Lately, I've been seriously thinking about what our major problem(s) is/are as a country and what can be done to resolve it.

I find it very, very hard to list 5 countries in the world that are NATURALLY BLESSED than Nigeria and, here we are, we are not even 1st among the developing countries of the world. So, where have we gone wrong?

Some people will say, it's because we have many tribes, tongues, ethnic groups, culture etc. But so do America & yet, they still manage to survive till today.

Some will say it's about the past coups & civil war. But Nigeria is not the first & will not be the last to do so.

Others will say it's bcoz of colonization. But most developed countries of today have been colonized at some point in time.

Some will say it's bcoz of slavery. But it's been over 179 years since it was abolished.

Other reasons people give are: religion, inferior to the 'whites', greed, act of the gods i.e that Nigeria is cursed, lack of patriotism, black mentality, selfishness, corruption, visionless,bad leadership, cowardice on the part of the youth (note: this is different from stupidity) etc.

I partially agree with some of the above reasons but the question still remain: are these problems peculiar to Nigeria alone? Can there be a solution(s)? How long will it take us to get things right?

Without trying to sound boastful, apart from Oceania and South America, I've had the opportunity to travel to every other part of the world.

But, from Africa to Asia, Europe to North America and, from what I've read in papers, heard from friends & seen on TV about the Oceania & South America (i.e Brazil, Argentina, Chile etc), I've come to a conclusion that, there's nothing special or spectacular about the so-called 'developed countries' but the PEOPLE, not even their infrastructures.

I've come to understand that, what makes a country is the people and not the other way round. America is what it is today because of the foundation laid by their fore-fathers. So also are Britain, France, Ghana, Nigeria etc, be it positive or negative foundation.

An adage says, as you lay your bed, so shall you lie on it. Assuming our fore-fathers wrongly laid our beds for us whether deliberately or otherwise, I think it's left for us as the children they left behind to re-lay the bed before we lie on it.

Dwelling in the past day-in-day-out is like calling the dead to come back to life in order to help us out to re-lay our beds (the Poo they created). This will not happen no matter what. We've got to do it ourselves.

Moreover, I believe no good father will lay a bad foundation for his children, at least deliberately. Agreed, they made some terrible mistakes pro & post independence, but who hasn't. If America, GB, France, Canada, China, Japan, South Africa etc are still dwelling in the past & refuse to right the wrong of their fore-fathers while consolidating on the good legacy from their fore-fathers, none of us will be queuing at their embassies today.

So, I'll appreciate if we can stop focusing more on the past rather than the future. For those that believe dividing the country is the solution to our problem as a nation, I share your view, but are we saying, that will be the end of our other problems.

For instance, how would you solve a problem like corruption in your new country? If you believe your solution will work for you in your new country, why do you think it can never work for Nigeria?

If the leaders (both executive & legislators) we elected to represent us turn around & decide to serve only themselves, families & friends, what power do we have collectively as a people to call them to order?

Nigeria as a country is not the problem. The problem with Nigeria is YOU & I.