Nigeria@60: a call for reflection

~by Njideka Johnson

Happy Anniversary to my dear country Nigeria!

Anniversaries usually comes with mixed feelings. While some people remember their anniversaries with joy and happiness, others remember theirs with nostalgia, fear and anger.

At a Conference dinner in July 2011 at Anambra State Governor’s lodge at Awka, (lost my laptop and other valuables to rogues while on transit to the Conference venue), the then Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, admonished participants to always tell those who occupy positions of responsibility the truth.

He stated that this is the only way to move the nation forward. He recalled a scenario when he visited a community as Governor. While the people were busy singing the praise of his administration, he sighted 2 children standing aloof and dejected.
He approached the kids to know what their problems were. Without hypocrisy, one of them told him that there was no roof on their dilapidated school building, while the other told him there were no toilet facilities.

Mr Governor said he was disappointed at the level of sycophancy of his people in that community. Yet, in that mess, the high cost of governance had taken the economy to ground zero as selfishness and greed had become the order of the day.

This is the portrait of what Nigeria is at 60 years of independence from British colonial masters. To correct this 60-year old error, we should learn to tell ourselves the truth.

At 60, lots of questions are pleading for answers. What have we done for and/or to this nation-state? No doubt, people saddled with the responsibilities of governance have fallen short of expectation. Service promised has turned to rulership, resulting to betrayal of public trust in all cadre of government.

This is evident in failing highways, paralytic power supply and the comatose educational system leading to unprecedented mass failures in public examinations. In the face of all these, our collective resources are being carted away to foreign countries without checks.
So much for our rulers, critically examining the rank and file of the ruled, it would not be an understatement to declare that the ruled have also failed in their own little roles. As the ruled, we must ask ourselves these questions: have we not failed the up-coming generation looking up to us? In our little positions, how have we fared? The “little businesses” we do behind closed doors, assuming no one is watching, such as adding one or two “zero” to the original figures on contract papers, diverting official materials to personal use, among others, and yet we raise our voice against those in positions of authority.

At 60, the level of “collective corruption” in Nigeria is beyond alarming! It has gradually destroyed our value systems. Imagine Chief Executives asking for some percentage of the contract sum upfront as kickbacks from contractors before awarding these contracts, as well as making sexual advances to young ladies before offering them appointments even when such ladies are qualified for the jobs. Integrity and merit are fast becoming historical relic in our polity.

Surprisingly, the house of God has also lost her immunity against corrupt practices. What do we say of spiritual leaders requesting for beverages, so as to fast and pray on behalf of members? Young ladies have become sex toys in the hands of so-called ‘deliverance’ ministers. In the reverse, under the guise of ‘warring’ against house-hold enemies and dark powers, others have lost their hard-earned resources to dubious agents of the devil who parade themselves as ministers of God.

On a high rate, the emphasis in Churches today is on tithing (God’s injunction with blessings anyway) as well as rabid giving; neglecting the care for the poor and needy both in the Church and society who are ‘melting’ away in abject poverty. No wonder the cases of Church Ushers doing away with Church collections even at “Holy Ghost ‘fire-spitting’ crusade venues” are on the increase. God have mercy!
In the attempt by many to receive recognition in the society, truth and conscience have been snared by sharp practices in all facets of our lives.

This has led us to a nationwide “Ember months” revival. For some years now, as the year runs out and festive periods draw near, ceaseless fasting and prayers for safe passage on our so-called highways especially for those who have travel plans are declared. The focus is for miracle road maintenance by government, for transport owners to put their fleet of vehicles in good shape at least, for careful driving on all our “footpaths” called highways and importantly, for the transformation of our highway “gangs” – “the lords of the roads” (did I hear you scream ARMED RO – – ERS!).

As we mark our 60 years of marking time, let us rethink what we can do for our nation, Nigeria. Let us collaborate to tell ourselves the truth and also practice this truth. No need denying the fact that some who dared proclaiming the truth have either ended up in the gulag or suffered martyrdom.

However, this should not deter us from saying the truth because only the truth can guarantee TRUE INDEPENDENCE! By doing this, we would be able to actualize the lofty dreams of our founding fathers to make Nigeria great in the real sense of greatness. The greatness we can flaunt among the Committee of Nations.

So help us God to do!

The post Nigeria@60: a call for reflection appeared first on Welcome to Njay Blog.

source https://njay.com.ng/nigeria60-should-we-be-happy/