Are we ready for that change?
Change we are told, is the only constant thing in life. People change. Times change. Seasons change.
Yes, we all desire change albeit positive one. Growth is a form of change. It is a progressive change from one level to a higher one. There is the absolute need for societies to change, develop and evolve over time. This is necessary for all round growth and development.
Nigeria and Nigerians desire change but the question is: are we ready for that change? The kind that everyone is carried along, where there is rapid growth and development-physically, socially, structurally, provision of basic amenities and necessities of life, and so on.
In a few weeks from now, Nigeria will be celebrating the sixty fourth year of her independence as a nation. How have we fared? At sixty four years, have we done well and can we do better? If Nigeria were to be a human being, what could be said about him or her?
Over the years, we have had the military and democratic leadership at various times. How have these impacted on the nation and the lives of the people? How have the leadership and followership fared? What can be said about us as a people?
We have seen how things have played in Nigeria especially for those who have been there since Independence in 1960. Many patriotic leaders like Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, etc, fought for us to become independent from the British colonisation. I don’t know if they will be proud of the present situation of the nation.
As at today, Nigeria has become polarised along ethnic, religious and political divides. We are now farther apart than before. Personal interests have overridden national interest. We have become more concerned about what we can get for ourselves rather than what will benefit all. The sun doesn’t shine on one person alone neither does the rain. We ought to think about the good of all. There is a lot of good in Nigeria, however how do we go about the sharing of resources? Some persons are amassing wealth for their fourth and fifth generations that have not been brought forth into existence yet others can barely find one meal to eat in a day. This is happening in the same nation.
Yes, the Holy Books provide for the place of the poor in the society but what are we doing to make their burdens lighter. In Nigeria today, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The government is not doing much in the way of bridging the gap as they want to continue to impoverish the minds of the people. On their part, the people are not even sensitive enough to see what is being done to them. Blind followership based on affiliation or immediate gains have blocked our sense of reasoning.
We desire economic growth and development. How do we go about it? Nations that were way behind us have overtaken us by far. We try to imbibe some aspects of westernisation, have we copied that which is making them prosperous and ready to implement them in our nation?
Our leaders travel a lot to other countries be it official or unofficial. They see the things that are there, the level of growth and development yet find it difficult to replicate same here despite the huge resources available to us on an annual basis.
What justification do we have when as leaders and followers we travel to other countries and obey their rules and regulations and as soon as we step our feet back on the Nigerian soil we begin to misbehave and break every available rule? Why do we have different personalities abroad and in Nigeria?
Former President Muhammadu Buhari at the beginning of his government stated that the desired change begins with us as individuals. The change begins with ‘me.’
We always find ourselves pointing our fingers at the other person or our leaders for doing something wrong. The question I always ask myself or others is: What are you doing where you find yourself? Can I contribute my own quota by doing the right thing? Can we all agree to do what is right for the good of all where we find ourselves regardless of our ethnicity, religion or political affiliation? Little drops of water they say makes a mighty ocean. If we all play our parts as we should, our nation will become a better place.
Only recently, some Nigerians came out to protest against bad governance in Nigeria. We all know the truth but how many of us were willing to speak the truth. Those benefiting from what is meant for the common good of the people kicked against it. Those who did not understand what was happening were used by those benefiting to scuttle the process and make it look like a case of riots and looting.
What can you make out of a situation where you find people outrightly supporting those who have looted the economy dry to the extent that even their fourth and fifth generations will continue to live in penury? We are calling for change but I don’t think we are ready or will be ready anytime soon. We no longer fight or go against what is wrong, we are just interested in how situations benefit us. ‘So long as I am good and ok, I don’t care about any other person.’ Individualism against collective good. The irony is that sometimes some people are not even beneficiaries of the good but for reasons best known to them they decide to turn a blind eye to the truth.
We are all called to begin to look inwards, search our consciences if they are still alive and active. Support the good and call the bad to order. Call a spade a spade. Let the change that we desire begin with us. Can we learn to stop cutting corners or doing wrong as you don’t know whether the stone you throw in the market will land on your family member.
Let our business men and women stop asking producers to produce substandard goods for Nigerians, let our drugs be original ones, let the quality and standard of education be at par with the western world, let our engineers give us quality roads and buildings, let our security personnel have the best of equipment and so on and so forth. We have the resources. Let us match these with the will to do right. Let’s make the resolve to be the change where we find ourselves. We all profess one religion or the other and I don’t think any of them speaks or talks about injustice and unfairness to another. We are all called to be good ambassadors and agents of change.
Government is doing her own. If I’m a manager of a roadside business, a business man or woman, a contractor or service provider, how am I doing my bit? Have I been fair in discharging my business or I am extorting my clients because I can? Do I have the right to complain about the leaders when I’m no different? This I believe is food for thought.
we can change the narrative if and when we are ready.
