When it comes to the two cardinal principles of public administration—consultation and responsiveness—one cannot help but pat this government on the shoulders occasionally for the latter even though it constantly receives our bashing on its disregard for the former.
Readers will remember that last year we raised an alarm over a plan by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to tamper with the modalities in police recruitment. If allowed to continue, a lopsided model of recruitment similar to what obtains in the military where recruitment is done state-wise would have seen the police force after some few years from now being heavily dominated by a section of the population, a blatant contempt of our diversity. That came just as the exercise took off in Jigawa and Gombe States.
Here in the social media, we immediately pleaded with government to discontinue the exercise and ensure that the traditional local government-wise recruitment is resumed. I will not lie that we did not press some buttons too. Justice is always for the good of our country and no stone must be left unturned for its cause.
The police force is closer to us than the military. Its personnel live in our midst, attending to our daily problems, squabbles and crimes. No matter how imperfect that attention is, we need a good reflection of our diversity in the force so that it keeps our trust and embrace our problems without leaving any room for suspicion of neglect or conspiracy due to difference in tribe or religion—the two negative traits that sadly dominate the psyche of Nigerians these days.
I was full of delight when it was confirmed to me two days ago that when the complaints were raised, instruction was given the PSC to discontinue with the new formula and return to the usual one. This is one of such instances where the government actually listened to Nigerians and I congratulate it for being so responsive. We may "wail" against some of its policies, especially in the area of economy, but we will not hesitate to acknowledge its good in order to encourage it. This government, we must not forget, also deflated the balloon of some lopsided promotions in the force by the PSC after VOA in one of its series hit the public with hard facts on the anomaly. That was excellent of the government.
I know “hailing” goes against the Western media ethics and concept of governance which argues that government does not need to be thanked by its citizens for doing the right thing but, in order to keep it on its toes and avoid complacency, it must constantly be reminded of its wrongs. A watchdog does not waste its energy smiling; it barks. That tradition further argues that doing the right thing by government is not a favour to the people but a duty which politicians promised to undertake and for which the people must hold them accountable. If you have antipathy for criticism, like Donald Trump, it contends, do not vie for public office. Agreed.
However, given that for a long governments in Nigeria have been driven more by impunity than by wise counsel or public interest—and for the obvious fact that we are not West yet—a pat on the shoulders of this government once a while will not be a bad idea. We have witnessed how the last government awarded scholarships and made recruitments into some agencies in absolute disregard for our federal character. It was very painful that the loud wailings of Nigerians wailings then were only greeted with conceited silence that challenged them to do their worse. And we did: We sacked someone and sent him back to his village. I hope the present government will find in our appreciation a reason to listen again and act many more times in our public interest, not a cause to be complacent, as the skeptical British media tradition would fear.
I must confess though—while I scratch my head a bit—that this government too allowed some inappropriate recruitments into some of its organs but unlike in the case of the previous one, the illegality, like corruption, reflected our federal character—until we “wailed” so loudly. Here too, there was some response. Public notifications, including on social media, are now made prior to such recruitments even if they could be for formality’s sake. Oho dai. Who said “wailing” does not work? The new tariff on data was withdrawn within 24 hours. Remember?
Military Recruitments
On this matter, I need to press further the need for a reverse order in military recruitments and admissions into military institutions in the country. Government should find a way to direct or convince military authorities to also begin recruitment by local government instead of the present state-wise process. The present model has been producing undesirably lopsided results that clearly favour the dominance of one section over another, where a section of just 10% of the population of a state consistently gets 60-70% of the recruitment or admission slots. The statistics is indisputable and unhealthy. It defies reason, ethics and law.
Ethnicity aside, the practice also undermines merit because it lends itself to the firm grip of nepotism. Today, it is easier for a child of a colonel or Air-Vice Marshal to “pass” the selection process than an ordinary Nigerian candidate. This way, the past demography of the military will continue to determine the future one in a less meritorious way because, honestly speaking, the children of officers are less disciplined than their parents. It was not surprising that many of such boys were abandoning their posts in the slightest siren of of approaching Boko Haram boys. Sure, we must say that among them were gallant ones too, like late Abu Ali (May God have mercy on him). But were such boys happy having a rebel among them? The answer may be lying in his death.
If recruitment into the military is also done by local government, the strong grip of nepotism will be substantially neutralized. Similarly, Nigerians will have more confidence in the military given that it is a better representation of their diversity. We hope the government listens to this advice too.
For now, allow me to say kudos to the FG.
Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde
19/2/17
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