Ghana makes Nigeria a truly failed state

The World is more unsafe

In May 2006, I covered the issue of the index of failed states as The Coalition of the Unviable, the heads-up from NaijaBlog led me to the Failed States Index for 2007.

My friends, things have not improved; rather, they have gotten worse all over, literally every country from the most successful Norway to the least viable Sudan have registered heightened states of uncertainty or turmoil - they both retain their positions from last year.

The worst 10 feature with last year's positions in parenthesis. 1. Sudan (1), 2. Iraq (4), 3. Somalia (7), 4. Zimbabwe (5), 5. Chad (6), 6. Cote d'Ivoire (3), 7. DR Congo (2), 8. Afghanistan (10), 9. Guinea (11) & the 10. Central African Republic (13).

Junk analysis

Sudan, obviously because of Darfur is a powder-keg and a stain on the conscience of the whole world; that the atrocities have been allowed to thrive for so many years - it would probably not leave that spot for another few years.

Since the troop-surge more or less came after the sampling time of May to December 2006, we might have to wait for the analysis in the next report, but it appears things have not improved at all in Iraq.

Zimbabwe does not deserve to be in the top 10 at all, but for what the Grand Despot of Africa has done to that country, it should be treasonable for anyone to commit such a crime against their fatherland and it is unforgivable that the whole world cannot bring all things to bear on this really untenable situation.

Africa lags again

8 African countries counting as the most failed states in the world; this cannot have us complacently blame the issues on colonialism or slavery, these problems are created by Africans exploiting and oppressing other fellow Africans; most foreign intervention has been to stop the killing, the raping, the plundering, the dying and the suffering - how we can divorce these issues from true democratic representation and accountability escapes me?

Nigeria has also moved up 5 places from 22^nd last year to 17^th, there being no improvement in all the 12 indicators apart from 2 bearing on few internally displaced persons or refugees and minimal intervention from other states or external actors.

The twelve indicators

The indicators remain the same

1. Mounting demographic pressures
2. Massive movement of refugees and internally displaced peoples
3. Legacy of vengeance - seeking group grievance
4. Chronic and sustained human flight
5. Uneven economic development along group lines
6. Sharp and/or severe economic decline
7. Criminalisation and delegitimisation of the state
8. Progressive deterioration of public services
9. Widespread violation of human rights
10. Security apparatus as "state within a state"
11. Rise of factionalised elites
12. Intervention of other states or external actors

The lament of Nigerian potential

Nigeria scores quite high in [3] with the antics in the Niger Delta and the occasional religious skirmishes around the country. As [5] obviously feeds into the security issues for life and infrastructure, the elections are the manifestation of [7], the state within a state is obviously now the PDP and the devil-(not god)Fathers of nepotism, corruption and patronage which comprise part of the factionalised elites in [11].

The only place where Nigeria seems to have the most positive outlook is in the fact that we are not under-going sharp or severe economic decline - I bet that is a subject for serious debate and disputing for some.

For those who worship and commend the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, pause to ponder - in 2005, Nigeria was 54^th out of 76 compared to 22/146 (2006) and 17/177 (2007) - leading the country into terminal decline whilst vented his vindictiveness on people as he lost the plot for the country is too telling for words - that was a plummet of 34 places in a widening sample in two years - I doubt if any other country has suffered so great a movement.

And before those who cannot take criticism invade my pad, just consider why the figures are the way they are and if there is any reason to do Nigeria down unfairly, remembering that this was well before the elections in April 2007.

To crown it all, Ghana sits at 125 - 108 places apace of Nigeria - as Ghanaians now consider their prospects back home - they have hit a gusher, hopefully they would not acquire the curse of black gold - it does not take too much to do things right and it starts with honesty and truthfulness. With Ghana turning into the African Tiger and Nigeria's African Giant emulating an African Black Sheep - Nigeria, it's your turn to change for the better.