perseverance is not virtues when there is solution to your problems. How come we are a people more willing to endure our challenges than to find solutions to them? How come we would rather make slavery a choice in the midst of opportunities for greatness? Why do we so greatly yearn for what the world will do for us rather than what we will do for the world?
For how long are we going to continue to depend on other nations whose economy and systems are fallen apart for our economic salvation and not create and own our solutions? How long do we continue to look up to our captors for freedom and to others nations desperate for survival and self advantage to pull us out of our underdevelopment? How come we are a people so blessed, yet so poor,so knowledgeable yet without foresight, so "brotherly" yet so divided and so threatened, yet without heart of sacrifice? We have so many gladiators yet no warriors!
We labour so hard to look prosperous and cool,yet no one goes to bed with both eyes closed. Worse still, is that no one is prepared to question our wisdom. How come we have many elders,yet no fathers to show us the ancient land mark; so many politicians and no thinkers; so many leaders, yet no men of vision to lead the way?
How is it that there is no one leader, farsighted enough to unite us beyond tribe and religion; no one politician can give us a clear political and economic direction? How we are a people so religious, yet so blind, with so much sermon,yet no truth; so much talk about faith,yet we rob and accumulate to secure our tomorrow?
Why,are we so eager to fight for our religions,religious denominations and beliefs,yet not willing to fight for righteousness? In Nigeria is a Messiah, yet none to carry the cross.
Is Nigeria's (Africa's) problem about her dynamic citizens without motivation for freedom or about her ever - ambitious leaders without a heart for greatness?
How come leadership is such a crucial challenge and no real effort is being put in place to raise leaders or build a culture of true leadership and citizenship? How come we would rather insists that it is our turn to lead than focus on healing a nation that is fractured and threatened deep rooted prejudice, fragmented allegiances and with no future?
How come as a people we are more willing to excuse and endure our challenges than find solutions to them? Today everyone is talking about change (yes, it is time for change) but how many Nigerians are asking: "What is the change and what is changing"?
How many Nigerians seeking change are prepared to pay the price for change and the cost of giving up their old ways to see true progress spread across our fatherland?
Is it possible that in a nation of over 160 million Nigerians who will arise and say Enough is Enough in this crucial season of our history?
Nigeria: her destiny - her time! Between Nigeria and her destiny is the challenge of identity, attitude and leadership. Who will go for us? Who will fight for our children,women and future? Who is seeing the evil coming, as well as the opportunity beckoning, and prepared to only to warn Nigeria but to also lead us to freedom and safety?
As a nation with extraordinary Providence and endowment, Nigeria stands to lead the world which is in dire needs Nigeria (Africa), but Nigerians, as always, are saddled with the burden of what to eat,what to drink,where to live and what to wear,and so are the obvious of their destiny and are reckless about their future in a world of growing perplexities.
Nigerians must rise to free themselves, take ownership of their destiny and lead a falling world in this critical moment of history with dynamic power of Africa's cultural and spiritual heritage. If we fail to use this opportunity we may face a future of unmitigated poverty,hardship and slavery determined by those who are desperate to take Nigeria's energy, market,labour,heritage and re-colonization.
The time to say Enough is Enough is what "A New Nigeria Is possible" is all about. Its aim is to awaken every Nigeria to the realisation of Nigeria's destiny and responsibility for her survival, transformation and leadership. The new Nigeria message is not another literature on Nigeria's woes or about how our derelict infrastructure, social services and insecurity challenges will be solved. There are mere symptoms of a nation built on mistrust and deliberate falsehood. A New Nigeria Is Possible is about the " Making of the Nigeria citizen and,therefore, the "Nigeria Nation"
Nigeria can never become a great nation without individual citizens with a mind for progress and a heart for collective greatness. No nation happen by chance or thrives by fragmented allegiance. A nation is a product of deliberate human design base on clearly defined national philosophy, vision and purpose. A nation you do not love,own or build will never become a reality.
The New Nigeria project is every Nigeria's RESPONSIBILITY. This is the massage of Chris Nwani and the thrust of A NEW NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE.
This is a challenge to every Nigerian. Embrace the spirit. Now is the time of Nigeria's freedom. Now is the season of her destiny.
This is the change! God bless our FATHERLAND. A NEW NIGERIA IS A REALITY AND ITS NOW.
- The democracy we practice is questionable because it lacks substance and is devoid of the ingredients needed to establish the one - Nigeria spirit capable of moving the nation forward.
The nation is indeed fragmented because the northern and southern people of Nigeria are busy protecting regional interests and disregarding the largeness and unity of Nigeria that naturally makes her the greatest and most respected black nation on the globe.
"If democracy is defined as government of the people and for the people,then what we are practicing in Nigeria is anti-democracy.it is unfortunate that most government decicions and actions have not proved to be one hundred percent benefial to the masses ahead of personal gains of leaders and their allies"
It is clear at the moment that Nigeria's democracy is yet to produce a sustainable national policy that can guarantee a smooth national integration for the collective interest of the populace. Today,there is lack of patriotism among political office holders, whom the common people generally look up to as their role models.
This is the reason everyone is opting for a life of ostentation as against the development and overall interest of the nation. In fact,nobody thinks about the welfare and safety of the people around them or even dare to trust them.
Out of sheer ignorance,the nation's future has been left in the hands of greedy and incompetent people whose idea of leadership is meeting their flamboyant needs and those of their political party members,while the masses,whose resources they are holding on trust,are left out of the plan.Today, the political class in Nigeria has created a brutal fraternity that fights truth,transparency and national progress.
FACE TO FACE WITH THE PRESENT REALITY IN OUR NATION
I recall a question that was posted to me by a Corps Member at a seminar we organized at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ondo State,South West Nigeria.
The young man thanked me for motivating them.He recognized that my presentation gave them hope because it brought out the reasons why every Nigerians should be a better citizen and not emulate the same wrong lifestyles of that have been hindering the society.However,he said it would be difficult to accept my counsel in the light of the problems in Nigeria.He went on to explain that both past and present leaders have secured the future of their immediate families and unborn generations from the money they stole,while common people are abandoned in penury.
He reminded me that their children attend good schools in Europe,America and Asia,while schools in the country are left in decay. Again,that the system has been designed to favour the rich,whose children are handed over job opportunities while average Nigerians hardly have access to good education and any hope for a job after school.This almost put me on the defence as I attempted to answer his questions.I knew that my effort to alter their mindset might prove abortive,if there was no logical answer to convince the crowd who were already applauding and conceding to his questions.
Immediately,an idea came to my mind as a relief. At last, I found an answer to his heartbreaking question. I looked back at history and quickly realized that in spite of the opportunities given to the children of these men and women who have squandered Nigeria's treasury,their wards ends up becoming worse personalities, and are unable to manage the assumed privilege which their parents secured for them.
Tragically,these leaders have in their own little minds believe that if their privilege children turn out to be people without prospects, other young Nigerians who they denied opportunities to survive,will have nothing better to offer. No wonder some people often conclude that there are no youths in Nigeria who can correct the leadership failures that they masterminded. This is a great lie that the youths must not accept. Parents cannot refuse to bring up their children accordingly and expect to experience a fulfilled old age.
THE AFTERMATH OF NOT CORRECTING OUR WRONGS
Nigerians have in the years past not taken responsibility to correct the many wrongs in their society. Rather, they are relentlessly taking advantage of it to do the wrong things. It is alarming that everyone sees political positions as a spring board for personal aggrandizement.
As a result,insincere and corrupt values were adopted into the corridors of national politics as well as business platforms. Societal values have been replaced with wide-spread corruption and looting of nation's treasury by her leaders. Regrettably,all these are happening without meaningful attempt by constituted authorities to either challenge the situation or correct the menace.
People have become desperate to succeed,that they engage in all sorts of dubious activities so as to belong to the upper class of the society. They go asa far as intimidating, frustrating and eliminating one another without justifiable reasons.
Today,corruption has eaten deep and is becoming in our system as the years go by. Many have sold their consciences to the devil and do not see anything wrong in corporate stealing,cheating and open display of stolen wealth. By this,many people prefer to be rich than to have good names, which is contrary to our godly African culture which upholds family values and oneness.
An average Nigerian lives in apparent disillusionment in a country he should ordinarily depend on for survival. It is not good news that many Nigerians are living below the global poverty line in the midst of abundant potentials and possibilities,only because the nation has been programmed to meet the needs of a select few, while others live as slaves without hope for the future.
It is a mockery of leadership that our national interests have become of least priority to most leaders and citizens who can not see reasons why they should be good ambassadors of their nation, because in their opinion,Nigeria is not worth living or dying for. Little wonder, many Nigerians are scrambling for other nationalities out of desperation.
The leaders who ought to take up the responsibility of protecting the interest of the poor masses, are busy manipulating the nation's resources to enrich themselves. They do this at every given opportunity without caution. This paradox is a clear indication that Nigeria lacks conscientious leaders. The love they profess about Nigeria is intangible because of their unwillingness to be responsible when it matters most.
The outcome is that Nigerians are more interested in individual successes at all cost and by all means than in collective good. They scramble for opportunities using every available means irrespective of its illegalities. Many induge in dubious activities and occult practices of all sorts in the name of making it big.
This is motivated by their selfish ambition to live in affluence. It is clear and must be a lesson for all of Nigerians that those who have at one time or the other got involved in activities that are against national interest will not get rid of the guilt and as such cannot exclude themselves from facing it's negative consequences in the long - run.
(Extract the book, A NEW NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE written by Chris Nwani)
