“Make straight the way of the Lord” cried John the Baptist, forerunner of Jesus Christ. His earthly assignment was to call the people of Israel to repentance and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. The bible records John as a righteous and fearless man. These rare attributes eventually saw him beheaded – He died for what he lived for and believed in.
For me, writing about Nigeria is sometimes painful, yet a patriotic exercise. I liken it to a parent who has given up on an errant child but decide to try one last time. I have reached a point where my hope for a better Nigeria is hinged only on HOPE. At the moment, the pointers to a prosperous Nigeria are largely elusive.
Nigerians are not unawares of the problems plaguing the nation. At the root of our many problems is lack of good leadership. Proper diagnoses of our leadership problems do not spare the followership of faults. We have a followership that is active in talking, finding faults but missing in action when it counts – at the polls. Are you 18 years old or more? Do you have your voter’s card? Don’t tell me votes don’t count in Nigeria – it’s the lamest excuse to give and I find it unacceptable.
During election, we all seem to focus on the “big” positions – Presidency and Governorship; we forget that every piece in the puzzle count. Going forward, we must ensure to give importance to Local Government Chairmen, Councillorship and House of Assembly elections.
We risk nursing a population that revel in trivialities on social media and lose contact with reality. It is an eternal truth that politicians who are well connected with the grass root and understand the language of the people are the ones that are victorious at the polls. How can technology be deployed by well-meaning and good intentioned political office hopefuls in engaging the grass root? Are there politicians and mobile App developers thinking in this line? Is there a value that can be delivered to the farmer, petty market woman, aging and students through a mobile app? or all we can do is throw banters on Facebook and WhatsApp while nursing a pitiable space for the unborn generation?
What values do you espouse as a Nigerian? As a Man of God, do you teach the truth from the pulpit without fear of who the truth pebbles hit? Do you charge your members who hold leadership positions in government to deliver on their mandates? Do you call them to meetings or write them letters appraising their performance and admonishing them as Apostle Paul would have done? As a doctor in a government hospital, do you sacrifice your duty for your private practice leaving the fate of dying men/women in the hands of interns? As a Youth Corp member are you impacting knowledge at your place of primary assignment or you made yourself a god to be served? As a Civil Servant, how devoted are you in the discharge of your responsibilities? As a teacher, how are you shaping the future of learners under your care?
It is true that the world is becoming a global village, should we not care about our side of the village? Search your mind for what you are contributing to the current state of the Nigerian nation. Like John the Baptist can you say you were sent to the people of Nigeria by God for a purpose? Can you say you are living for what you believe in? What are you living for? What do you believe in? We all must treat Nigeria as good parents treat their Children, giving, loving and working selflessly to ensuring a great future for them not minding the cost and price paid.
The soul of this nation is a summation of the consciences of her citizens. We all cannot be playing victims of failed leadership when those positions are occupied by our brothers and sisters and will probably be occupied by us and our sons and daughters sometime in the future. Take this piece as a call for examination of conscience and call to repentance. Lets give Nigeria a chance to be the Great Nation God destines it to be. Arise o Compatriot and lets make our Nation the pride and bride of Africa.
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