Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Ideological Implosion

Thank you very much for meaningfully developing interest in this. I am happy that you brought this issue up. The purpose of such a reference is not that it is a kind of  formula as in math. In any case, Thomas Piketty makes it clear that there is no one single blueprint for development etc. Each nation will have to figure its path. 

So the kind of discussion I will like to have based on what you said which I appreciate is then to say: why is it that in Nigeria we do not have that kind of consensus and how can we create it? Can we change the country without having such a consensus?  When the discussion moves in this direction, it is not about anyone of us but rather about looking at concrete evidence and trying to develop something out of it.

 If there was consensus n the US then, it was there not because it was naturally there; ending a civil in and of itself is not enough reason, unless there is a fundamental value system that united them and restrained their personal ambition. As Lincoln said in his debate with Douglass, one of the major threat to American politics was men of ambition n the pursuit of power.  Without some restrain, they can destroy a country. Such persons can forget about the common good in pursuit of their own ambition. Why don't we have that in Nigeria and how can we create it? Did we have it at one point or not? 

 These are the kinds of pieces of things that lay the foundation of a thorough strategy for making Nigeria move forward than some general talk. GEJ by conceding defeat, surely against some members of his party, has elevated national interest beyond his immediate personal ambition and  that of his party. Without that, all the news now will be about the number of deaths in Nigeria. 

But from the reports I have read the deaths recorded are caused by excessive and reckless jubilation by APC members. At least GEJ's decision truly calmed down the nation. So by looking at what was discussed in the book, we can get ourselves into the trenches of looking at evidence and contexts to see how we can move forward. This is not the only book that is relevant, but the point is competition can be good if it is disciplined and guided by certain fundamental values that set the parameters of  how far people can go in pursuing their personal ambitions.

Samuel

On Fri, Apr 3, 2015 at 12:09 AM, Chidi Anthony Opara <chidi.opara@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Samuel. At that time, the binding factor was the survival of the union, so all concerned patriots were ready to sacrifice individual differences. Such political culture does not yet exist in Nigeria.

CAO.

On Apr 3, 2015 5:16 AM, "Samuel Zalanga" <szalanga@bethel.edu> wrote:

The corruption issue is a major one. But as for the difference, the book "

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

​"

​

which describes Lincoln cabinet might shed light on how that can work even though the political cultures are different. 

Here is a description of the book form amazon.com:

Amazon.com Review

The life and times of Abraham Lincoln have been analyzed and dissected in countless books. Do we need another Lincoln biography? In

​ ​

Team of Rivals, esteemed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin proves that we do. Though she can't help but cover some familiar territory, her perspective is focused enough to offer fresh insights into Lincoln's leadership style and his deep understanding of human behavior and motivation. Goodwin makes the case for Lincoln's political genius by examining his relationships with three men he selected for his cabinet, all of whom were opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860: William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates. These men, all accomplished, nationally known, and presidential, originally disdained Lincoln for his backwoods upbringing and lack of experience, and were shocked and humiliated at losing to this relatively obscure Illinois lawyer. Yet Lincoln not only convinced them to join his administration--Seward as secretary of state, Chase as secretary of the treasury, and Bates as attorney general--he ultimately gained their admiration and respect as well. How he soothed egos, turned rivals into allies, and dealt with many challenges to his leadership, all for the sake of the greater good, is largely what Goodwin's fine book is about. Had he not possessed the wisdom and confidence to select and work with the best people, she argues, he could not have led the nation through one of its darkest periods.

Ten years in the making, this engaging work reveals why "Lincoln's road to success was longer, more tortuous, and far less likely" than the other men, and why, when opportunity beckoned, Lincoln was "the best prepared to answer the call." This multiple biography further provides valuable background and insights into the contributions and talents of Seward, Chase, and Bates. Lincoln may have been "the indispensable ingredient of the Civil War," but these three men were invaluable to Lincoln and they played key roles in keeping the nation intact. --Shawn Carkonen 

On Thu, Apr 2, 2015 at 5:58 PM, Chidi Anthony Opara <chidi.opara@gmail.com> wrote:

Ayo Obe,
What about the Ideologies of Tinubu and Atiku, influential party members whose concepts of corruption are in sharp contrast to that of Buhari?

IBK,
I was not equating "the thieves in APC" with Ideology, I presented another dimension of the troubles of the incoming ruling party.

CAO.

On Apr 2, 2015 5:55 PM, "Ayo Obe" <ayo.m.o.obe@gmail.com> wrote:

So, you know the ideologies of Obasanjo and Babangida?  I can't pretend that I do.  In any case, they are not members of the incoming party, and whatever influence they may have (or think they have - probably better to let the world imagine you have it than to actually try to exercise it and be exposed as a pretender) there are enough thinkers and activists of the next generation in APC to drive any ideology issues.

Obasanjo certainly left the PDP and what with his criticism of Jonathan, APC barely restrained itself from offering him a membership card.  But as with so much else, it was as much a case of people being driven away from the PDP or rather from President Jonathan (in Babangida's case, it was either go along with the Jonathan narrative about the state of the Army that he, Buhari and Obasanjo had allowed it to sink to, or publicly bale out), as it is a case of people deciding to throw their lot in with APC.

On Wed, Apr 1, 2015 at 9:07 AM, Chidi Anthony Opara <chidi.opara@gmail.com> wrote:

The incoming Nigeria's ruling party is a convergence of strange ideological bedfellows; Tinubu, Buhari, Obasanjo, Babangida, Atiku, et al. There is definitely going to be an ideological implosion.

CAO.

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Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive #24
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