Driving on the Lekki-Ajah express way in Lagos, Nigeria , I see uncountable cars, some so expensive you wonder what it would feel like driving one, mansions, office complexes, relaxation spots dot the road all the way to VI, meeting people further makes you wonder, how much Nigeria has developed, so many professionals, so many private institutions and organizations doing excellently well, and this gives you hope, hope that Nigeria is rising again gradually, however don't be deceived, you still get to your home and there is no electricity, your beautiful office is powered by generators 24hours daily, you cannot wind down your car windows because of fear of armed robbery, you suspect every car that follows you too far and pull to the side of the road just for it to pass, you dare not send your children to government schools, except you want them to sit on broken chairs in class, you dare not go to a government hospital unless you want PHCN to take away electricity supply abruptly while they are operating on you, our old and disabled people have absolutely no care.

Venturing out of Lagos, villages dot the road sides, going further into the villages, you will find people who have never seen electricity, within Lagos, children hawking instead of being in school, our government has continued to fail us and no matter how privileged you think you are, it affects you, imagine you have a heart attack, before you can get to hospital its over, no ambulances, no emergency response, even if it doesn't affect you now, it will affect your children tomorrow. Many people live in abject poverty, as individuals we seem to be good enough, but as a nation we are a bunch of people with the majority of us impoverished. We are so engrossed in our pursuit of personal comfort that we have forgotten about the real problems sorrounding us.

My hopes,

My hope is built on the number of Nigerians getting interested in the Nigerian project, many Nigerians are beginning to ask questions, people are already talking about the 2011 elections, there is hope that many more people will vote and wait to defend their votes, there is an agitation that is gathering pace, many intellectuals and professionals now realise that having the money to use a generator 24hours a day isn't the solution to their problems, many more people now want answers, many more people believe government should be accountable to the masses. People have realised ineffective whining is not the solution to the cankerworm eating away our future. People are beginning to show interest in being a part of the change that is bound to come to Nigeria. Many Nigerians are now more aware of the depreciated conditions of our educational, health, tourism, transport, technological, just to mention a few, sectors, our country is in a state of limbo and only positive actions by forward thinking Nigerians can resolve the situation.

My fears,

However, a careful analysis shows there is still a lot to be scared of, protests have been called in various states in the country, many Nigerians refused to be actively involved, when church or mosque activities are called, they are filled to the brim, but when the time comes to fight for your future and the future of your children, people prefer to sit at home, or claim they cannot take leave from work, I shudder at the thought that we will wake up in 10 years and discover we are still whining and crying, when we should have acted. I'm filled with trepidation at the thought that come 2011, many of those who are talking and shouting will be nowhere to be found, I fear that we will have talked the talk, but will not be found when its time to walk the talk.

One other fear I have is the students, I wonder where our student unions have vanished to, they should be the ones leading this agitation, Wale Oshun, Femi Falana, Tunde Bakare, Wole Soyinka and co have lived a while, these students still have a long future ahead of them, we the younger ones are the ones who should be making the most noise, we should only be getting advice and moral support from the likes of Tunde Bakare, Femi Falana, Wole Soyinka and Wale Oshun, how I wish the spirit of the student generation that fought against military oppression can be re-enacted, I wonder where our student unions are!

I have another fear, this is my most major fear, the fear for the area boys, the agberos, the uneducated market women, who takes this message to them? How should they learn not to sell their future for a few naira notes that will finish on the same day? These people are the ones who really vote, these area boys are the ones who wait and watch votes counted and aid all the rigging because they are paid to do it, I tell you these area boys are the ones ready to lay down their lives for a cause they believe in, the uneducated Nigerians are a major factor in deciding who rules us, they are the real ones who can resort to civil disobedience if they are not satisfied, but how do we reach them? How do we get our message to them? How do we carry out a positive re-orientation of these people? How do we make them realise they are the ones that need this change most? I am burdened by these thoughts, and at the moment, I do not have answers!


I weep for Nigeria my country. in ibo in Yoruba and in hausa