In recent times, politicians have been naming public infrastructure after themselves or their cronies. With the follow, a political tradition the place leaders use services constructed with public funds to solidify their place in historical past is being enthroned steadily. On this report, GBENGA SALAU examines the propriety of the follow and the way it might influence the longer term progress of the nation.
A corridor of residence constructed on the College of Lagos by a constituency mission facilitated by Femi Gbajabiamila when he was the Speaker of the Home of Representatives was named after him. The mission was not funded together with his private cash however by public funds supplied for within the finances.
In 2019, the North East Youngsters’s Belief, an initiative aimed toward offering academic help to kids orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency, established a studying centre in Maiduguri. The centre was named ‘Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Studying Centre’ when Osinbajo was nonetheless in workplace.
In December 2024, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State named a newly constructed 500-housing property in Njimtilo, Maiduguri, after Mai Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State.
In Ebonyi State, the David Umahi Worldwide Market, Abakaliki, was named after Umahi, now the Minister of Works, when he was the governor of the state. A college constructed throughout Umahi’s administration as a governor of Ebonyi State was additionally named after him.
In 2023, a 21-storey enterprise advanced constructed by former governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State was renamed Udom Emmanuel Towers by Governor Umo Eno, whom he vehemently supported to succeed him.
Former governor of Rivers State and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, even commissioned a neighborhood council administrative constructing in his state named after him when he was in energy.
In lower than two years of coming to workplace, about 5 initiatives constructed with public funds have been named after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The newest was the newly constructed military barracks in Asokoro, Abuja.
There are additionally state and native council funded initiatives named after his spouse. In Amuwo-Odofin, the native council chairman named a brand new Main Healthcare Centre after the First Woman and Spouse of the President, Remi Tinubu.
Likewise, the quick previous president, Muhammadu Buhari, had numerous public infrastructure named after him when he was in energy, together with an airport.Whereas the tradition to call public infrastructure after politicians and people who have selflessly contributed to the event of a neighborhood and state as a part of efforts to institutionalise them and play up the values they signify will not be new, the sample that politicians and political workplace holders have adopted since return to democracy in 1999 is certainly unusual.
Because the begin of Fourth Republic, politicians and political leaders of their bids to institutionalise themselves, their mates and benefactors have been naming state-sponsored initiatives after themselves, their mates and political benefactors.
Many observers imagine that the event will not be in tune with democratic rules and tenets however the hallmark of dictatorial guidelines. It’s noteworthy that after the restoration of democracy in 1999, some public infrastructure that navy officers named after themselves whereas in workplace have been renamed by democratically-elected governments. Considered one of such was the Buba Marwa Backyard, a housing property in Alausa, Ikeja Lagos that was renamed MKO Abiola Backyard.
Data have it that earlier than leaders began institutionalising themselves or their mates by naming public infrastructure after themselves or their cronies, the norm was to call public infrastructure in honour of a deceased chief in recognition of the individual’s selfless companies to the state and neighborhood. So, it was not each late chief that loved that honour; those that have been so honoured have been often leaders who carried out exceptionally after they have been in workplace, both as politicians or civil servants.
For example, when the late Premier of the defunct Western area, Chief Obafemi Awolowo died, the then College of Ife was renamed Obafemi Awolowo College. The honour was not simply because he was a former premier of the area; it was due to his revolutionary contribution to the event of training within the South West by his get together’s free training coverage.
It was the identical state of affairs with the Ahmadu Bello College, Zaria; Nnamdi Azikwe College, Awka, and Tai Solanrin College, Ijebu-Ode. When these personalities died, vital stakeholders known as for his or her immortalisation by naming of iconic state initiatives after them.
Nevertheless, that tradition is altering very quick. However to the chagrin of many Nigerians, a few of those that kicked in opposition to the tradition of navy leaders naming state-funded services after themselves and their cronies at the moment are toeing the trail they hitherto condemned.
Commenting on the event, Govt Director, Emergency and Threat Alert, Gbenro Olajuyigbe, acknowledged that if something is evident about democracy and governance in Nigeria, it’s the truth that governments don’t run with the ideas of shared possession of the nation.
“There’s nothing known as shared authority and duty. The mill is unilaterally run, with marks of crude impunity backed with clauses of immunity. The connection will not be in regards to the governors and the ruled, nor even in regards to the residents and the federal government. It’s about them and us; in regards to the homeowners of Nigeria and their servants, the facility holders and the poverty homeowners, the highly effective and their hapless victims,” he stated.
He famous that these energy relations clarify the shenanigans of decreasing public treasures and edifices to close private possession and management. Olajuyigbe added: “Being timid, intimidated, cowardly and in some situations sycophantic, we’ve got allowed our legislators, notably these on the corridors of energy, to run amok. We kowtow to their immorality and illegality, together with openly treating public property and treasures as private possession and property, to the extent that they do what they like with them. Impunity is a lot that nationwide and state universities, airports, amongst others, are named after some folks, usually, unworthy individuals in society.
“Annoyingly too, these nationwide property and treasures are additionally named after individuals in authority which have hardly contributed something to the nation when it comes to good governance and glorious management; individuals who have been too faraway from the aspirations of the atypical residents. These supply a clear-eyed failure of values and moral consideration. This follow has implications for moral renaissance, values etiquette and ethical examples for the youthful generations when it comes to studying and internalisation of character and values that construct a sane nation and sustainably progressive society.
“By rewarding these which can be least worthy of it and naming public edifices after them, we’re inevitably constructing a society that lacks spine for accountability, transparency and values that drive fairness and social justice.
“The elite in energy and their sycophantic cronies are out of step with ethical values and may cut back the vulnerability of the hapless residents. Self glorification has changed the idea of fine governance. We now have authorities officers preferring utilizing N10 billion to have fun a street constructed at a value of N2 billion; governments which can be enamoured with assortment of taxes with out a corresponding service supply plans.
“Of a truth, Nigeria has turn into a sufferer of mediocrity. Until there’s a sudden break of the chains to reset values that drive governance and recalibrate construction and course of, the nation has neither capability to regenerate itself nor means to forge a brand new order of civilisation.”
Olajuyigbe maintained {that a} nation whose folks “have been changed into a vengeful inhabitants by her cult of indiscriminately merciless anti-development rudderless rulers” has misplaced the construction and the will-ground for patriotic dedication and thought-system that promote moral values, nationalism and the spirit of voluntary transformative patriotism.
“If issues proceed the best way they’re right now, I gained’t be shocked if I get up someday to see Shekau college. Our ethical decline and moral abyss are that deep!” he harassed.
Talking on the difficulty, a public affairs analyst, Bukola Bassey, acknowledged that the truth that serving politicians are naming state-funded initiatives after themselves exhibits to the typical Nigerian the extent to which the residents have lowered the expectations of these elected to serve them.
“With out spelling it out, we now see state administration as a way of self-aggrandisement, and never essentially a chance to additional the nation’s development. My opinion is from the attitude that when somebody is elected to an workplace, they’re elected to manage the assets of the Nigerian folks on behalf of the folks.
“That doesn’t make them lord and king; that doesn’t make them extraordinary. So, agreeing with the minister and the civil servants who work with the politicians {that a} bridge is required someplace, and such a mission is authorised, doesn’t imply the minister or the politician have achieved one thing that ought to be seen as a unprecedented achievement on this a part of the world.
“Actually, that’s simply to indicate how low we’ve got set the bar for excellence in service. The actual fact is that constructing hospitals, hostels, bridges, and roads will not be extraordinary. However due to the bottlenecks encountered in state administration, we now see them as extraordinary.
“Fortunately, posterity will nonetheless decide everybody of them, and people who are dangerous will see their names wiped off and their statues toppled as we witnessed through the #feesmustfall protests in South Africa,” Bassey stated.
On his half, the Govt Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), famous that naming state initiatives after politicians in service is an imprudent follow that raises considerations in regards to the state of democracy and governance in Nigeria.
In line with him, it suggests a departure from the important capabilities of efficient governance, which ought to give attention to delivering tangible advantages to the populace. Musa stated the follow might as a substitute promote sycophancy, extreme reward, self-promotion, and a disregard for established norms.
“The present administration has taken this shameless follow to an insufferable degree with about 5 state initiatives throughout the nation already named after President Bola Tinubu in simply over one 12 months of his administration.
“With the general public outcry occasioning the renaming of the Abubakar Imam Airport to Bola Ahmed Tinubu Airport in 2024, one would have thought that better warning can be displayed going ahead.
“However the administration has gone on with the insanity; with extra seemingly within the pipeline. Whereas there isn’t a legislation prohibiting the naming of public establishments or monuments after the president or anybody else, better prioritisation of a sure degree of morality has turn into the norm of such motion.
“It’s morally anticipated that the great work of residents and public servants, together with the president, would usually converse for them and decide the naming of establishments after them. Thus, the honour is predicted to be bestowed by others, largely by successors, slightly than being bestowed by the administration itself.
“This follow might set a unfavourable precedent for the nation, main future administrations to observe swimsuit and undermine the integrity related to naming public establishments. In the long run, the tradition of patronage and political favouritism may turn into normalised,” he warned.
Musa noticed that the present administration, notably the President, exhibits a preoccupation with receiving reward and fascinating in political patronage.He added: “That is evident within the president’s enjoyment of chants equivalent to ‘in your mandate we will stand’ throughout official appearances, together with classes within the Nationwide Meeting. This behaviour undermines the vital democratic rules that separate the legislative authority from the chief.
“Moreover, the president usually seems to relish these moments, totally permitting such shows of adulation to proceed. It isn’t solely shocking that no considerations have been raised by the Presidency on this regard. This aligns with the president’s implicit stance.
“To take care of favour with him, appointees and a few governors in search of presidential approval might proceed to call and rename establishments after him. Equally, parliamentarians will possible persist in sponsoring payments to this impact.
“As this example persists, the sanctity of the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances might be solely compromised. Advisors to the president might flip into sycophants, thereby rendering the president’s actions unquestionable and probably autocratic.”
Musa maintained that these developments don’t align with democratic rules, stressing that it’s essential to uphold practices that, although not explicitly codified in authorized paperwork, are important values of the democratic expertise.
A psychologist, Mathew Adebola, noticed that when politicians title public infrastructure after themselves, it usually displays a mix of private ambition and strategic self-promotion.
In line with him, psychologically, this act can point out a need for legacy-building and a necessity for recognition past their tenure.
“It might additionally counsel a give attention to enhancing private model identification, generally overshadowing the unique intent of public service. Such practices serve the politicians’ pursuits greater than these of their constituents, probably fostering perceptions of elitism and self-aggrandisement. This pattern raises considerations in regards to the potential erosion of democratic values, as it could prioritise particular person glorification over collective well-being,” Adebola acknowledged.
