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| Posu, Joseph Sewanu A Writer, A Socio-political Critic. |
Earlier last week, the Minister of Power , Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola , raised the hope of Nigerians about what is to come in the power sector. According to him , our total generating capacity stands at 3,729 Megawatts. He projected that by 2020, it would have grown to about 9,000 Megawatts.
This really got me thinking and I became a bit worried. I was actually processing the information in my brain box to see if I could rationalise anything positive in that assertion. By now, Nigeria shouldn't be talking of infrastructural developments but rather, we should be in the class of those climes that are now talking about artificial intelligence. No one should ask for the Minister's jugular. Afterall, we had a party that ruled for 16 years and having spent some mind - boggling value of #2.74 trillion on the power sector, there was absolutely nothing to show for it.
My anxiety about that statement of the Minister was a product of my consciousness of the fact that by 2018, Nigerian population estimate stands at approximately 191 million people. In comparative analysis, South African population in 2018 stands at approximately 58 million people. While Nigeria claims to have produced 3,729 Megawatts of electricity - generating capacity , South Africa is actually boasting of a mind - staggering 229,200 Gigawatts generating capacity. This is simply outrageous ! Remember, 1,000 MW = 1GW.
Out of this, she exports an insignificant part of 12,000 Megawatts to neighbouring countries such as Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana and Zimbabwe. By implication, South Africa power export triples what Nigeria generates for her local consumption !
South Africa doesn't have any special resources for power generation that Nigeria doesn't have. She has coal, fossil fuel, turbine , hydro, etc and we have them even more. What then is the problem ?
While surfing my Facebook page yesterday, I came across a post on Mr Seyi Odetola 's wall. He argued in that post that the rots in our educational system is a product of weak system and structure. His education - focused news outfit, 6334reporters, has embarked on a journalistic journey to x-ray the effects of the N-POWER teachers posted to various schools on the educational system and he came to realise that the purpose has been defeated. This failure is predicated on one thing - poor system and structure.
In that analysis, he gave insight to why the tablets distributed to the teachers would fail because they are not GPS - enabled. GPS is a device that has the efficacy to tract the movement of whoever is the target of that device. Consequently, some school principals would move those teachers to their private schools and there is no one to question them. The Federal Government pays each teacher #30,000 as salary for a defeated target. Had their tablets had GPS, the story would have been different. This is simply an evidence of dyfunctional system and structure.
The next question is this : How does a system come into being and does it appear automatically ?
SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE - PRODUCTS OF HUMAN MIND ........
Human mind is the most powerful object in the universe. It has its base in the human brain. Human mind explains consciousness, imagination, dream, thought, vision, etc which all originate from the human brain. The human brain consists of about 100 billion cells called neurons.
The human brain is to man as the CPU is to the computer. Human brain determines everything about individual. Your thought process, imagination, attitudes, behavior are largely influenced by the information received by the brain which it processes and invariably defines individual personality.
The information received is influenced by the environment. The environment we belong to is a function of the peopling of a particular society. Nigeria is peopled by those who are highly materialistic. Our sense of value is material - based. So, we must ride big cars, build mansions , live big life , impress our neighbors, throw big parties, live above our means , wear latest attires, etc. All this puts together creates that feelings of ' get it at all costs '.
This information has been registered in our brain neurons and our personalities have been so defined and we live in a society where service to humanity is secondary but material acquisitions is primary.
Consequently, in designing a system or structure, the question that originates from the brain neurons is : How can this system we are about to build favour me ?
System and structure , by definition in this context , has to do with laid - down principles, working methodologies, laws, institutional mechanisms that will guarantee absolute achievements of set goals and objectives. It may come in form of electronic, manual or human. Therefore, the type or kind of system or structure in place will be a product of belief, understanding, views, etc of the designer(s). Therefore, a system does not come by chance. It has to do with the outcome of the consciousness and views of the designer (s).
Our national progress is moving at a snail pace because our systems are designed with a view to servicing some personal interests against the national interests. The advanced nations design their systems and structures with a view to achieving national progress not minding whose ox is gored. Reverse is the case here.
We need to do something about our mindset. The current neurons our brain box is housing needs to be completely formatted. We need to have a national rebirth, new consciousness, imagine the society of the unborn. Without this, we can never have systems or structures that can last test of time. We shall continue to be one step forward and two steps backward and with this, our collective resolve to achieving the society of our dream, the society of egalitarianism would be what is has always been - a mirage.
I am Posu Joseph Sewanu. I am an advocate of good governance.
Posu, Joseph Sewanu Is Media Assitant To Hon. Samson Olatunde, The Executive Chairman, Olorunda LCDA, Badagry Local Government In Lagos State
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