actions; it means accenting our strengthens and areas of convergence, rather than promoting discord and points of divergence; it means embracing our common identity as Nigerians. It means being Nigerian.’’
To reprise the treatise, to build the Nigerian identity and dream, there is a place for leadership and a place for followership. Building Nigeria will involve Nigerians from all strata. The place of leadership in nation-building is the place of personal example. Leadership by deed, not just by words. The leadership must inspire hope and confidence. The leadership must gain the trust of sections of the country and work to keep it.
The place of leadership in forging bonds of communality is the place of purpose and deliberateness. The leadership must be deliberate in managing diversity and in fostering kinship among variegated people. Nation-building cannot be left to chance or to a whim. There must be purposive plans and actions towards this end.
The Tinubu administration has been deliberate about reviving our cherished values, protecting our national icons, healing wounds, promoting peace and development, and building a concensus of action on unity.
The deliberateness of the administration in inspiring patriotism and national pride and ensuring peace and development is evident in its many groundbreaking policies, initiatives, and programmes, one of which is the National Values Charter.
The National Values Charter is a set of ideals and principles in the social contract governing the relationship between the leadership and citizens. For the leadership, it includes the promise of equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace, inclusivity, freedom, and meritocracy, and for citizens the ideals/obligations include, discipline, duty of care, tolerance, leadership, accountability, environmental awareness, and resilience.
The social contract is a two-way traffic — one for the leadership, which must do its statutory duties and fulfil its promises, and the other for the citizens who must live up to their civic and natural responsibilities.
The National Values Charter was approved by the Federal Executive Council in October 2024, and President Tinubu is expected to unveil the charter in the first quarter of this year. It is a conscious effort at preserving that which is pristine – our values – and reawakening the true Nigerian in the Nigerian.
A new Nigeria begins with me. It begins with you.
Fredrick Nwabufo is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement
