Which Way Nigeria!?

I’ve never really been someone who likes to speak about the negatives; I’d rather just say something motivating to the next person. But, this write-up is meant to address issues that
have been a cause of concern to me and to most Nigerians I’m sure. I love my country, the giant of Africa and I can say that I am proudly Nigerian. Nigerians are warm, beautiful people, who are resilient enough to always find something to smile about in all situations.

Happy girls are the prettiest – Audrey Hepburn (Same goes for guys if I might add).

Some people might be on the offensive when humour is extracted from a non-humourous situation, some say that Nigerians know how to suffer and smile. But, hey! Frowning has never been known to solve a problem, action does, changing the status quo does. I’m thankful for life; some people did not live to see today. I was scrolling through updates on my Facebook page and I saw some graphic images from an accident that made me cringe, I paused for a while, and different sober reflections crossed my mind, including the economic situation of this great country; the bad roads, the continuous devaluation of our currency, inefficient social security, heavy dependency on the petroleum sector, the misappropriation of public funds, the inconsistent electricity which causes an inefficacious environment for budding entrepreneurs and manufacturing industries to mention but a few. My write-up is not about pointing fingers or playing the blame game, I’m not concerned about who did what that caused what, I’m concerned about here and now. 

Which way Nigeria? Where are we headed? When will a Daniel come to justice in Nigeria? It’s time for Nigerians to unite, regardless of ethnicity and religious differences, at the end of the day; we are Nigerians to the outside world. At the end of our lives, after the body decomposes and before it turns to dust, the skeletal structures are the same, one cannot tell the tribe each skeleton belongs to. We all need to adopt the South African term, ‘Ubuntu’, which translates to humanity towards others, ‘I am because we are’. We need each other, there is unity in diversity and that’s why we are one nation. A lot of Nigerians visit other developed countries and when they are on their way back home, they cringe in anticipation of the conditions that await them. It doesn’t have to be so; we can make our country a welcoming haven for its citizens and foreigners. Once upon a time, every country had that moment when its economy had challenges, they all still do, but at advanced levels, not the kind Nigeria faces.

How does one explain the scenario of being knee deep in water and still dying of thirst? That’s similar to what our dear country and its citizens face. With mismanaged human, economic and financial resources, we are left at the mercy of our own peril. I dare say it’s time for everyone to know their stance and capabilities on revival while striving to build our nation to achievable heights. Everyone is complaining and is stating what’s wrong, no one is thinking about a clear-cut blueprint plan that cuts across all facets or sectors of the economy. It would involve patriotism, selfless service and love for our fellow Nigerian. YES WE CAN!