Dr. Monday Gala holds Ph.D. in Geophysics from Western University (formerly, The University of Western Ontario) in London Ontario, Canada. He talks about issues going on in Nigeria and how we can move forward OASES NEWS was with him for this interview. Please read.
OASES NEWS: When did you come to Canada?
Dr. Gala: I came to Canada to study for my Ph.D. in Geophysics at The Western University in London, Ontario in the 1990’s
OASES NEWS: Why did you decide to stay after your Ph.D. program?
Dr. Gala: I had a good job in Nigeria that I loved; there was no reason to stay here after my Ph.D. program but I got involved with our campaign for democracy here in Canada. The annulment of the election of MKO Abiola in 1993 by the dictatorship of Babangida regime gave Nigerians the badly needed reason to get rid of authoritarian military government. I was one of the very public faces in the diaspora that was fighting to actualize Abiola’s mandate. We did this by publishing articles in Nigerian newspapers against Babangida’s regime and lobbying foreign powers to take positions against the dictatorship. By the time Abacha took power we had become effective enough that some of us were on the list of people that were to be arrested upon entry into Nigeria as a result of this most of us did not return home.
OASES NEWS: How did you participate in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria while in Canada?
Dr. Gala: I belonged to a group called Association of Nigerians Abroad (ANA). This group opposed the continuation of Nigerian Military government, the group acted as a pressure group and a thorn in the flesh of the Nigerian Military Government. We established a radio station which we named Radio Kudirat in one of the Scandinavian countries. We transmitted in short waves which were received and appreciated by Nigerians. Here in Canada, a group of just five of us joined forces with other progressives in places like Toronto to pressure the Canadian Government to condemn the actions of our military rulers and we were very effective.
OASES NEWS: So Nigerians in diaspora were such a powerful force then, are Nigerians in Diaspora still powerful now?
Dr. Gala: Yes they can be, unfortunately we do not seem to have found the kind of rallying together that we had in the 90’s. We have been incapable of finding the common idea that would bring us together. Nigerians rallied around a common goal in the 90’s, they fought for democracy. Nigerians in diaspora are very powerful force outside Nigeria; they just need to find the reason. But even in the 90’s, we had our detractors. We had those that called us crazy; yet we had those that would give us, say, $50 for the campaign but would openly appear to oppose us for fear of reprisals. But by and large, a lot of vocal Nigerians were united in our struggle for democracy. Now that we have democracy in Nigeria, it is funny to see some of the people that called us crazy following visiting Nigerian politicians like swarms of bees. It is really funny. So I belive that if we give Nigerians a common goal, they will rise again to better Nigeria.
OASES NEWS: Do you still think that Nigerians in Diaspora could influence policies in Nigeria?
Dr. Gala: Yes, Nigerians in diaspora can influence policies in Nigeria but they must have a common goal and speak with one voice in order to achieve this. Recently, I thought that the kidnapping of almost 300 girls from their school dormitories was going to be the rallying point. I attended a round table conference and tried to make that point but I did not see that happen. For some interesting reason, Abacha was given the opportunity to defend the position of his government after Ken Saro Wiwa was killed. Remember that Canada was at the forefront of the move which resulted in Nigeria being suspended from the Commonwealth. Abacha sent his Minister of Information to address the Canadian Legislature but when we found out we requested for permission to challenge this Minister because we were speaking with one voice. The man that Abacha sent was brilliant; he made a very convincing case to ease the sanctions against Nigeria. However, to people who really knew what was happening in Nigeria and in the Niger Delta in particular, the brilliant presentation was built on a very shaky foundation. It was very easy for us to show his story for what it was that it was a pack of lies. So, your question is “can we influence policy in Nigeria”? Absolutely, but we must find a common goal and speak with one voice. Take this Boko haram issue for example, if all Nigerians, Muslims and Christians, can unite in our condemnation of this terror group, they will have no hiding place. It would be far easier to destroy them.
OASES NEWS: You said that you did not see that zeal in our people in the case of the abducted chibok girls compared with the struggle for democracy in Nigeria in the 90’s. Does that mean that those Nigerians in diaspora are now individualistic?
Dr. Gala: Not necessarily. People must have a common cause. I thought that the kidnapping of the 300 girls would do it that is where we would draw the line. We need to rally around it and try to influence how things have been happening in Nigeria. I do not know how big Boko Haram is neither do I have the logistics and the information that is necessary for me to make that conclusion on why our Military are not able to eliminate Boko Haram. But we must agree that when you compare Boko Haram with the Nigerian Military, it is like comparing an ant with an elephant in terms of size of personnel and equipment. Why is it that we have been unable to remove this cancer that is eating on Nigeria? Why? So that can be a rallying point for Nigerians to ask this question. Where are the service chiefs? None of them has commented on the Boko Haram and the abducted students. Why did it take the outcry of international leaders such as the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and United States President Barack Obama for our president to start addressing the issue of the abduction of these 300 girls? I thought that would be the rallying issue. But what is happening instead is that Nigerians have bought into the fallacy that Boko Haram is about Moslem vs Christians. If a Nigerian wants to get away with murder they just need to convince Nigerians that it is about Islam and Christianity. They will say it is Islam vs Christianity. I think that is what Boko haram is doing. Boko Haram may use Koran to recruit and to blind the nation but I don’t think Boko Haram has anything to do with religion. This is what ought to be bringing us together but alas! We have been divided and Boko haram is getting away with killing and terrorizing Muslims and Christians
OASES NEWS: Do you think that the military should come back?
Dr. Gala: Never, I would take a bad civilian government over, over and over again rather than have a military regime. Military regime should never be allowed to come back again. We don’t need them again. No matter how bad the civilian government is the military should never be given the chance to come back. We don’t need those people to take any political office in our country.
OASES NEWS: The military is no longer popular in the world but our Civilian government is not performing as expected after all, so what is your take on this?
Dr. Gala: I am glad for this interview with OASES NEWS because I have the opportunity to say this, the reason why I will take our bad democracy over military is this; take the South West in the last election as example, the South West did not like their incumbent PDP governors and at the primary level they tried to put the people that they liked to run for governorship but they were unsuccessful. What did the South West do? They went to another political party and almost 100%, they elected APC governors in the South West. PDP did everything to win those elections but the people on the street or the common people were not willing to sell their mandates. So it starts with the person that is casting his vote who is the voter, to the polling officer, electoral officer, right through to the Resident Electoral commissioner, if these people do not enable rigging nobody can steal their election.
Another Example is in Nasawara state, they did not like the incumbent governor and again at the primary level, the PDP would not allow the true mandate of the people and what did the people of Nasarawa do? You guess it, they went to the APC and defeated the PDP. Now you think attempts were not made to steal this mandate? But these attempts were not successful because the people of Nasarawa state did not sell their souls to the highest bidder. So, Nigerians have the power to change things, we just need to stop selling our souls.
As a matter of fact, the people of the South West then, in pragmatic fashion voted with the winning party in the presidential election, which happened to be PDP. These friends are excellent examples of why we who are the common Nigerians have our destiny in our hands.
Everyone just need not to sell themselves. The power of the people is the only thing that can change Nigeria.
We like to blame the federal government for everything, if the elementary teachers do not get paid in Nigeria we blame Goodluck Jonathan, Goodluck Jonathan has nothing to do with that. Goodluck Jonathan sends subventions to the state governments who take the money and squander it and we sit and cheer for them while we blame the national government. If there is a pothole in the road going to my village I blame the governor why not holding local government Councilors and Chairmen accountable?
OASES NEWS: How do you think we can redeem Nigeria’s corporate image or how can we improve Nigeria’s image.
Dr. Gala: Proper accountability and transparency by running a government that is not corrupt, doing what is good for the people, then the world will respect us, especially as the most populous country in Africa. Nigeria has the most highly educated people. Nigerians for a long time have recognized the value of education. Education teaches you to be a self-advocate; in a country such as Canada, you have to be able to sell yourself, dig out the opportunities that are not visible to other eyes. Nigeria has resources because of these, the world is begging to respect us but we keep throwing away all opportunities because most of our things are not working back home, no regular power supply, no good health care system, transportation systems are poor, no portable water to drink and so on. If you do not respect yourself by making good use of your human and material reources, nobody will respect you.
OASES NEWS: How do we avoid this persistent unrest in Nigeria?
Engage our youths to get jobs because Boko Haram will continue to recruit the unemployed Nigerians. Nigerians should learn not to allow others to use religion to divide them. I will let you in on an open secret to make the point. The only reason I am a Christian today is because the Christian missionaries reached my village before the Moslems. For me to now to think that my brand of religion is better than another person’s is foolish. If all Nigerians can get this important point, then it would be harder for anyone to use religion to cause unrest in our dear nation.
NEWS: What are your expectations from different ethnic group leaders in Nigeria?
Dr. Gala: In an ideal world we would put policies in place which break down ethnic splits. However in our real world, we should make every effort to live in unity with other ethnic groups. Talk to our people and shun divisive partisan politics, abhor corruption and be principled. All must know that in doing good we project a good image of our ethnic group.
OASES NEWS: What do you expect the government to do for the Northern part of the country?
Dr. Gala: Effective and adequate Security system is a must to protect the lives and property of the citizens. The Northern part of Nigeria could be a source of great social and economic strength if the government at all levels establish functional industries, support and make investments to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship to put the North back to a new and growing economy which will eventually create jobs for the jobless. Education is very important for the citizens of the North; government must continue to make this as priority. Provision of social amenities will also be helpful to alleviate the suffering of the Northerners. Finally, the government at all levels should continue to educate all Nigerians on Religious tolerance.
OASES NEWS: How can Nigerians in diaspora be part of the governance in Nigeria?
Dr. Gala: Government should involve the Nigerians in diaspora who are skilled in different professions. The Nigerian communities in diaspora must be engaged in the process of nation building. As a matter of fact, visiting government officials ask Nigerians in diaspora for inputs but as soon as they leave, we never hear from them again. In fact the joke which is making the rounds is about the visiting government officials whom we host in our homes and provide them with solutions which are affecting their sectors and they turn around and do not bother to answer our calls or meet with us when we do visit Nigeria. The government of the day must meaningfully engage professionals in the diaspora to help solve some of the enormous problems we have back home. Making it easier for diaspora Nigerians to be part of nation building should be a priority and focus of our governments.