Nigeria – The Big Picture

Every society has its pains, struggles, and challenges. In every country, there are nice people as well as cruel people. For our dear country, we still have our fights, and our battles. For decades we have struggled to build a good image for our country, and our people. 

The greatest challenge we face as a nation is not corruption, but selfishness. Everyone wants to amass wealth for their families, even up to their fifth generations. Some people in public offices see such privilege as an opportunity to share a part of the National Cake. They prefer to spend most of their days overseas, instead of developing the amenities back home. They forget that the monster that they have left behind, is still where it is, and would definitely grow. They don’t believe there is something wrong in the nation because they ride the latest cars, and live in glass houses. They ride with a long queue of escorts, and even ride on one- way roads. They break the laws that they make, claiming to be above the law. They do not see the bad roads, because they live in estates built with gold. And if they see it, they will simply ignore, and say that it is not in Nigeria, or that the people are not tax-compliant. Pathetic! 

Nobody wants to do what is right anymore, without compensation. Contracts figures are inflated, as everyone wants to embezzle money. We are seen as wealthy by foreigners, when in fact, many die, being hungry. We have one of the largest natural gas reserves , but still cannot fix our chronic power issues. Nobody wants to do anything, because nobody cares. Everybody is comfortable, where they are. Nobody wants to speak up, so as not to be indicted. During elections, some of our desperate politicians mobilize the youths to unleash terror, in order to do their dirty bidding. They forget that the lion that is allowed to freely feed on any flesh, would one day feast on the flesh of its owner. 

If you have been to the slums, you will understand why the youths are embittered. If we had done the right thing, we wouldn’t have had any kidnapper stop us on the highways and on our streets. Our houses would not have been burgled, and our properties razed. Our farmlands would have been safe, and our women spared, if we had done the right thing!

What happens to a system that is fantastically corrupt? I mean a system where even the judges are biased, and the others threatened. We claim to be one, but no love to prove we are one. You see brothers fighting brothers, killing themselves. The country is allowed to rot, and at the end the masses suffer for it. When there is insecurity in the nation, these leaders are the first to leave the country. When you go to the airports, you will see a lot of queue, as the whole flights had been booked. Interesting!

Irrespective of all we have seen and heard, I love Nigeria. I believe there are good people here. We do have a conscience, and will not allow the voices of the bad few to drown the voices of the many. If you have an erring child, does that make your entire family corrupt? I don’t think so. We will become great again as a nation. However, this is a task for all of us. Remember, if we do not confront our fears, they will become our greatest nightmares.