- MAMSER
MAMSER was an acronym for Mass Mobilization for
Self Reliance ,Social Justice , andEconomic Recovery . It was an exercise in political orientation undertaking by PresidentBabangida as one of the recommendations of the Political Bureau headed by Samuel Cookey. The bureau's task was to consult with thousands of Nigerians and recommend to theArmed Forces Ruling Council , a respectable and methodical transition program. The ruling council also wanted a national orientation to enunciate the abstract ideas in its economic policy and promote value orientation. MAMSER was Inaugurated on July 25,1987 .Mission
A central goal of MAMSER was to cultivate support for the transitional program of the Government. It was also an avenue to educate the citizens about the political process, mobilize them to participate in up-coming elections and political debates, and also inculcate a dependence towards locally made goods and Nigerian products. Some of Mamser's official policies were as follows, cquote| to re-orientate Nigerians to shun waste and vanity and to shed all pretenses of affluence in their lifestyle, to propagate the need to eschew all vices in public life, including corruption, dishonesty, electoral and census malpractices, ethnic and religious bigotry.
The responsibilities of MAMSER were placed under a directorate, with
Jerry Gana as chairman andKen Saro Wiwa as one of its directors. However, after a few months as a director, Ken Saro Wiwa left the directorate. The directorate however has produced a few notable Nigerians, includingTunde Adeniran , who became the head of the National Orientation Agency,Molara Ogundipe-Leslie , andJonathan Zwingina , a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.References
* BISIS IKE-AUDU, Special Report on Nigeria (2): Challenge of an action-packed tomorrow - Political transition, The Guardian (London), September 3, 1987
*Stephen Wright; Nigeria: Struggle for Stability and Status, Westview Press, 1998
*MICHAEL HENDERSON, "NIGERIAN LEADERS SEEK KINDER, GENTLER NATIONAL ETHIC", The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), March 26, 1990
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