Dear Compatriot,
As one who has been a member of the Nigerian Diaspora, I write to seek your partnership in our work at To Build a Nation (TBAN) www.tobuildanation.org , a non-partisan citizens movement convened to advocate and mobilize for fundamental political reforms in our beloved country. Without these reforms — primarily a reform of the electoral system (including diaspora voting), constitutional restructuring that returns Nigeria to real federalism with devolution of powers, social justice, and cutting the waste and corruption in our governments — Nigeria cannot become a stable, prosperous and modern nation.
But, first, let me introduce myself. My name is Kingsley Moghalu. www.kingsleycmoghalu.com After a successful 17-year career and leadership appointments in the United Nations, founding a global strategy and risk consultancy based in Geneva, Switzerland and Washington DC, USA, serving as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009-2014 and leading the execution of far-reaching reforms that stabilized and modernized Nigeria’s banking sector after the global financial crisis, and subsequently serving on the faculty of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA as Professor of Practice in Public Policy, I was a competitive presidential candidate in our country’s general elections in February/March 2019 on the party platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Although the incumbent, H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari ultimately was returned by INEC as the winner of the election, we ran a strong campaign that offered a new vision for Nigeria. That vision, different from that of the old, traditional political class, was one of a real nation unified by a shared sense of purpose and destiny rather than one of a mere “geographical-expression” country of ethnic and sectarian hostilities and competition for political power with no real purpose other than corrupt enrichment. A nation based on equity, justice, and equality of opportunity for all its citizens.
It was a vision of an innovation-driven, productive economy that was based on knowledge, competence and experience in transformative economic management. And it was a vision of the restoration of Nigeria’s rightful leadership role as the most populous and powerful country of the black race. My vision for our country is laid out in my book Build, Innovate and Grow, published in February 2018 and available on www.amazon.com
What I learned from my presidential campaign was that Nigeria is not yet a real democracy, one in which votes count and are accurately counted, and voters make real choices as an informed electorate. My dear brother/sister, without a fundamental reform of our electoral system and effective civic education of Nigerian voters, our “(s)electocracy” cannot produce the kind of leadership that can make Nigeria a welcome home for you and your family – secure, with adequate infrastructure, and institutions that work and are independent.
This is why, in October 2019, I resigned my membership of the YPP, and instead convened TBAN with like-minded compatriots, on a non-partisan basis, to focus on advocacy for the fundamental issues that will determine whether we can build a democracy and a nation that works for us all.
TBAN has commenced a campaign for a signature-petition campaign calling on the National Assembly to pass a fundamentally reformed electoral law and framework based on electronic and digital voter registration, collation and transmission of results, as well as enabling voting by eligible Nigerians resident abroad through digital voting.
Global contemporary history teaches us that their citizens in diaspora played key roles in the rise of powerful nations such as China, India and Israel. Similarly, the Nigerian diaspora has a date with Nigeria’s destiny. We ask you to join us in this campaign. To do so, please visit www.tobuildanation.org/100000letters and follow the steps indicated. I ask you to also join TBAN as a member and support the movement financially and in other ways so we can become a strong, non-partisan voice for all Nigerians of every tribe, tongue and creed.
Thank you for the opportunity to introduce TBAN to you. To become a TBAN member please visit www.tobuildanation.org/become-a-member
Only us Nigerians can save and build our country. Let’s get to work!
Kingsley Moghalu
Convener, To Build A Nation
