Saw this on facebook. Some hard truths in it

WHY NIGERIANS HATE MERITOCRACY

First, the textbook answer – because we are a multi-ethnic nation. In fact, some might still say, we are actually a ‘multi-national­’ nation, since the tribes are nations, and the nation is a ‘mere geographical expression’. That was why, in the end, they settled for Regionalism, and then Federalism, and then (God help us) the Quota System. It was all supposed to prevent ‘conflict’, this obsession with minimizing competition between people from different ethnic/­regional groups. It didn’t (hence the coup of January ‘66). But that was the idea - that by allocating positions in the civil service, we would prevent the domination of the public sector by people from any one ethnic/­regional group and, thereby, facilitate national unity - the idea that finally crystallized into the almighty ‘Federal Character’ Principle.

So, yes, that’s the textbook answer. But there’s another reason why we hate meritocracy, a much simpler one; we like power. I have noticed it – that, in this country, people like to be responsible for the progress and prosperity of other people. It is a big part of what it means to be a successful person in Nigeria (aka an ‘Oga’ – is that word a corrupted form of ‘Ogre’ by the way? Or a ‘Madam’.) Success, here, is very much measured by, not just how much you’ve done for yourself, but how much you have done, or are able to do, for others. Sounds like a virtue? Not exactly, not when you are ‘giving’ people what they ordinarily would have been able to get for themselves if you hadn’t put in place a system that made them dependent on your ‘charity,’ in the first place.

Meritocracy threatens this system of fake philanthropy. You mean, someone can just sit down in his bedroom, send a CV over the Internet and get a job? Just like that? Without having to first struggle through security at National Assembly to wait for hours to get a letter of recommendation from his Senator or House of Reps member? What is the world coming to? So, she can just get up, go to work, carry out her duties, get appraised and then – just like that – get a promotion, without having to first deputize as the Madam’s Personal Assistant/­House Girl? What is the world coming to? So, anybody can just apply to FCDA for land, just like that; to the Federal Mortgage Bank for a loan, just like that; with as equal a chance as anybody else of getting it? Ah! There goes the system supporting the rapacious Nigerian ‘elite’, building enormous fortunes off the back of cronyism, masquerading as ‘Federal Character’.

I’ll tell you what ‘Federal Character’ really is. It is the leadership of the daft and the promotion of the idiot; and once you make the mediocre the ceiling then nobody else is getting past. It’s the perfect system for mass-producing inefficiency. People can pontificate all they like, but if you’ve worked in the system, you know – Federal Character drives the best and brightest out the door. It headhunts ass-kissers, promotes eye-service, has facilitated the transformation of the Nigerian work ethic into a model study on how to de-motivate staff. I can’t find words that are strong enough to castigate a system that justifies awarding a scholarship to a student who barely passed the scholarship exam, instead of to the one who was third on the list, simply because the first two people on the list come from the same state as the unlucky third, so the twisted finger of this depraved system has to run down ten more names before the student from the ‘right’ area is reached. (True story) Is there a more efficient way of murdering the soul of youth? Tell me, is there?

(Deep breath.) Forgive my rant. There is no disastrous tribal war that will descend upon us if we choose to do Justice, and give each person what is his or her due; no cataclysmic conflict (any worse than the terrors we are suffering presently) will erupt. And, if they do, then, at least, we can face them in the conviction that we are standing for something worthwhile. You cannot proactively invoke the spirit of division and, at the same time, hope for national integration some day in the distant future. In my better moods, I would describe it as wishful thinking; in my worst, as madness.

Let me categorically say, that ‘unity’ is good roads, steady power supply, clean drinking water, good public schools and hospitals, a functioning public infrastructure.­ These things lay the foundations for national prosperity and, frankly, nothing unites like prosperity. But this ‘Federal Character of Mediocrity’ perpetuates the poor pubic services that perpetuate the widespread poverty that perpetuate the social unrest and division which in turn perpetuates the belief that ‘Federal Character’ is the only way to prevent this unrest from escalating. That is what is called a vicious cycle. And it needs to be broken, if we are to have even the whisper of a chance.

This part of the post: "Is there a more efficient way of murdering the soul of youth? Tell me, is there?", is what makes me so exasperated with Nigeria; we're killing the competitive spirit of our youth, and they grow up thinking that all they need to succeed in life is to know someone or hope to be selected for a job based solely on where they're from.....quite sad!

Its democracy, not meritocracy

The truth of the matter is that Nigeria has qualified hands to mount any position in Nigeria even the most education backward state can provide personel to manage any ministry, agency or establishment effectivly and judiciously.
Since we all don't pursue same agenda due to our ethno-religious diffrences couple with limited resources and space(vacancy) peaple tend to get their own(ie serve same agenda) into the available space by stiffling competition on the ground that peaple appointed by him/her are based on merit. Truly they are qualified to be there just like Hilary clinton is qualify to be the secetary of united state because her party is ruling, but if it was the other way round the united state secetary will still be qualify to be there too.
The only way is to pursue common goal as a nation, create more options 4 peaple to explore and give many peaple chance to show case what they ve got.

IGBO-SON:
This part of the post: "Is there a more efficient way of murdering the soul of youth? Tell me, is there?", is what makes me so exasperated with Nigeria; we're killing the competitive spirit of our youth, and they grow up thinking that all they need to succeed in life is to know someone or hope to be selected for a job based solely on where they're from.....quite sad!

Very sad o. Though I won't say it has killed competition among the youth. Rather it has distracted the youth from focusing on developing skill sets that matter and has turned them like the writer said to eye service champions and office politicians

All nations in Nigeria are not built equal. Some are great in some areas abd some are not great in any areas. Most Nigerians don't know the meaning of wealth. Wealth is a function of productivity. Sitting in the office and typing on a computer can not create wealth on its own. There has to be people on the ground with the right skills to produce something tangible efficiently. The farmer is definitely more important to Nigeria than the average banker.