ETHICS, VALUE ORIENTATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA

Transcription

1 ETHICS, VALUE ORIENTATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA FEDERAL MINISTRY OF NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS

2 The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking". Albert Einstein

3 Introduction The need to articulate a framework for value orientation and leadership development in the Niger Delta cannot be overemphasized. For decades, the problems of the Delta have been the subject of discussion both at national and global levels. Governments, international agencies, statesmen, academics and different interest groups have all devoted considerable time and energy to grappling with these challenges. Commissions and Panels have been set up, wars have been fought in the creeks, numerous suggestions have been made and billions of development dollars have been channeled into the region, yet the indicators of development remain at abysmal levels. The aim of the policy recommendations is to highlight the moral foundations of the Niger Delta problematic, and to articulate a framework for the development of ethical orientation and leadership development in the region.. Not too long after President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in, at the combined 27th and 28th convocation ceremony of the University of Jos the President called on universities in the country to introduce ethics and leadership courses in their curriculum. This is a clear signal that we are in a dispensation where ethics and values will be given prominence in our development planning. What is however exceedingly astonishing is the fact that in all our planning, the moral dimension is either ignored or carefully glossed over. One of the greatest challenges faced in the Niger Delta today underlying insecurity, unemployment or violence is the loss of ethical values, faith, self-esteem and sense of community. The seeming poverty of the region is not necessarily due to the absence of resources. On the contrary, it is due to the poverty of the mind a mindset that has been brutalized by decades of unfruitful and traumatic engagements with an insular state apparatus and unresponsive oil firms. This is a mindset that increasingly seeks appeasement and settlement - a mindset that suffers from a dangerous sense of entitlement and dependency, and has very little motivation towards creativity. 1 Marie-Therese Nanlong Buhari tasks tertiary institutions on fight against corruption September 28,

4 The Moral Dimension of the Niger Delta Crisis Effects of the Oil Industry on Ethics and Values It is important to note that oil exploration did not only cause ecological damage, it did serious damage to the psyche of the people. The discovery of oil signaled the end of a way of life and the imposition of a new set of values. The oil industry did a lot to destroy the sense of community of the people and imposed on them a fragmented world view. Fierce competition over access to these resources has increased rivalry between communities and gangs, and led to the proliferation of firearms 3. The custodians of values, the elders, and even religious leaders were forced to join in the ignoble race to receive compensation from oil companies. As a result, leadership moved to militant youths, who became the role models in society. With the high levels of pollution, farmlands and rivers became barren and could no longer sustain the people 2. The local economy was completely destroyed and desperation set in among the youths. Many of the young boys took to crime and many young women were lured to sell their bodies. In an attempt to appease the youths, payment of protection money was made to criminal gangs by companies. As a result, a class of youths emerged that didn t have to pursue any careers to prosper. A few young men and women lived in material affluence without any visible means of livelihood. 2 Opukri C, Ibaba I (2008).Oil induced environmental degradation and internal population displacement in the Nigeria s Niger Delta. J. SustainDevAfri., 10 (1), Ojakorotu V (2011). Anatomy of the Niger Delta crises: Causes, consequences, and opportunities for peace. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers and Obi C (2009). Nigeria s Niger Delta: Understanding the complex drivers of violent oil related conflicts. African Development, XXXIV (2)

5 Attempts to Engage with the Federal Government Amidst all these challenges, regional leaders mobilised to advocate their cause and as a result, two important documents emerged in the 1990s with tough moral arguments the Ogoni bill of rights of November, and the Kaiama declaration of December, These documents served as the moral rallying point for the youths of the Niger Delta. The Ogoni Bill of Rights opened with a declaration that they were forced into the Nigerian union. 1. That the Ogoni people, before the advent of British colonialism, were not conquered or colonised by any other ethnic group in present day Nigeria. 2. That British colonisation forced us into the administrative division of Opobo from 1908 to That we protested against this forced union And here comes the moral challenge: 9. That in over 30 years of oil mining, the Ogoni nationality have provided the Nigerian nation with a total revenue estimated at over 40 billion Naira (N40 billion) or 30 billion dollars. The Kaiama declaration was issued on the 11th day of December 1998 at the end of the All Ijaw Youths Conference. It began with the declaration that they were forced into a union against their will: After exhaustive deliberations, the Conference observed: a. That it was through British colonisation that the IJAW NATION was forcibly put under the Nigerian State g. That the degradation of the environment of Ijawland by transnational oil companies and the Nigerian State arise mainly because Ijaw people have been robbed of their natural rights to ownership and control of their land and resources through the instrumentality of undemocratic Nigerian State legislations such as the Land Use Decree of 1978, the Petroleum Decrees of 1969 and 1991, the Lands (Title Vesting etc.) Decree No. 52 of 1993 (Osborne Land Decree), the National Inland Waterways Authority Decree No. 13 of 1997 etc. 9 We call on all Ijaws to remain true to their Ijawness and to work for the total liberation of our people. You have no other true home but that which is in Ijawland. 10. That in return for the above contribution, the Ogoni people have received NOTHING

6 These documents posed moral challenges on the Nigerian state by insisting that they gave Nigeria everything and received nothing in return. It is interesting to note that neither of the two documents called for secession from the Nigerian nation. They rather called for equality and justice. Their struggle has always been couched in moral terms of equality and justice. Nigeria needed to respond from a moral point of view. But for decades, Nigeria responded either by setting up commissions or applying brute force. 10 We agreed to remain within Nigeria but to demand and work for Self Government and resource control for the Ijaw people. Conference approved that the best way for Nigeria is a federation of ethnic nationalities. The federation should be run on the basis equality and social justice. The people of the Niger Delta have never sought for a separate country. Their arguments were always from a moral perspective - control of the resources from the region in order to alleviate their poverty and support the development of their communities 6. Ken Saro Wiwa expressed the situation of the people thus: Our people have been compelled to sacrifice all lifesupporting necessities so that the Nation may enjoy economic boom from the oil industries 7. 6 Watts M (2010). Resource curse? Governmentatility, oil and power in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Geopolitics, 9 (1), Wiwa, K. S. (1992), The Niger Delta and the Nigerian State, A Paper Presented at Youth Conference, Port Harcourt on The Conflict Situation in the Niger Delta organized by USAID 4

7 Current Federal Moral Agents in the Niger Delta The Joint Task Force 1n 2004, the Nigerian government created the Joint Task Force (JTF) consisting of five task groups: The Army, Navy, Airforce, Police and the State Security Services. The brief of the JTF was simple and clear arrest the criminal activities of the militant groups in the Niger Delta Areas, restore law and order and ensure a secure and enabling environment for legitimate socioeconomic activities of the citizens and oil companies in the area. The assignment was ironically and cynically codenamed, operation Restore Hope. Their approach has been characterized by the heavy handed tactics used by preceding government forces in the region. Repetition of approach has therefore served to inflame the relations between citizens and the state, reinforcing the narrative that the government will only engage with the region in a highly militarized space and not on equal terms as citizens with socioeconomic and human rights to be upheld. As a moral representative, the approach of the JTF is inherently flawed. The litany of military brutality has only worsened the situation. Because of the military response favoured on all occasions by the Federal Government, many leaders and youths of the Niger Delta considered the Nigerian state as an evil entity - meant to be suspected, sabotaged, interrogated, short-changed, accused, fought against, and if possible, defeated. With the judicial murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa the doors to peaceful negotiation had been shut. Presidential Amnesty Programme Since President Yar Adua, the approach of government has been more humane, although still without a strategic ethical plan. Of course, experience has taught the nation that using force to solve social problems can only complicate the matter as violence begets more violence. 8 A Presidential Amnesty Office (PAO) was created within the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in This programme was designed to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate the ex-militants. This moral approach ended up being one of the most instrumental strategies used by the Nigerian government in its history of engagement with the youths of the Niger Delta. The results were immediate as hostilities ceased, arms were surrendered and economic activities slowly resumed or implemented. Nevertheless, because a full blown ethics policy was not put in place, the direction the government will take the Amnesty Programme particularly the reintegration element - has not been articulated. One would think that with all the Ministries, agencies and programmes created there will be closure on issues in the Niger Delta. Unfortunately, there is not. What we have is fragile peace that cannot be sustained in its current state. The way forward for Nigeria must incorporate a moral programme aimed at the restoration of values and leadership development. 8 Onwubiko Onyemaechi Frederick Jnr., Azizan Asmuni, Khairuddin Idris and Jamilah Othman The causes, effects and potential solutions to the deep-rooted Niger Delta oil crisis International Journal of Social and Behavioural Sciences Vol. 1 (6), p.126) 5

8 INTEGRAL PARTS OF ETHICS, VALUE ORIENTATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA POLICY RESPONSE ONE: Institutional Discipline MNDA AS A MORAL AGENT THE ETHICS DEPARTMENT NDDC AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS POLICY RESPONSE TWO: Development of Core Values MNDA CORE VALUES PROJECT CLARIFICATION OF ROLES AND COMMITMENTS POLICY RESPONSE THREE: Leadership Development - Creating a New Crop of Leaders TEACHERS TRAINING FORMATION OF LEADERSHIP CLUBS IN SCHOOLS ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING VOCATIONAL TRAINING HOLIDAY YOUTH CAMPS POLICY RESPONSE FOUR: Corporate Social Responsibility DEFINITION AND COORDINATION OF CSR POLICY RESPONSE FIVE: Post Amnesty Programme AMNESTY PROGRAMME AS A MORAL TOOL 6

9 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS The Policy Framework is designed to be an ecosystem involving the following 5 principal stakeholders of the Niger Delta: 1. The government and its organs 2. The community and the cultural groups 3. The future generation (students) 4. The Multinational Companies 5. The Militants POLICY RESPONSE 1: Institutional Discipline 1.1 Establish the MNDA s Role as a Moral Agent The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs must be properly positioned to work as a moral agent. As the principal government agent responsible for driving policy and coordinating development the standards of the Ministry must be without blemish. The Ministry will therefore need to put in place the moral infrastructure to drive this process. This can only happen through the development of core values, creating a robust ethics department and ensuring that it coordinates development from a moral platform. Ethics officers have a duty to ensure that both government agencies and companies operating in the region operate within the rules and are building confidence among the populace. This department will also be responsible for relating with the communities and pursuing leadership development in schools. The purpose of this department is to teach, and propagate moral standards. The Ministry presently has many redundant staff in various state offices. What they need is to be trained as ethics officers who will watch and report the standards of oil companies and government institutions. This will go a long way to build confidence in the communities. 1.3 NDDC and Community Relations The NDDC is the most visible face of government in the communities; therefore it must show transparency in its operations and develop deep bonding with communities even before the execution stage of its projects. The present contractor-centered approach to projects must give way to a people-centered approach. 1.2 Create an Ethics Department The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs needs to have an Ethics Department responsible for the implementation of standards and the promotion of agreed values. 7

10 POLICY RESPONSE 2: Development of Core Values 2.1 MNDA Core Values Project The Ethics Department of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affiars will need to partner with communities to reflect on their values and restore them. Well trained Ethics Officers should know that the restoration of Values is a process that once started should never be abandoned. With the way things are presently, there are no clear codes or standards of ethics for both the people and the stakeholders especially oil companies - operating in the region.. This requires a process of getting people together to discuss and agree on what constitutes their core values. These values will be documented and formally adopted as the moral code of the institutions or the communities. 2.2 Clarification of Roles and Commitments The duties of different groups will be communicated through public information outlets. For example, fathers conduct towards their children will be discussed and a commitment to fulfill these duties will be made by the fathers. The same will happen to mothers and the children. If values must be restored then values must be discussed. 8

11 POLICY RESPONSE 3: Leadership Development - Creating a New Crop of Leaders Leadership training of youths to build an understanding that the first step towards leadership is leadership over the self. The ethics of self-discipline and commitment to duty will therefore be central to the leadership training programme. 3.1 Formation of leadership clubs in Schools The Ministry needs to assist schools to form leadership clubs in schools. The generation of solid leaders this country produced in the 70s and 80s were nurtured by such school clubs as the Boys Scouts, Man-o-War Bay and Reformers Academy. Today such clubs have been replaced by cultic groups that have transitioned into militant groups. The Ministry needs to partner with and enhance the work of such existing clubs as the Society of Ethics and Leadership (SEAL), Reformers Academy and Man-o-War Bay. 3.4 Vocational training The Ministry should require leadership training as a prerequisite for vocational training courses. A carefully drawn curriculum for the various levels of training should be done by the Ministry, aided by Ethics professionals. One target area would be to develop ICT villages to pave the way for youths to be involved in the fast growing computer industry. 3.5 Holiday Youth Camps The Ministry and its collaborating institutions should invest in holiday youth camps for ethics and leadership training and entrepreneurship development. These will be the incubation centers for new youth leaders. The camps could be run along the format of the present NYSC camps. 3.2 Teachers training Through short term training and workshops, teachers can be trained on their new moral mandate. In every state of the Niger Delta a target to train at least 1,000 teachers in two years. 3.3 Entrepreneurship training The time has come for us to create our own inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs. And this can happen when our youths come out of hopelessness and despair and begin to take leadership over their lives and learn to be creative. The culture of dependence on foreign aid has to stop. To achieve this, the Ministry should encourage the emergence of new entrepreneurs in schools and colleges. A deliberate program of entrepreneurship training should be pursued. If this programme succeeds, a new set of leaders will emerge in the Niger Delta. These new leaders will take over the economy and silence the guns of the militants. 9

12 POLICY RESPONSE 4: Corporate Social Responsibility 4.1 Definition and Coordination of CSR There is need to define and coordinate Corporate Social Responsibility in the Niger Delta. This will be a good way to bring together communities, corporations and government to review the activities of the past. The Ministry should sponsor an international conference on Corporate Social Responsibility and this should be held annually and the Ethics office will follow up closely to encourage companies fulfill their moral obligations. POLICY RESPONSE 5: Post Amnesty Programme The Presidential Amnesty Programme played a very important role in bringing peace to the Niger Delta. It is important for the Ministry to continue to engage those enrolled on the Programme. It is the duty of the Amnesty Office to track the development and activities of ex-militants and beneficiaries who have passed through training in ethics and leadership, and they should be supported to become mentors to the younger generation. 10