"In search of a demand culture"
Introduction
The current dynamics of our country has caused many Nigerians to ask questions of ourselves and each other. Several events and individuals have been blamed for our failings at nationhood as we continue to make excuses while other nations make progress.
The narration and lamentation of our woes has become a national pass-time across news and social media, including prime-time entertainment. Nigerians watch from a distance as the State and the nation continue to struggle with external challenges and internal obstacles respectively.
Most critical is the mindless system failure that has usurped service delivery, deliberately making it impossible for Government to cater for the people. The numbers of those in desperation or flight continues to increase. And though change is on everyone’s mind, the question remains what kind of change and for who’s benefit.
What do we do to reverse our decline and reposition our country for growth and sustainable development. How do we move the country into becoming a productive wealth-creating nation whilst catering for our numerous and diverse populations, mostly youth and children. How do we forge a nation out of our country.
These are the questions of the moment. And it is becoming obvious that our “leaders” at various levels cannot or wish not to provide answers. The overall effect of both our leadership and administrative history is currently unfolding before those who caused and or superintended it.
Yet, the narrative of the past needn’t be the narrative of the future. We cannot continue to blame, complain or excuse. nor can we afford to continue failing ourselves by ourselves. We are Nigerians and this is the only country we have. She was great. She can be great. And she will be great again.
Fellow Nigerians, it is possible for government to provide and deliver services to to the Nigerian. It is possible to address the circumstances and needs of Nigeria’s diverse peoples. We can cater for our communities and families. We can propel the economy and deploy infrastructure. We can arrive at the 21st Century.
It is possible if we all work together.
With a plan.
Who we are
Conventional ethics demand that an outing of this nature must have a name, sponsors, mission, vision, founding members, an office and objectives.
This is not a conventional outing. Every Nigerian is a sponsor and every Nigerian is a member. Our mission is how to overcome our national challenges, and our vision is to implement our plan for the benefit of every Nigerian.
We all face the same issues, problems and challenges and they are glaring to all.
The name GATE 774 is inspired by the fact that for national or any development to occur, the grassroots must be universally and spontaneiously activated, enlightened and productively engaged. Our grassroots are reflected in the 774 (Seven Hundred and Seventy-Four) Local Government Areas covering every part of the country.
We are GATE 774, a new thinking, everywhere.
What we are
We are Nigerians who share the same beliefs
- We believe in our country, the geographical expression called Nigeria.
- We believe that we have all it takes to propel Nigeria within Nigeria.
- We believe that there is no evil spirit or curse haunting Nigeria, just incompetence and ineptitude.
- We believe that system failure and inadequate Power/Energy are at the roots of our national challenges.
- We believe that Government does not have adequate data and statistics to govern effectively.
- We believe that the model and style of governance practised in Nigeria is antiquated and dysfunctional.
- We believe that there is a disconnection between Constituted Authority/Government and Nigerians.
- We believe in democracy, inclusive governance, universal participation and the power of one vote.
- We believe that we can overcome the challenges we face in our country Nigeria through logic and reason.
- We believe that it is time to jettison politics and sentiments, cleanse the public service and initiate productivity.
- We believe that we must work together with a new and universal understanding to save our country.
- We believe that from the ashes of the old country called Nigeria we shall forge a new nation, NIGERIA.
The Thinking
Reaffirming and strengthening Constituted Authority and the rule of law through universal participation and a robust social infrastructure for universal coverage. Transplanting this universality into the national and economic, through partnerships and structures, inclusive of both formal and informal sectors, that ensure the integration of local Capital and local Labour for extraction of minerals, deployment of infrastructure and the production of goods and services.
Ultimately the aim is to enable the prerequisite supportive standards and content in the polity to enable the entrenchment of sustainable value and “wealth creation”. Internalisation is imperative, the underlying concept being that we, the people of Nigeria, in Nigeria, can move Nigeria forward, this time collectively, equitably and sustainably.
The Plan
In such a thinking, there must be an overview within which, each of the myriad of components that constitute government and governance, is envisaged and articulated.
In this overview there must be a common understanding and a new governance model and matrix to address the economic, political and, most importantly, social imperatives of our times. To drive this process we have created a Universal Services Platform (USP) called THE GATE® to permeate national service delivery and enable national service provision through feedback and data. We shall engineer universal participation and social inclusiveness nationwide to enabe the social infrastructure anchor and support national enterprise.
We have created a home grown plan, embracing global standards and accompanied by a vast and comprehensive articulation of government and governance that includes and allows every Nigerian to understand and participate to their fullest capacities in whatever area/field/sector they are most competent, to rebuild our nation. The end product is here for all to comment and contribute where necessary. It is a work in progress, and we shall continue to evolve.
The primary focus of this website is to educate and ensure that all citizens of Nigeria understand and apply a basic understanding of government, why it exists, who owns it, and what it is supposed to achieve. This basic understanding and the culture of demanding rights, benefits, transparency, accountability and loyalty to rules and processes it shall birth will address the glaring system failure in the country: simply through universal participation. This basic understanding and the demand culture it portends will refocus our governance on Service Delivery and our government on Service Provision.
Never and nowhere in the world has any liberty been given freely by any State/Government without citizens demand. This website has been designed not only to inform but also to enable the support and involvement of Nigerians to achieve this possibility. The possibility of General Will premised on a general understanding. A paradigm shift.
“We should not be bent on the one-solution approach. Africa is not a one-solution continent. We are not a one-issue continent”.
Chinua Achebe
SITE GUIDE
The site serves to lay foundations for universal participation, by defining basic principles of the State, the Government, the Citizen and Governance. Based on these definitions we attempt to promote basic and “Common Grounds” in our Solution Conversations.
All common grounds have been compressed into a Charter with which we invite every Nigerian to Join Us and Participate. All comments and contributions are welcome in the continued structuring of this Charter which shall promote the standards we expect, the policies we adopt and the systems we shall use to achieve them.
Ultimately, we seek to provide Nigerian solutions to Nigerian challenges and enjoin all Nigerians to work together in achieving these objectives for Nigeria.
We hope that each and every one of us will join this outing and bring to it the best us, and Nigeria.