Saturday, January 26, 2008

The Nigerian Spirit 1

If you look at a country that is heavily invested into but greatly underperforming, you will pick Nigeria. Being the most populated black nation on Earth (approx. 1/4 of the whole of Africa) with great deposits of human and natural resources 'over abundant' even for the Earth itself, you kind of wonder, what is really wrong? I will do a spotlight on this in an attempt to join some of my respected personalities who have started in the attempt to reform the mind of the average Nigerian. Don't mind the former president, he was working on reforms in sectors of the nation without actually laying emphasis greatly on the people themselves. That is why a lot of his reforms have been faulted and failed. You start from the people and infact yourself the leader. I will say more of him later. Let me kick in to the intro.

Introduction
Various prophecies have gone forth that this is a nation filled with milk and honey and a land of great people and on. But there lies a problem with the Nigerian mentality. I was on a ride with some fellows the other day (these were Civil Servants) and got a true picture of what I am talking of as cutting across board. There is this cynical, pessimistic outlook for Nigerians like the statement of the Lord's disciple that can anything good come from Nazareth? A lot of Nigerians keep asking themselves that can anything good come from a Nigerian as they look at each other with skepticism that you already know it is a selfish interest that you are looking at.
The leaders have not helped matters all this while with series of allegations that they have been submerged in which they did not disprove themselves. Obasanjo has many, IBB is an enigma of corruption, Shagari was awful and the list goes on. Most governors in the past era even with their famed former affluence couldn't resist the temptation and they went awire misappropriating funds meant for community development.
What is really wrong?
Every average Nigerian believes you go to public position to loot the funds that is meant for all. The say it like this that it is everywhere: 'Mo wa ka bridge leko'.

It is really a distortion of the truth. The past generation up till now have been oriented to believe a great deal of lies and they leave in that confusion. People that are wealthy believe it should be to initimidate those who don't have and show class. The bridge was cut off as soon as a person moves the ladder up to riches while people on the basement regard it as their lot in life. Though some of these things might be worldwide but it is too evident in Nigeria. This continually make the poor masses prejudiced and even the so called rich don't enjoy things in the country except they travel to Yankee, London or somewhere else to enjoy their crooked wealth. Like Pastor Ashimolowo of KICC London said, the place is gloriously disorganized and everyone left it to no one.

All this is a mentality problem. Ever wondered that what you are given is not for your selfish attainment but for others. You make a living with what you get, but a life with what you give! But this is not in people's vocabulary here. Me, myself and mine is the language and the whole place is suffering the brunt.

This is a time to make a U-turn at least we have seen enough. I am taking this specially to arouse the spirit of a giant living all this while as a dwarf. This is being done to call the next generation...the world beater generation to leave the level of the cynicism, nepotism, tribalism and all the 'ism' and embrace something else.

Great works have started to be done (I will profile on that in Part II) and I am directing my people to look in the forward direction. Nigeria can be the best nation in the world not a struggling entity with a maligned identity.

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