Critique of the National Conference 2014 Using Insights from "Beyond the Past
The National Conference 2014 aimed to address key issues of governance, economic transformation, and national unity in Nigeria. However, when analyzed through the lens of Beyond the Past: Harnessing the Colonial Legacy for Development, several critical shortcomings become apparent.
1. Superficial Constitutional Reforms vs. Structural Realities
The National Conference focused on constitutional amendments and political restructuring without addressing the colonial foundations that still shape governance. Beyond the Past highlights that colonial governance was never designed for African agency but for external control. The conference failed to address:
The colonial administrative framework that prioritizes centralized control over indigenous governance.
The economic dependency structures created during colonial rule that persist today.
The failure to integrate traditional governance models into national decision-making.
2. Governance and Identity Crisis
The book argues that colonialism did not just impose external governance but redefined identity, creating artificial divisions. The National Conference attempted to address ethnic tensions but:
Maintained the colonial protectorate-style structure that still divides Nigeria along regional lines.
Focused on political zoning and state creation instead of decolonizing governance models.
Ignored the deeper issue of cultural fragmentation, where Nigerians are still operating within imposed colonial identities rather than self-defined national unity.
3. Economic Transformation without Breaking Colonial Economic Models
Beyond the Past emphasizes that African economies were structured under colonial rule to serve European interests. The National Conference's resolutions on economic transformation were insufficient because:
They did not challenge Nigeria’s role as a raw material supplier rather than a producer of finished goods.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model recommended follows colonial patterns where the state partners with external investors without ensuring local economic sovereignty.
No concrete strategy was provided for indigenous industrialization or economic decolonization.
4. Failure to Address the Elite Collaboration with External Interests
The book highlights how local elites collaborated with colonial powers for personal gain, a pattern that persists today. The National Conference:
Was dominated by political and economic elites with vested interests in maintaining the status quo.
Did not challenge the influence of multinational corporations and foreign financial institutions that control Nigeria’s economic policies.
Ignored the role of neo-colonialism, where foreign powers still dictate Nigeria’s economic and political direction.
5. National Security and External Dependence
The book argues that African nations still rely on foreign definitions of security, a legacy of colonialism. The National Conference’s recommendations on security:
Proposed state policing but did not challenge the colonial policing model, which was designed for suppression rather than community protection.
Failed to recognize how Nigeria’s military and security systems still serve elite interests rather than the people.
Ignored how international security partnerships often reinforce foreign influence rather than national sovereignty.
Conclusion: A Lost Opportunity for True Transformation
The National Conference 2014, while addressing important issues, did not break from colonial legacies. Instead, it reinforced existing structures by proposing surface-level reforms rather than tackling the deeper colonial foundations of governance, economy, and identity.
A true national transformation would require:
A complete reassessment of governance structures, incorporating indigenous governance models.
A shift from external economic dependency to local industrialization and resource control.
A focus on decolonizing identity, uniting Nigerians beyond artificial colonial-era ethnic divisions.
A new security approach that prioritizes national interests over foreign influence.