Lesson from Pakistan: Learning from others' Experience
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By: Bakare Najimdeen
March 31st, 2008
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The birth of
Pakistan was a laborious one, a painful experience that still determines the
politics in the country. Pakistan obviously inherited a relatively poor military
establishment at the dawn of partition and independence (August 14, 1947) as
compared to India. Nurturing this disparity of inheritance she mustered the
strength in keeping abreast militarily with India. The ideological tussle
between these two brotherly countries has been the major determinants of the two
countries foreign policy. Pakistan military establishment has been a major
player in the socio-political and economic development of the country and by all
standards of developing countries remains a force to reckon with. Pakistan
military engagement within its neighbourhood and under the umbrella of the
United Nations remains a remarkable effort. Its Nigeria counterpart has been
equally showcasing its strength within continental Africa and United Nations. To
dispute the fact that Pakistan military establishment has been instrumental in
the progress of Nigeria military establishment will be untenable. Pakistan
National Defence College has trained and still made its door unclosed for
technical and strategic training of Nigerian military officials. The challenges
posed by India to Pakistan were a major compelling factor that brought Pakistan
armed forces to its present stage. Although Nigeria does not have any arch foe
as Pakistanis would always see India, yet the effort of the country to procure
nuclear technology cannot be divorce from its military. The fact of having such
technology makes Pakistan surpass Nigeria in many realms of modern economy.
Future energy strength might obviously not rest on petroleum which Nigeria sits
upon and which various Nigerian governments have failed to optimally employ to
better the life of millions impoverished Nigerians.
Nigeria being a member of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) enjoys the
privilege of exploring and exploiting nuclear technology for a peaceful means.
The fact that Nigeria and Pakistan have been exploring serious military
co-operation and the latter’s military establishment have a strong role in its
nuclear programme gives Nigeria ample choice and opportunity to exploit this
nuclear knowledge. Nigeria is a vastly, rich and resourced nation but still
unable to actualise its potentials because of structural corruption, lack of
transparency in the civil service and maladministration. Nigerian leaders should
wake up to the realisation of a nuclear technology geared at developing the
country and ameliorating the country from its energy crisis particularly
electricity supply. Nigeria is still member of those nations where electricity
is the heart of its industrial sector both small and large scale. The abundant
reserve of oil has done little or nothing to erase this problem. Meanwhile many
administrations have come and gone chanting the slogan of ‘end to energy crisis’
even to the extent of becoming the chairman of the energy sector, yet the
country maintains its zero level status. We have to diversify the energy sector;
banking alone on the oil sector would narrowly bail the country from its energy
woes. Thus sharing technical cooperation on energy with Pakistan via the
military and governmental channel would further consolidate the mutual
friendship between the two nations.
Last week the Islamabad chambers of commerce (Pakistan) urged Nigerian investors
to flood the Pak market in exchange for the black gold injudiciously used in
Nigeria. While Pakistan knows the benefit of having such an enormous reserve of
wealth it looked upon Nigeria as a good partner. Pakistan in the recent times
have been playing significant role as an energy broker, this of course exhibits
the extent of its geo-strategic importance. It has been able to broker
agreements with Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and India. All of
these projects though are in the pipeline but clearly speak of the fact that
energy interlocutor like Pakistan would be a major actor in years to come.
Pakistan should be understood as a country not naturally blessed with such
unthinkable petroleum Nigeria is endowed yet the management of the imported
(oil) product proves Pakistani leaders would do the best if opportune to lead
Nigeria with such reserve of oil. Though Nigeria might have surpassed Pakistan
in certain sectors yet many Nigerians in Pakistan (Nigerian Diplomats inclusive)
obviously share the view that infrastructural development in Pakistan along with
the managerial skill of the leaders is something laudable.
My stay in the country purportedly labelled an extremist state clearly showed
that the Pakistani government should be credited as wonderful managers. They
have shown that if they should wear same shoe as the Nigerian government they
would definitely outshine many developing economy across the globe and more
importantly make Nigeria a success story of another Asia financial boom. The
economy of Pakistan can obviously not be abreast with the developed economies of
Western Europe, yet the tactics, prudent and managerial skill employed by
Pakistan undoubtedly notorious leaders can still be emulated by Nigeria
counterparts. The fact that Nigeria is the sixth oil producing country in the
world necessarily does not place us among countries benefiting the gift of
nature, we are rather confine into the corner of believing that our Africanness
cannot produce emulative substances. I have used and continue to see the use of
energy particularly the gas energy across the neighbourhood of Pakistan even
among the downtrodden, while we Nigerians still hold the feelings that
government subsided gas usable in all homes would burn the whole country into
vestiges. If literacy (know-how skill) is the yardstick for using gas in our
homes, with statistical data and proof the literacy rate between the two
countries gives Nigeria an undisputable margin plus.
The Indian Subcontinent was classically defined as the bedrock of the British
Empire this laden fact needed in-depth study as premise for understanding how
the region learnt the British managerial skill an unquestionable trait that gave
Britain empiric edge in the modern history of empires. This legacy of management
radiates within the Pakistani society, it is not just a government monopoly but
a virtue even among local shop and food canteen of roti and dal-mash (a local
Pakistani meal of bread and pulses seed)
Pakistan educational institutions have been enrolling many Nigerians in
different field of studies particularly in the religious institutions. However
such propensity of some Nigerians (particularly Muslims) to come learn in
Pakistan necessarily does not enlist them as terrorists. It is apparently
misleading to understand all religious institutions in Pakistan from the lens of
extremism and terrorism as some people might suggest. In fact these educational
institutions remain an integral part of the Pakistan society, a reality that
cannot be surmounted. Pakistan being a majority Muslim nation facilitates
numerous mosques where everyday knowledge of Islam is taught. Such places of
knowledge (mosques) are misunderstood by many westerners for established
religious institutions known as madrasah. Many Nigerian students have numerous
reasons for studying in Pakistan. One, the established religious institutions
offer classical Qur’anic memorisation (Hifzul Qur’an) classes for students from
different parts of the world. Most of these madaris have shown remarkable
prolificacy of the Qur’an, they however does not offer just spiritual
enlightenment but equally give their international students free boarding and
meal in what can be categorised as scholarship. Two, other student recourse to
Pakistan for the fields of engineering and medicine which by the developing
world standard they stand outstanding.
Many Nigerians studying in Pakistan are unknown to the federal government of
Nigeria, though many are holders of Nigerian international passport, registered
with Nigerian Embassy but the fact remains that they aren’t government sponsored
students, an indication that FGN is directly not responsible for their faring.
This gap between many Nigerian students and the FGN puts many students in
unimaginable difficulty. Many of these students hold the opinion they can get
stipend from the High Commission having forgotten that the FGN wasn’t
responsible for the procurement of the flight ticket to Pakistan. The fact of
the matter is that Pakistan is never the likelihood of Western European
countries or developed nations where students without scholarship can surf
through the tedious ocean of study without hanging out with a part-time job. It
is particularly a non-greener field for non-scholarship students. This
uneasiness makes many students join the band of money-finders in the shape of
being engaged in illicit business and deal. Studying in Pakistan would be a
must-watch or blockbuster movie for Nollywood (Nigeria Movie Industry) to
produce.
Pakistan being a transit route for illicit drug across the rest of world is one
of the mostly desired destinations for Nigerians often refer to as oloya (a
Yoruba term for marketer) Many of these oloya punctuate the streets of Pakistan
with their Africaness in a distinct racial country like Pakistan. It might be a
source of joy for Nigeria that Nigerians living in Pakistan are obviously the
leaders of other Africans in Pakistan by virtue of their numbers (in thousands),
exorbitant lifestyle and socio-political organisations. I am from the school
that never subscribe to colour, hence I have deprived myself using the word
‘black’ for Africans in Pakistan. In the major cities of Pakistan Africaness
goes with drug business particularly a stigma for Nigerians. But it would be
misleading to subscribe to such assertion that Africaness is synonymous with
proscribe businesses. There are lot of Africans doing legally acknowledged
business across the cities of Pakistan. My understanding is that ‘only a thief
knows the footpath of another thief’ an adage that points to the fact that only
those Pakistani drug dealers would quickly identify their acquaintances. It is
pathetic so enunciate that many students have become part of this ring as an
alternative for their depressive academic pursuit. Many students help harbouring
drugs and passports for these Nigerian drug dealers in exchange for money to
make their days or months. Drug business in Pakistan has always been a gamble
for Nigerians, for many days or years their efforts to push out their
merchandise would prove abortive, making many wanders around joblessly. Among
the Africans residing in Pakistan Nigerians’ homes are the most ransacked on the
premise of this proscribed venture. Those students within the ring often do not
escape the odious part of the venture particularly when merchandises are waylaid
at the airports. The reality for many students has always been a dicey game
between prison and survival (money).
Nigerian students in Pakistan are like every other student (Nigerians) across
the world faced with the dilemma of returning home. It is always embarrassing
when fellow students from other parts of the world would be preparing to return
home soonest after studies. That has never been the case with Nigerian students
nurturing the fear that nothing substantial awaits them at home rather a
square-one impoverish economy. It might be argued that such propensity is only
peculiar with students studying in the third world nations like Pakistan, but my
hunch, understanding and experience tells me that even those students in the
developed countries would rather want to take a permanently residence in the
advance countries than return home.
At this juncture arises the point where Nigeria can get tuition from Pakistan on
how it has been able to manage its students going abroad and willing to return
and contribute to the progress of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan was able
to institute the Grant Commission that later metamorphosed into what is today
known as Pakistan Higher Education Commission. The latter is responsible for the
improvement of education in the country and the government has been able to
offer a great deal of fund in making the commission a success story which of
course it is. HEC offers various kinds of scholarships to Pakistanis. At the
master level scholarship is due for any meticulous student whose academic
potentials can make HEC extend the funding for a graduate study. This kind of
scholarship helps students to find their way into internationally recognised
citadel of learning across the globe particularly in the developed world.
Similarly the commission avail to students what is known as the indigenous and
foreign scholarship programmes. Both of these benefits go strictly on (merit) by
passing a Pakistani structured GRE test known as (NTS Examination) with a
passing grade of 50% and above. The rationale behind this facility is obviously
clear to the progressive minds particularly those who see education as an
effective mechanism in effecting changes in any society and also a scale of
measuring the productive manpower a country can boost of. HEC has made many
dreams a reality and has been able to change the bearing of perception among
many downtrodden Pakistanis that education, perhaps better academic pursuits is
not the singular right of the upper class. It has given sound education to many
even to those who never dreamt of having such prolific education in their life
based on their family economy background.
We have always failed to employ the incremental model of policy making which is
one of those factors that have been enhancing development in the so-called
developed or aspiring developing countries. Back in Nigeria we are fond of
daunting others initiatives, new government often do not see essence in the
programmes laid down or in the pipeline by the previous government. We discard
initiatives and programmes as if they hold no prudence and believing our new
idea can right the situation. But the ground reality is that neither the killed
programme that wasn’t allowed to manifest its potentials nor the new initiatives
meet the test of time as a result of government change or other bureaucratic
fractures.
The initiation of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) under the regime of General
Abacha brings the reminiscence of those good old days when many institutions of
learning both higher and lower could not deny the magnanimous benefit of the
trust fund. Abacha though a despised leader of Nigeria both while living and
after his demise yet his PTF programme should once be appreciated. Many
Nigerians are still wanting in appreciating some of the achievements and
unprecedented policy implemented by the late Abacha. One would wonder where
those funds lavishly spent on infrastructural development during Abacha’s PTF
programme had been before him. PTF has shown and demonstrated that Nigerians can
have a sliver-spoon education devoid of hurdle. The fund can be a base for
scholarship for many aspiring Nigerians longing to further their academic
pursuit outside the country. Government can ensure such fund becoming fruitful
through a contractual framework. PTF sponsored students would have to be
contracted that on completion of studies abroad would return home to serve the
country on a durational term. By so doing the graduates would be confident of a
secured job opportunity; this will allay the fear often nurtured by many
non-scholarship Nigerian students abroad
I have been studying development across the third world and my paradigm is that
democracy as often claim is never the hallmark of development. Development has
always taken a firm root wherever military junta rules though such understanding
should not be misleading that dictatorship should be greeted for the sake of
development. This hated style of government has always taken the prime
responsibility of the civilian government that is consideration of the masses.
The latter according to many readings and understandings careless of the type of
government in place rather throw support for that administration that can secure
their livelihood. This might be an arguable discourse and divide within the
field of political science as regard developed and developing world governmental
system.
Nigeria is a wonderful country having both human and natural resources and
ability to rub shoulders with the so-called developed nations. Maladministration
remains the malady in our system though its remedy lies within the country. Many
times I nurture the thought ‘is it the excitement of Nigerian leaders that
ordinary Nigerians should suffer or do they really lack the sense of humanity
and prudence to know the right from the wrong’. I see the future of Nigeria
lying upon standard education but that would be utopia if the FGN fold its arms.
Nigerian educational system was once a credible structure cherished not only by
Nigerians but across the globe, but the situation is quite the opposite now. The
private sector should not be allowed to handily shoulder the burden of imparting
education. Perhaps they are exploiting the loophole created by the
malfunctioning of the Federal government. Why can’t we revive the PTF programme
and make education regain its lost glory. If we can’t learn from the developed
nations on the excuse of being developed why not take a leaf from the Pakistani
experience of HEC.
Bakare Najimdeen is a PhD in politics and IR, International Islamic University
Islamabad, olaaayo@gmail.com
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