During the reign of President Milosevic of Old Yugoslavia, independent journalists were labelled traitors and foreign spies. Several journalists were killed, put in jail or convicted in the law court. That particular period of Old Yugoslavia’s history, a clique ruled the country. Milosevic ensured that Serbs became the biggest pariah of the international community. The President also ensured that Serbs were guilty of everything, even as 23 per cent of Serbs were sent packing from their homes. Monthly salaries did not exceed $3. Indeed, the Judicial system was not independent and not strong enough to ensure justice for the citizenry. This resulted in Milosevic’s trial for war crimes outside his country. Sadly, the international community did not have confidence in the local courts. Situations like this abound in several countries around the world, still grappling with the hydra like problems of dwindling economic fortunes and corruption.
In these countries, the unemployment rate is abnormally high, while the citizens adopt crime as a means to an end.
The foregoing, is the state of governance in Nigeria presently. Curiously, vocabularies synonymous with capitalism such as Public Private Partnership and Consultant have taken root in several states of Nigeria. Of note is the fact that Nigeria’s President, General Muhammadu Buhari(rtd) had written a letter dated 18th April, 2003, to then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. President, Buhari had stated in his letter ”I decided to join partisan politics and seek elective office solely out of my concern for the condition of the country. Here, I need to go into issues such as the collapse of public undertakings, like NEPA, Our university system, health services, roads and transportation and security of life and property. All these in spite of the stupendously high oil revenues that have accrued to the nation since you became President. In my relatively short period of political activism, one of my constant advice to the Nigerian public has always been that they should safeguard their constitutional rights.''
Indeed, the contents of President Buhari's letter is the situation of Nigeria today
Without doubt, Nigerians are already acting out President Buhari’s advice by safeguarding their constitutional rights, in a country with a Judicial system similar to that of Old Yugoslavia.
Nigeria, Governance, Yugoslavia,
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