Nigeria Time for change

Nigeria:  Time for Change!

By

Joshua Ocheja

 

 

Change they say is the only constant thing in life. An interesting definition of change that struck my fancy is: removing something that is dirty or used and replacing it with something that is clean or unused.

 Our nation Nigeria has indeed come of age in terms of the years of independence, we have clocked forty eight years of relative dependence on our ideas and innovations in the quest to move forward, but the irony associated with our journey can best be told for another day.

 In Nigeria today, Democracy is not simply a political buzzword but something very definite for the majority of Nigerians, something that we have relentlessly striven for a great deal of our political journey.

 We have experienced all sorts of governments and attendant policies that have shaped and reshaped our existence of today. We have experienced the Khaki boys in their elements; we have witnessed the “Babariga” men in their characters and a lot of water has gone under the bridge in the annals of our great nation.

 The implication of the above stated facts continues to stare at us right in the face, challenging our senses to see if we can surmount its guts and come out of the doldrums as a nation and as a people.

 The import of getting our acts together as soon as possible cannot be overemphasized as It behooves on us to see that Nigeria as a nation works beautifully well.

 As at writing this piece the exchange rate to the American dollar is left to be imagined than told! The pertinent question is where and when did we go wrong?

 The implication of the devaluation of the naira represents a 30% loss to our currency, which might tempt a rational mind to ask in whose interest was the naira devalued?  Interest of the millions of Nigerians living in abject poverty or the interest of a select few?

We might not understand the untold hardship this act will bring to the citizenry at the moment, but I can assure you that it will be felt to our bones.

 The Nigerian economy is dependent on oil, the prices of oil in the global market has fallen, the stock market is feverish, all at the same time and at the crucial state of global financial meltdown.

 So many schools of thought are ready with answers that transcend different angles and sectors of the economy as the possible cause of the shambles we find our self today, but in my sincere opinion, I will say all is to be blamed!

 We got it wrong a long time ago and funny as it may sound we knew we missed it. We cannot possibly blame the military or past governments squarely because we were not coerced into accepting their legitimacy, but simply because some of us benefited from the rot in the system that emphasizes and embraces the iconic height of barbarism as a norm.

 The state of underdevelopment is phenomenal, but we are comfortable with it as everybody seems unperturbed. The “chop and wait” for your turn syndrome ate deep into our conscience that only a transplant can correct the abnormality, even with a transplant our chances of survival are slim!

 Citing America as an example, the change that took place there was not an instant phenomenon, it was predicated on years of belief and dedication to the America dream. But our fire brigade approach and penchant for quick “fix” will continue to constitute a barricade in our way to greatness.

 Nigeria: the time for change is now! But how do we go about this change?

In the contemporary Nigerian society, the gap between the Haves and the Have-nots is seemingly on the increase. Of course this trend was not a one night affair, as the Marxist put it “historical events don’t occur in a vacuum; rather, they are a result of the buildup of contradictions within the system. Once the contradictions become sharp enough, a single event is enough to trigger an explosion.

This has many analogies in nature: a single snowdrop may trigger an avalanche, but the avalanche can only happen if large amounts of snow have already fallen into an unstable relationship, leading to a dialectical contradiction between the apathy of the snowflakes (caused by friction and inter-molecular forces, and the stress in the system (caused by the effect of gravity on the weight of the snowflakes).

Nigeria should not be an exception to change and greatness. The resources are in abundance, its citizens are innovative, resourceful and exceptional, but the wealth of the nation is in the hands of a few. This trend could be attributed to our susceptibility to the whims and caprices of a select few that views Nigeria like a family estate.

 The Nigerian society is not immune to the phenomena called change, we have to wake up from our slumber and build the Nigerian nation into a strong formidable brand.

 A brand is driven by vision; it sets its mind on a specific goal and works towards achieving it. To build a strong brand you need to be driven by vision and passion.

 A passion to bring the best out of worst situation: a vision to be the power house of the continent and even the world. These aforementioned realities are not impossible tasks; as a matter of fact it’s the simplest of endeavors in human existence.

 The principal way forward out of the doldrums we have found ourselves is the love of the nation! The love of the nation sets everything into place. That love heals the wounds of the past, it avails wisdom to our leaders, as it sets the wheel of progress rolling and revolutionizes our defeatist mind sets into that of victors.

 Enough of the hullabaloo of who stole what and where, as there is no gain crying over spilled milk. We have made mistakes as a nation and it behooves on our principals to reminisce and get things jumpstarted.

 The Nigerian nation has the inherent potential to offer hope and better lives to her citizens; though a number of policy changes are necessary, as we have the resources and know how in abundance.

 As the New Year begins, we can only hope that we face our challenges head on and drive past the experimental stage we placed our selves.

 It happened in America, we celebrated it! Our neighbors Ghana did similar we celebrated too. Now is the time for Nigeria to be celebrated by the world.

 The future of this nation lies in our everyday acts; good or bad our conscience should appeal to our senses and make us responsible for our actions and inactions in our quest to make Nigeria great again.

 Nigeria the best is still possible!