Nigeria’s problem caused by failure of leadership — Gen Gbor

THE 2019 Presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Maj.-Gen. John Gbor (retd), has blamed Nigeria’s socio-economic and political woes, not on the country’s 1999 Constitution as many erroneously believe, but rather on the failure of leadership to promote nationalism above selfishness.

Gbor, who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday ahead of the launch of his book entitled, ‘Nigeria: A Nation Yearning for Moral Regeneration’, pointed out that Nigerians irrespective of their religion and ethnicity are confronted with similar socio-economic challenges, insisting that the country was in need of moral regeneration.

“The 1999 constitution as amended is not the problem. It gave the country the needed democratic features which Nigerians are supposed to improve on as time changes. Some politicians are so selfish that they would prefer to fine tune the 1999 constitution to suit their own interest even if it is at the expense of the citizens,” he said.

Explaining why the book focused on encouraging nationalism in all ramifications and spheres of the society, Gbor stated that with the right societal values, Nigeria will be put on the global map of progressive and developed countries. he also said that the 233-page book captured a vivid picture of contemporary Nigeria, which several factors have constituted bumps in the journey to nationhood.

According to him, “The book transcends the historical settings of Nigeria and explains the role of colonial Britain in the contraption of Nigeria. It goes further to assess the colonial policies and British national interests and how they created divisive politics in the polity. It further explains the reason for military interventions and how they created a unitary system and more states in a bid to correct the anomalies inherent in the colonial system. It also put into the record the destabilizing roles played by indigenous ethnic and sectional groups which further widen the cleavages of divisive tendencies among the Nigerian people.”

Gbor stressed that in inspiring Nigerian youths, the work accommodated the roles played by Nigerian youths in the establishment of the country. “It crystallises the struggle that heralded the pre-independence era and how Nigerian youths helped in shaping events that made possible self-rule in Nigeria,” he said.

The retired army general stated that the book which also x-rayed the positive roles of the Nigerian elites during the pre-independence era and presently, adding that it would be presented to the public on Dec.17 at the NAF Conference Centre Abuja by noon.