Some Politicians in Lagos on Sunday said that Nigeria would keep learning from its mistakes until she attains near perfection.
The politicians said that the nation had, however, not fared badly, in spite of its ups and downs.
They noted that Nigeria was once a military-governed nation, but today, she is enjoying a democracy which allows for the enjoyment of fundamental human rights.
Mr Dennis Aghanya, the Executive Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Research Data Based Initiative (ARDI), said that much had been achieved in the life of Nigeria as a nation.
According to him, however, there have been ups and downs.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated a vision for the country, although, he may not have succeeded as expected but has demonstrated the willingness better than any other past leader, to get it right.
“His anti-corruption fight is a fundamental step among others that Nigeria needs at this point if we must justify our existence. I am most grateful to him for raising that consciousness.
“The latest in his kit is reviving the Recovery of Public Property Act, 1983.
“For Nigeria to succeed, leaders must be nationalistic in their thinking and not calling for regional allegiances, as emphasis is largely becoming all about “my region and not Nigeria; that may be our worst undoing,’’ Aghanya said.
The National Chairman of the National Unity Party, Chief Perry Opara, said Nigeria had fared well, but needed to do more.
“Like in the area of economy, we hear that Nigeria has come out of recession, but I think government should increase the tempo to ensure that better economic policies are given to Nigerians, so that the private sector and even the international community can appreciate what is going on and be able to key into it,’’ Opara said.
The National Chairman of the Progressives Action Council, Chief Charles Nwodo, said there was need for Nigeria to reflect on the achievements of its past leaders.
“We have to reflect on the achievement of our founding fathers, so that it will be the step of correcting our anomalies in the management of state affairs.
“Nigeria has not demonstrated the capacity as a nation to deliver, our founding fathers of our politics and democracy were wiser, they were able to manage our economy efficiently, without oil.
“They were able to manage the diversity of our regions and also on top of it, also created a united, strong Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that after their era, the music started sounding different, corruption became the order of the day and the high quality of education we noticed then started weighing down, infrastructure dilapidated.
“I believe that we should also adopt the process of restructuring Nigeria in order to have a fast-track of these laudable achievements,’’ Nwodo said.
However, a former Lagos State Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Capt. Olatunji Shelle did not agree that Nigeria has achieved a lot at 57.
According to him, there are agitations everywhere.
“The present administration has to put its house in order; the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary need to start working in harmony; there is more division in the country now than ever before,’’ he noted.
