“A nation is alive only when it grows, constantly discarding its outdated traditions, habits, rituals, and assumptions.”
Author
Nigeria is currently sitting on a keg of gunpowder and the gatekeepers are staring as if nothing is happening.
“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
Author
The general election has just been held in Nigeria; the winners are saying, “it is free and fair” while the losers are saying, “it’s the worst election ever”. Whichever side you fall, just know there is fire on the mountain.
The 2023 general elections have further broadened our division amongst ethnic and religious lines. This is on the political actors and their desperate supporters.
The youth of the nation are screaming in pain and agony but the political actors are busy negotiating and sharing political offices neglecting the agony of the youth.
We have a President who doesn’t care, he probably just wants to go on a long vacation not minding what happens to the country he desperately wanted to govern so much that he once cried publicly for losing the presidential elections only for him to get to the office years later without an agenda on what to do for national growth and development.
There is so much ethnic tension but the President-elect who ought to be on the ground preaching peace and harmony is probably somewhere in a hospice battling for breath.
Some folks have been tearing their passports but both the sitting President and the President-elect seem oblivion of this. They just don’t care!
We have a massive youth population with high unemployment. They have never seen war but they have a weapon that can cause war within a day if frustrated any further in their hands.
From experience, nothing unites Nigeria like football, today, 24th March 2023; Nigeria is playing Guinea Bissau at the Abuja National Stadium in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification series.
If the President-elect has any reasonable strategic team, you expect him to be the one cheering our players to victory and strategically using the round leather game to unite the nation.
By now, one would expect the President-elect to be on the road, finding avenues to unite us.
The most important challenge the next President of Nigeria will have to resolve is to find avenues of uniting the nation, supplanting bigotry, tribalism, and religious extremism with one united, indivisible Nigeria.
Any action plan without peace and unity is mere gibberish.
How will the President-elect achieve anything meaningful when his state of health is shrouded in secrecy? The people around him are more interested in becoming the next “cabal” rather than speaking truth to power.
Why attempt handing over a sick nation to a sick President if he is truly ill? Does it mean we didn’t learn anything from the Yaradua and Buhari situation?
On daily basis, talented men and women with great ideas are jetting out of the country to regions where talent is valued and ideas are cherished.
Nigeria has the opportunity to become the most desirable country to live in within a decade but only hard work will deliver that.
Without peace and unity, we cannot even consider good roads or clean water.
Nigeria currently needs honest men and women that will speak truth to power consistently.
We must learn to hold our elected and appointed officials accountable without disrespecting them. Speak out, organize, or join protests when necessary.
A revolution is required for the new Nigeria to emerge; it doesn’t have to be bloody.
Critical thinking, passion, respect for the rule of law, a free market, science, and technology can deliver it but social justice must be the foundation.
Rise above tribalism, religion, political affiliation loyalty & selfish interest, and let’s join hands to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of.
We cannot keep chasing after individual wealth and happiness when the nation is bleeding.
Individual wealth without basic amenities (good roads, security, emergency services e.t.c.) is a death trap.
We can rebuild New Nigeria from the current rubble that we have.
God bless you!
God bless Nigeria!!
