By Bishop Chinedu Nwoye
1. Transparency as a Democratic Obligation
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act mandates governments at all levels in Nigeria to disclose information relating to public finances, contracts, and policies upon request. Transparency is not a favor; it is a constitutional obligation and the foundation of public trust.
Where citizens are denied access to such information, democracy is weakened and suspicion thrives.
2. Lessons from Past Leadership: When Transparency Worked
Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria experienced deliberate economic reform driven by transparency and international engagement. As Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala led negotiations that resulted in historic debt relief and buy-back agreements with the Paris Club.
These reforms:
Reduced Nigeria’s debt burden
Freed resources for capital projects
Improved fiscal credibility
Supported economic rebasing and investor confidence
These outcomes were not mystical or accidental; they followed documented, transparent economic processes.
3. Yar’Adua: A Short but Principled Start
Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua set an important precedent by publicly declaring his assets in line with constitutional provisions. He acknowledged the grievances of the Niger Delta, initiating:
Amnesty and disarmament programs
Skills acquisition initiatives
Community engagement strategies
These efforts yielded relative stability before his tenure was tragically cut short by illness.
4. Jonathan Administration: Social Investment Amid Political Hostility
President Goodluck Jonathan emphasized:
Education expansion, particularly in Northern Nigeria
School feeding and social investment programs
Reducing illiteracy and youth vulnerability
However, his administration faced intense political opposition. While terrorism has complex roots, it is historically established that Boko Haram escalated during this period, exploiting social, economic, and political fault lines.
5. Buhari Era: From Promises to Paradox
President Muhammadu Buhari came to power on promises of:
Anti-corruption
Security reform
Institutional discipline
Over time, serious concerns emerged:
Declining press freedom and civic space
Ethno-religious polarization
Persistent insecurity involving banditry, insurgency, and communal violence
Government policies on the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant insurgents lacked publicly available data on:
Arrests
Prosecutions
Convictions
Legal basis for amnesty or reintegration
This absence of transparency significantly undermined public confidence.
6. The Accountability Gap in Security and the Economy
Key unresolved transparency questions remain:
Nigeria’s total borrowing profile and debt-servicing obligations
Budget performance and implementation outcomes
Impact assessments of fuel subsidy removal
Measurable results of increased security spending
Accountability by states receiving increased federal allocations
Without verifiable data, citizens are left to speculate while economic hardship deepens and migration becomes the dominant aspiration for many Nigerians.
7. Rule of Law and the Perception of Selective Justice
The arrest, Prosecution and conviction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite multiple court rulings and international attention, contrasts sharply with the public engagement of individuals perceived to have access to or sympathy with armed groups. Thus includes leaders of Miyetti Allah cattle breeders accused of sponsoring herders attack, Sheik Gumi Ahmad who claims that Terrorist actions should be considered and Mr Sunday Igboho who also agitated for the Yoruba race .
Whether justified or not, this perception of unequal application of the law damages national cohesion and erodes confidence in justice institutions.
8. Casualties, Denials, and Information Control
In several security incidents, particularly in the North-West, conflicting official statements on civilian casualties have fueled public distrust. Where facts are unclear or disputed, silence or denial only deepens national anxiety.
A democratic government must communicate honestly, even when the truth is uncomfortable.
9. Foreign Narratives and National Sovereignty (Clarified)
It is worrisome that while Nigeria governors negotiate and pay ransoms to violent groups especially those targeting christians and people of non muslim faith, the government of the United States of America warned that failure of Nigerian government to protect christians and vulnerable civilian population will be met with great force which he described as GUNS BLAZING. President Donald Trump fulfilled his threat against violent groups and the governor of Sokoto said that there were no civilian casualties.
Nigerians wonder why it is not in the news the casualty record to access the impact of the Donald Trump attack on terrorists enclaves in SOKOTO as a morale booster to the Nigeria security services.
Nigerians are concerned that there were no ground forces foe mop up operations against the terrorists in Sokoto. Worse, no information has been released on the intelligence report on the identities, sponsors and purpose of the gathering of the terrorists in Sokoto to forestall future occurrence.
10. Comparative Warning: When Resources Fail the People
History offers sobering parallels:
Venezuela, rich in oil yet plagued by economic collapse
Iran, where decades of authoritarian rule have sparked repeated mass protests
Natural resources do not guarantee prosperity; accountable governance does.
11. A Nation at a Democratic Crossroads
Nigeria today faces:
Weakening separation of powers
Over-centralization of authority
Shrinking political pluralism
Citizens must remain vigilant against any drift toward a single-narrative or dominant-party system, regardless of who occupies power.
12. Conclusion: Righteous Anger Must Serve Reform
Righteous anger is not rebellion; it is a moral response to injustice.
Silence in the face of suffering, however, becomes complicity.
Nigeria does not need propaganda—it needs truth, accountability, justice, and compassion. Only then can democracy be preserved, lives protected, and hope restored. Citizens have right to question elected and appointed officials of the government. It is not attack but a right to know as the federal government claims increased allocations to states and local governments but citizens witness increased taxes, costs and hopelessness leading to increased vulnerability to crimes and even preventable deaths.
Renewed Hope Agenda must address the concerns of citizens on the continued presence of illegal aliens who are addressed as foreign bandits in Nigeria. They must be deported and strict measures introduced to curb cross border crimes.
Nigerians all over the world celebrated Donald Trumps Righteous anger against terrorists. Nigerians ask for deadlier strikes than the last ones to bring an end to over 13 years of war against terror which started in Northern region but has spread like cancer all over the nation.
God help Nigeria.
Bishop Chinedu Nwoye
