How many people in the hall took it seriously when Prof. Moses Akinola Makinde recommended what he called “Abraham Lincoln’s option”? The retired professor of Philosophy took the matter of Nigeria’s redemption to another realm in his lecture to mark the 17th Convocation and Investiture of New Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) at the main auditorium, University of Lagos, on August 13. Makinde, a NAL Fellow, tagged himself “the Academy’s philosopher”.
His recommendation was indeed a philosophical leap. He said: “We must first acknowledge our sins, confess, repent and then ask God for forgiveness. This is the noble path America had taken in 1861 by the proclamation of Abraham Lincoln. Nigeria must follow suit.” Makinde continued: “In a document contained in a book titled Shaping History through Prayers and Fasting, a former president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, during his presidency, had “proclaimed three days of national humiliation, prayer, and fasting. His first proclamation (out of three) was requested by a joint committee of both houses and congress, and the day set apart was the last Thursday in September, 1861.”
Here is part of “the first proclamation”: “I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, do appoint the last Thursday of September next as a day of Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting, for the people of the nation. And I do earnestly recommend to all people, and especially to all ministers and teachers of religion, of all denominations, and to all heads of families, to observe and keep that day, according to their several creeds and modes of worship, in all humility, and with all religious solemnity, to the end that the united prayer of the nation may ascend to the Throne of Grace, and bring down plentiful blessings upon the country.”
Lincoln’s proclamation is Makinde’s recommendation. According to him: “The new government of President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo of the APC must see its era as a time for atonement, deliverance, restitution and change – a real and sincere change, from the evil and ungodly regimes of past governments to a visionary, purposeful, humane and godly one.”
In his lecture titled “Reflections on the pains of growth”, Makinde offered a useful “conceptual clarification”: “The word ‘change’ does not entail forward motion alone. It could be backward motion like turning the hands of the clock forward or backward – backward like Nigeria’s case of oil boom to oil doom. Therefore, while growth involves moving forward, change necessarily does not. It could be forward or backward change.”
It was an expressive shift from discourse to disturbance when electricity failed in the middle of the Convocation Lecture. For significant minutes, darkness reigned and many people in the hall must have wondered about the country’s unstable power supply.
Makinde is the DG/CEO of the Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance based in Osogbo, Osun State. He is an internationally recognised name, particularly in the field of African Philosophy. He taught for many years at the University of Ife and, following a name change, at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, in Osun State.
“I shall begin the events of our pains of growth from 1959 through independence in 1960 and the various changes that led to nowhere, but to a lack of positive growth in the polity, “ Makinde said, at the beginning of an excursion that covered the “First Republic 1959/60”, “Second Republic (October 1, 1979 – December 30, 1983 and Military Rule, December 30, 1983 – June 12, 1993)”, “Third Republic (June 12 – November 17, 1993)”, “Fourth Republic (1999 to date)”.
In tracing Nigeria’s trajectory, Makinde highlighted two specific military administrations, which he blamed for aggravating the country’s pains: “From Abacha’s era, it appeared that the pains of Nigeria’s growth were getting worse after two possible eras that would probably have alleviated its pains: Buhari’s and MKO’s eras. One was cut short, the other never allowed to be. In all circumstances, Babangida’s and Abacha’s military rules were a setback to Nigeria’s democratic experiment, development and economic growth.”
However, Makinde also noted objectively: “We sometimes blame the military interventions for our woes and lack of systematic growth in social, moral, political and economic activities and behaviours. Unfortunately, the restorations of civilian rule in 1979 to 1983 and later 1999 till date have constituted severe pains of growth to the nation at large.”
Against the gloomy background, Makinde argued that Man is the instrument of change and growth in the society. He supported his position with references to Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, and played up the role of scientific and technological revolution in advancing human societies.
Makinde said in conclusion: “Now that change has come, the expectations of Nigerians are that this change must be for the better and no longer motion without movement.” He added: “It must also lead to growth in a genuine democracy with strong institutions, employment opportunities, fight against corruption and impunity of various descriptions, enshrine transparency and accountability in governments, parastatals and agencies, social responsibility and social justice, fiscal discipline, morality and rule of law.”
In his remarks on behalf of the three new Fellows decorated at the event, US-based Professor Jacob Kehinde Olupona made reference to the power cut. He sympathised with home-based Nigerians, who experienced blackouts with frustrating regularity. It was a fitting end to the event because it helped to shed light on the burning need for change.
In my interaction with Makinde after his lecture, he remarkably insisted on his recommendation. He told me: “Abraham Lincoln’s option obviously was one of the most important messages in my lecture to the presidency and Nigerians. I still believe that the inherent problems of Nigeria would remain (just in case Nigeria was cursed) until we do what Abraham Lincoln did for America as reported in my lecture.” This is food for thought.
