STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE: AN UNSUSPECTED KILLER OF GOOD GOVERNANCE.

PROTOCOL
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be invited here as a guest speaker. It is quite interesting to discuss a crucial matter like this. It is my hope, that the lecture will have positive impact on this august audience.

It is highly crucial to give adequate attention to a key word in the topic, i.e. “infrastructure”. Dictionary meaning of the word infrastructure is “the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area. The secondary meaning of the word infrastructure as coined by Nigerian politicians is a project of food availability on the table of all (i.e. their people). This secondary meaning is given purely in Nigeria context. The meaning coined by Nigerian politicians has generated ambiguities because this kind of infrastructure is characterized with unlawful acts.

People are chosen to lead in view of managing the trust that belongs to all as against the practice of many leaders of today who consider this opportunity as their personal possession. What is trust? Trust is to believe that someone is good and honest and will not harm others. It is also an arrangement in which someone’s property or money is legally held or managed by someone else or by an organisation. It is an assured reliance on the character, ability and strength of someone or something. Trust is primarily a positive emotion and it makes people confidentially rely on the integrity or ability of people or organization. It can also mean a rational expectation. Leaders are expected to be models who will demonstrate exemplary character to be emulated. The basic obligation to be shouldered by leaders is to deliver the trust handled to them by relieving the burdens of the followers utilizing the position of authority being occupied.

Good governance should be characterized with effectiveness, efficiency, equity, inclusiveness, consensus oriented, responsiveness, transparency and rule of law. Good governance focuses on welfare of citizens with sincerity and fruitfulness.  Trust is a key to development of any nation in different areas such as economy, education, politics and social values. It is very easy to evaluate good performance with provision of physical infrastructure as against the stomach infrastructure. Trust is discharged rightly by allocating the wealth of the nation with fairness regardless of religion, political and tribal affiliation. The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to its responsibilities and challenges.

Governance is the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s social and economical resources for development. Governance is the exercise of economic, political and administrative authorities to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. Leaders whose goal is to gain power through different unlawful means will never struggle to alleviate the sufferings of the masses. The political power is the instrument to be used in achieving different targets in terms of development. It is certain if any governance is bad the whole system is bad and this informs us that governance which is not devoid of corruption of any kind can never deliver the trust under its control.

It is certain that when leaders focus on stomach infrastructure instead of physical infrastructure they lose their ground. Often, they reject critics who speak the truth; instead, they surround themselves with sycophants who tell them what they want to hear. Overtime, they are unable to engage in honest dialogue and they run away from reality. The stomach infrastructure is introduced to enslave the masses, spend the tax payer money and to get their votes without stress by using what they have to get what they want. We should note that poverty is poverty. It knows no religion and it has no tribal mark and it affects everyone.
Poverty is a factor which drives many people into celebrating the bad eggs within the leaders of this country. Whom do you celebrate? Who gives fish to eat, or who empower you to catch fish on your own. What is your view on this stomach infrastructure designed to cheat the weak ones whose wants do not go beyond daily food. It is unfortunate that the weak ones are not disturbed by this stomach infrastructure that is threatening the economy of this great nation.

Don’t ask people to liberate you. Why can’t you liberate yourself? An intelligent person will not sit down in fighting corruption of stomach infrastructure. There are different means of fighting corruption: by using your position of authority, expressing your view and keeping yourself away from those who engage in it. Whoever submits himself or herself to advocators of corruption he or she also has participated in such unrighteous act.

This type of stomach infrastructure being promoted by Nigerian politician is a means to destroy our growing economy, and this is so because good governance depends on good economy. Increase in our poverty level will multiply our dependency on foreign countries for food at the expense of our economy. This stomach infrastructure can only guarantee that the people will remain poor, beggarly and in squalor.
I understand the word “infrastructure” as solid foundation which others necessities rest or depend on. Physical and organizational structures and facilities (building, road, and power supplies) are needed for the operation of a society. Infrastructure connotes a structured position that gives a society civilized advantages. Summarily, this stomach infrastructure is a means of engaging in corruption, or a form of dishonesty or criminal acts undertaken by persons entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire illicit benefits.
The stomach infrastructure entered into our political system as a result of:
Lack of good leadership
Cover up of corruption
Human greed,
Neglection for values
Urgent necessity of life
Over ambition
Rationalization for wrong doing
Opportunity and exposure to public resource
Lack of professional integrity
Lack of regard for rule of law
Lack of public awareness
Lack of role models
Weak societal laws
Lack of transparency and accountability
Poor service delivery
 More impoverished citizens
Lack of trust
Wide gap between rich and the poor
Increased inequality
Weak anticorruption laws
Unfair allocation and distribution of resources and opportunities.
Conclusively, the members of the public are expected to play a significant role in advocating good governance by not selling their votes in exchange for stomach infrastructure; practised, promoted and celebrated by Nigerian politicians at different levels. Money and food are given to deny you your right of better medical services, qualitative education, improved security, better roads, and reduction in poverty.

Thanks for listening.