“Nigeria Is Not A Failed State, Sir” – Omokri Differs With Buhari’s Aljazeera Claim

The Special Adviser to the President on New Media and ardent social media crusader for President Jonathan’s administration, Reno Omokri, has faulted the claim by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), that Nigeria has been reduced to a failed state.

Omokri argued that there are challenges confronting the country but Nigeria is not a failed state, stressing that it is unfortunate that a former Head of state and a presidential hopeful will speak ill of his country.

“With due respect sir, Nigeria is not a ‘failed state’. Yes, we do have some challenges but true leaders do not condemn their nation to the world, “he said.

Omokri reminded Gen. Buhari that Nigeria is making giant strides that place it among the respected countries in the world.

“Do failed states defeat Ebola, be the world’s 3rd fastest growing economy, be investors’ destination and the largest economy in Africa?” Omokri queried.

It would be recalled that Buhari, in an interview on Al Jazeera, Sunday, said that the “government has failed in its principal duty of protecting life or property of all beings inside its territory”.

Although there is no general consensus on the definition, a failed state is a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government.

Some of the characteristics of failed state are loss of control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force therein, erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions, inability to provide public services and inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community

Thus, the question begs, is Nigeria, a failed state?