The New Tribe Ideology

On May 1 2024 Prof Pat Utomi and a group of leaders from across the country and the Diaspora announced a mega social movement based on values, and committed to social transformation, as they unveiled the portal thenewtribe.com.ng They indicated the cohorts if the new tribe would go to work immediately even though TNT would be formally inaugurated on Oct.1 2024. Below is the executive summary of its state of the nation report titled THE STATE OF THE MOTHERLAND REPORT to be published every quarterTHE NEW TRIBE’s STATE OF THE MOTHERLAND REPORTDate: August 23, 2024 Organization: New TribeTable of Contents1. Executive Summary2. Introduction3. Cohort Composition4. Methodology5. Key Themes and Discussions – Super Highways – Minimum Wage for Optimum Productivity – Transforming Nigeria’s Food Insecurity – Values and Progress – Public Accountability – Healthcare6. Challenges and Opportunities7. Recommendations8. Conclusion9. Appendices1. Executive SummaryThe New Tribe Public Policy Cohort, inaugurated in May 2024, and other cohorts of TNT have focused on gathering evidence and analyzing and addressing critical national issues in Nigeria, including infrastructure development, economic productivity, healthcare, public accountability, values proselytization, and food security. Over the past two months, the cohorts have deliberated extensively on key topics . The policy team has done more so across sectors of national life including the proposed Super Highways, the national minimum wage, the prevailing food insecurity crisis, and the pervasive values crisis in the nation.Key findings reveal significant financial mismanagement in the Super Highways project, with inflated costs and procedural violations. The cohort also identified the inadequacy of the current minimum wage, advocating for a transition to a 24-hour economy and the introduction of hourly wages. On food security, the report highlights the inefficiencies of Nigeria’s subsistence agriculture model and recommends a shift to large-scale mechanized farming, supported by agricultural mega-clusters and university integration.The cohort emphasized the need for a revitalization of values, a strengthening of public accountability mechanisms, and significant investments in healthcare to ensure the well-being of the population. The recommendations provided are aimed at addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges and achieving sustainable development.2. IntroductionThe state of the motherland is grim. The mood of the nation is sombre. The chant of the poor is *ebi npa wa*—*we are hungry*—and it can be heard in many languages across the much-endowed nooks, crannies, and *lungus* of the regions of our beloved land. But the youth, bulge with potential for a demographic dividend and other factor endowments, continue to hold out hope that Nigeria may claim the promise of its founding fathers.For now, an unseasonal Harmattan brings winds of pain and sorrow to the suckling child as it does to ailing patriarchs and weeping mothers, fueling discontent in the youth. They recently took to the streets in protest.This report which we hope to become a tradition of the norms of Governance flows from a desire to enthrone an improved way of establishing and pursuing the common good.We have learned in our years of formation that the unexamined life is not worth living. So we, as a community of citizens—the New Tribe—have taken it upon ourselves to compile and present a State of the Motherland Report. This report aims to engender rational public conversation that can foster a better order of peace, prosperity, and dignity for all in Nigeria.The report is presented with the expectation that conversation in the marketplace of ideas will result in finding truth. Since conscience is an open wound that only truth can heal, we hope that the public order may soon recover from its current challenged state. Today, an ill wind of poor public choices blows hurricanes of pain, casting down the dry faces of the rich and the poor, the healthy and the infirm, the strong and the weak. A democratization of despair fast gaining traction must be pushed back, even though its roots are visible in the poor use of public resources, policies that fail to generate production and economic growth, and continuing insecurity across the land—whether it be insurgents, bandits, kidnappers, or armed robbers. These issues leave the motherland, with all its gifts, feeling like a vast wasteland.We are persuaded that salvation depends on a shift in mindset among the political class—from transaction to transformation, and from narcissism to selfless service. The pursuit of corrupt gain must give way to the pursuit of immortality—the desire to be remembered by unborn generations for advancing the common good.The pursuit of a Nigerian restoration is pursued in this new tribe through cohorts of intervention and resetting culture and cohorts of organization which focus on mobilization, socialization and structure building.3. Cohort CompositionEach cohort has a 14 person leadership council from among who are drawn 6 cochairs who have a coordinator.The broad membership of people who sign up for the cohort make up the Congress of the cohort and members of the new tribe constitute the Grand Citizens Congress.Each member played a pivotal role in the discussions and formulation of recommendations, bringing their unique perspectives and expertise to the cohort’s deliberations.—4. MethodologyThe cohorts particularly the the policy team employed a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze the issues at hand. The methodology included:1. Literature Review: An extensive review of existing policies, government documents, and relevant literature was conducted to understand the current state of infrastructure, labor laws, healthcare, public accountability, values, and food security in Nigeria.2. Data Analysis: The cohort analyzed data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other reputable sources to identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement.3. Expert Consultations: The cohort engaged with experts in various fields, including economists, agricultural scientists, healthcare professionals, and infrastructure specialists, to gain deeper insights into the challenges and potential solutions.4. Stakeholder Engagement: Input from key stakeholders, including government officials, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations, was solicited to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues.5. Deliberative Sessions: The cohort held multiple sessions where members debated the findings, discussed potential solutions, and reached a consensus on the recommendations.5. Key Themes and DiscussionsSuper HighwaysThis section discusses the analysis and critique of the proposed Super Highways, focusing on the financial implications, procedural violations, and potential corruption involved. Key issues include:1. Financial Mismanagement: The report questions the cost inflation from N778 million to N4 billion per kilometer and further to an exaggerated N15.6 trillion for a 700 km road.2. Lack of Due Process: Concerns are raised about the lack of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the failure to follow public procurement laws.3. Conflict of Interest: The involvement of companies with ties to the President’s family is highlighted as a significant conflict of interest.Minimum Wage for Optimum ProductivityThis section explores the inadequacy of the current minimum wage in Nigeria and the need to transition to a 24-hour economy to enhance productivity and worker satisfaction. Key points include:1. Inadequate Minimum Wage: Analysis of how the current wage fails to meet the basic needs of workers, leading to increased debt and poverty.2. Call for 24-Hour Economy: The cohort advocates for a shift to a 24-hour economy to create jobs, optimize productive hours, and increase GDP.3. Hourly Wage Proposal: A recommendation to restructure the wage system into hourly rates for formal and informal employees.Transforming Nigeria’s Food InsecurityThis section addresses the ongoing food insecurity crisis in Nigeria, proposing a transition from subsistence to large-scale mechanized agriculture. Key recommendations include:1. Challenges in Current Agriculture Model: Discussion on the role and benefits inefficiencies of small-scale farming and its impact on food security.2. Mechanized Agriculture: Advocacy for agricultural mega-clusters and year-round farming to boost food production and reduce post-harvest losses.3. Role of Universities: Integration of higher education institutions into agricultural clusters to drive innovation and productivity.Values and ProgressThis section focuses on the pervasive values crisis in Nigeria, where corruption is rampant, merit is overlooked, and nepotism prevails. Key issues include:1. Cultural Disconnect: The near collapse of culture is evident in the disconnect between the state and the people, exacerbated by poverty and food inflation.2. Revitalizing Values: The cohort emphasizes the need for a revitalization of the National Orientation Agency to prioritize personal integrity, work ethic, inclusion, and dignity.3. Civic Education: Advocacy for upgrading civics education at primary and secondary levels and reviving leadership development initiatives like Boys Scouts, Girls Guides, and Man’O War.Public AccountabilityThis section highlights the failure of institutions meant to ensure transparency and accountability in Nigeria. Key issues include:1. Institutional Failure: The cohort expresses concern over the design of these institutions, which often malfunction or operate with little regard for justice.2. Forensic Audit: A call for a forensic audit of the accounts of the NNPC to ensure transparency.3. Celebrating Honesty: The cohort advocates for a reward system that celebrates honest service and promotes accountability, urging civil society organizations to specialize in monitoring particular agencies.HealthcareThis section discusses the importance of healthcare in national development and the challenges faced in Nigeria’s healthcare system. Key points include:1. Healthcare as a Foundation: The cohort recognizes that progress without strong healthcare is improbable and emphasizes the need for advancing primary healthcare, public education on diseases, and telemedicine.2. Diaspora Contributions: The cohort commends the contributions of Nigerian healthcare professionals in the Diaspora and their efforts to improve healthcare in the motherland.3. Medical Missions: Commitment to structuring medical missions to offer continuing care, beyond sporadic surgeries, to address life-threatening conditions.6. Challenges and OpportunitiesThe New Tribe Public Policy Cohort encountered several challenges in its work:1. Limited Data Availability: Some critical data needed for in-depth analysis was either outdated or unavailable, limiting the cohort’s ability to make fully informed decisions.2. Political Resistance: The proposed recommendations, particularly those related to infrastructure and minimum wage reforms, may face resistance from political actors with vested interests.3. Resource Constraints: Implementing large-scale reforms, especially in agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure, requires significant financial and human resources that are currently limited.However, these challenges also present opportunities:1. Leveraging Technology: The use of digital platforms and data analytics can bridge gaps in data availability and improve decision-making processes.2. Building Alliances: Engaging with a broader coalition of stakeholders, including international partners, can help overcome political resistance and resource constraints.3. Innovative Financing Models: Exploring public-private partnerships and blended finance models can mobilize the necessary resources for implementing the cohort’s recommendations.7. RecommendationsThe following recommendations are proposed by the cohort:1. Super Highways: The administration should apologize for financial discrepancies, retrace its steps, and focus on completing ongoing road projects rather than initiating new ones.2. Minimum Wage: Amend the National Minimum Wage Act to introduce hourly wages and support the transition to a 24-hour economy.3. Food Security: Invest in large-scale mechanized farming, integrate universities into agricultural mega-clusters, and address land tenure and infrastructure deficits to improve food production and security.4. Values Revitalization: Revitalize the National Orientation Agency, upgrade civics education, and revive leadership development initiatives to instill core values in citizens.5. Public Accountability: Conduct a forensic audit of key public institutions, celebrate honest service, and encourage civil society to monitor particular agencies.6. Healthcare: Strengthen healthcare systems by advancing primary healthcare, leveraging Diaspora contributions, and structuring sustainable medical missions.8. ConclusionThe New Tribe Public Policy Cohort has identified critical areas where Nigeria must take immediate action to address infrastructure inefficiencies, economic productivity challenges, healthcare inadequacies, public accountability failures, values crises, and food security concerns. The cohort’s recommendations, if implemented, have the potential to significantly improve Nigeria’s economic stability and ensure sustainable development for the future. It is imperative that the government, private sector, and civil society work together to bring these recommendations to fruition.9. Appendices- Appendix A: Supporting Data and Statistics- Appendix B: Detailed Case Studies on Super Highways- Appendix C: National Minimum Wage Act 2019 (Amendments)- Appendix D: Agricultural Mechanization Framework