by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has identified insecurity and lack of credible elections as major factors hindering Nigeria’s development, saying the country can only make meaningful progress when leaders are genuinely accountable to the people.
Hayab stated this on weekend during a media parley with journalists, where he also called on Nigerians to see themselves first as “citizens of one nation” rather than through the lenses of religion, ethnicity and regional affiliations.
According to him, Nigeria, at 66, should have recorded greater development, but persistent divisions and weak democratic accountability have slowed the country’s progress.
He said, “When you really put Nigerians together, you will see the division that exists among us is the reason why, at 66 years, we are still crawling.
“But we can jump fast within a few years, if we close ranks and start seeing ourselves as Nigerians, treating this country as our country, as our nation.”
The NCA chairman said leaders had a responsibility to promote national unity, stressing that Nigerians should be able to hold elected officials accountable – through credible elections.
He argued that politicians, who emerge through questionable electoral processes, may not feel sufficiently accountable to the electorate.
“Just begin to have credible elections. All we need today to change Nigeria is when we have good elections that give us the people we chose,” he said.
Hayab said credible elections would compel elected officials to perform, because they would know that voters could remove them from office, if they failed to deliver.
He said government officials should also understand that public infrastructure and services were not personal favours to citizens, but responsibilities funded with public resources.
According to him, roads, hospitals, schools and other government projects belong to Nigerians because they are funded with public resources.
The NCA chairman also blamed insecurity for worsening hunger, disrupting agriculture, closing schools and markets, and affecting economic activities across the country.
He urged the Federal Government to take stronger action against non-state actors threatening the peace and territorial integrity of the country. “Government must sit up and not allow non-state actors to dictate how our peace should be,” Hayab said.
He maintained that the government should demonstrate that it remained in control of the country and should not allow armed groups and criminal networks to determine the security situation in different communities.
Hayab said resolving insecurity would have a positive impact on virtually every sector of the economy, including agriculture, education, transportation and business.
He noted that significant resources were being deployed to protect workers and contractors on government projects because of insecurity, arguing that such security personnel could otherwise be deployed to tackle criminal elements.
“If there is no insecurity, why are you guarding road construction workers? These security personnel could probably be deployed to arrest the criminals we are talking about,” he said.
On the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Hayab said government should primarily serve the entire nation rather than any religious group.
He rejected the framing of government projects and services as benefits meant specifically for Christians or Muslims, saying roads, schools and hospitals constructed by government were for all Nigerians, stressing that, “Government is put in place to benefit the nation, not a religious group.”
However, Hayab expressed concern over the continuing insecurity under the present administration, saying Nigerians could not fully enjoy other government interventions, while they remained afraid for their lives and property.
He acknowledged that the Federal Government had introduced some measures and programmes that could benefit Nigerians, but stressed that security remained a fundamental responsibility of government. “Government’s primary responsibility is to protect the lives and property of citizens,” he said.
Hayab also encouraged Nigerians, particularly Christians, to embrace investment and long-term wealth creation, urging them not to allow religious or ethnic sentiments to prevent them from participating in legitimate business opportunities.
Speaking on the ongoing Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals share offer, he urged Christians and other Nigerians to consider investing in the company, saying business should not be viewed through religious identity.
He said investment could help families build wealth over time and provide resources for education and other future needs.
Hayab said the Northern Christian Association had encouraged its state chapters and church leaders to sensitise members about investment opportunities, stressing that the initiative was not tied to any personal relationship with the company.
He also urged Northerners to invest in businesses owned by people from the region, arguing that greater local participation could encourage further industrial investment in Northern Nigeria.
According to him, if Northerners became shareholders in major businesses, they would have a stronger economic stake in such enterprises and could advocate for the establishment of more industries in the region.
Hayab said Nigeria could learn from countries that had made significant economic and technological progress by prioritising accountability, unity, investment and effective governance.
He cited Malaysia and Singapore as examples of countries that had developed significantly, saying Nigeria must examine the factors responsible for its own slow pace of development.
He, however, acknowledged that Nigeria had recorded some progress since independence and said the country should also recognise the impact of past military interventions on its democratic and institutional development.
Hayab called for the sustenance of democracy and stronger accountability in the electoral process, saying credible elections remained essential to ensuring that public officials served the interests of the people.
He concluded that Nigeria could overcome its developmental challenges, if citizens and leaders put national interest above ethnic, religious and regional considerations, while building institutions that promote security, accountability and inclusive economic development.