Nigeria: Resisting Change...
This weekend I read , , published in 1995 right at the infancy of the Internet. In passing, he talked about the wave of Business Process Re-engineering which swept across corporate America in the early 90's. The big corporations spent loads of money in an attempt to improve the mode and techniques of getting things done, yet the returns on the huge investment remained elusive, even thought the techniques proffered and implemented were apparent no brainers. $52 billion dollars later the black hole that sucked away all the money and possible gains was found. Resistance to change (lack of executive consensus, lack of senior management champion; and unrealistic expectation). Old business practices die hard and they have built-in resistance against their own transformation.
Zoom into Nigeria. In the very serious business of running Nigeria, a parallel can easily be drawn. Lack of executive consensus (Yaradua, Aondoakaa, Ribadu), Lack of a senior management champion (An executive arm of the government at the federal and state level with no actions behind the proclamations to change the status quo), Unrealistic expectations (we are all guilty of this, we expect magic and we easily get fatigued by baby steps). Are Nigerians wired to resist change?
Not that I blame Nigerian, but could it be possible that though we cry foul and scream for help, our rational reaction may be to resist structural changes in governance and society. Could we be resisting change passively or actively without even thinking about it, just because it is the rational thing to do, given the situation on the ground?
Is there any possibility that my people are interested only in the dividends associated with change, but aren't willing to pay the price and face the disruptions associated with change itself? I hope this is not the case. However if there is any thruth in the statement above, we will be doing a disservice to our dear country if they are not addressed. Cleaning up Nigeria is going to be painful and heads will roll. Are we ready for this?
Zoom into Nigeria. In the very serious business of running Nigeria, a parallel can easily be drawn. Lack of executive consensus (Yaradua, Aondoakaa, Ribadu), Lack of a senior management champion (An executive arm of the government at the federal and state level with no actions behind the proclamations to change the status quo), Unrealistic expectations (we are all guilty of this, we expect magic and we easily get fatigued by baby steps). Are Nigerians wired to resist change?
Not that I blame Nigerian, but could it be possible that though we cry foul and scream for help, our rational reaction may be to resist structural changes in governance and society. Could we be resisting change passively or actively without even thinking about it, just because it is the rational thing to do, given the situation on the ground?
Is there any possibility that my people are interested only in the dividends associated with change, but aren't willing to pay the price and face the disruptions associated with change itself? I hope this is not the case. However if there is any thruth in the statement above, we will be doing a disservice to our dear country if they are not addressed. Cleaning up Nigeria is going to be painful and heads will roll. Are we ready for this?
1 Comment(s):
Stop it, my friend!! Don't you know that "this is not how we do things over here" is the mantra of many Nigerians? Even if change would be invigorating and efficient.
Let me stop before my pressure rises....