WHY NIGERIA MAY NEVER BE GREAT!

Disclaimer; This write up is not meant to stir any hate, sew any discord but simply to hopefully inspire genuine reflection of the heart and introspection in the mind of any Nigerian who may read it.

Trick question; What goes up in Nigeria and hardly ever comes down completely?

Yesterday I bought airtime of 500 and realized the price had gone up to #550. Why is this so? I asked the seller and she just shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
At first I was enraged. What kind of greed was this, a whole 50 naira?

Then I began to recall how people have been complaining about Garri and how the price suddenly went up by 150% and how hand sanitizers and face masks tripled in prices over night. The stubborn voice in my head looking for excuses said; "it's because of the worldwide pandemic coupled by the recent Vat increase that's why things are unrealistically expensive....things will surely quiet down." \

But I realized something; a paint of Garri didn't just go to #1500 from #500 overnight because of the corona outbreak. No, the outbreak was only an opportunity for the prices of foodstuffs and necessary commodities to skyrocket. It's the same reason why bus drivers increased their prices to ridiculous amount the day the okada ban was put in place, and they realised they were the only available options. The same reason why a bus of 100 naira becomes 300 whenever it's raining and people are in a hurry to get out of the rain.
I realized that this same reason, is the very same reason our senators can decide to spend a whole state budget on new foreign cars without conscience, the same reason our lawmakers keep mismanaging the funds meant for millions of Nigerians for their own selfish gain.

What is this reason?

You see, I have a neighbour called Mr Andrew. Mr Andrew and I spend all our spare time discussing politics and tackling our elite Government and lawmakers for their wickedness, greediness and ineptitude in general. Mr Andrew in particular is very eloquently spoken and curses our leaders for insanely enriching themselves at the detriment of the masses. Mr Andrew also owns a small pharmacy shop.

Now there's outbreaak of corona and high demand for hand sanitizers and spirits. Mr Andrew suddenly sees the pandemic as an opportunity to increase the price of a bottle from 300 naira to 1000 naira.

Now, a couple of years down the line Mr Andrew gets elected to represent my community. It is as clear as day that Mr Andrew is going to siphon the funds meant for our roads and schools because he has gotten another opportunity to make quick bucks, the only difference is now it's on a bigger scale.

And so the cycle continues.

But what is this so called reason?

It's simple; we only love ourselves (if we do), we don't love our neighbours we don't love anybody else, we don't love each other and so it's almost impossible to love our Nation, talk-less of to serve it.

The absence of love is the reason why;
- politicians see their office as an opportunity to steal and not an opportunity to serve.
-Soldiers see their uniform as an opportunity to oppress and not an opportunity to serve.
And that's how the chain goes and the cycle continues till it get's to Mr Andrew, my neighbour. Or mama Sandra who sells Garri down the junction, and so on and so forth...

The truth is that, if Nigeria is ever to be great, if you, like me have this burning need in your guts to leave behind a better Nigeria for generations yet unborn, we need to first of all kill the hate inside us, drown the bitterness we have against one another, and then learn to love because when there is love there would be growth.

God bless Nigeria

©Absoul April, 2020

[color=#006600][/color]wayo naijeria

Your dream is great, but I am afraid there's not enough young people thinking like you. Sadly, a lot of Nigerian youth have lost their sense of reasoning to religious believe and cultism.

Nigeria is a lost course, and it's gonna get worse before it gets better if ever.
I wish I was young again and knew what I know now.

#Lalasticlala
#Seun

And our mega churches are preaching prosperity gospel instead of Love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 | NIV

okooyinbo:
Your dream is great, but I am afraid there's not enough young people thinking like you. Sadly, a lot of Nigerian youth have lost their sense of reasoning to religious believe and cultism.

Nigeria is a lost course, and it's gonna get worse before it gets better if ever.
I wish I was young again and knew what I know now.

#Lalasticlala
#Seun

Thank you sir. These days the general solution seems to be migrating out of here but we can’t all run away ? I wanted to say may God help us but even the bible says heaven helps those who helps themselves.

ModelX:
And our mega churches are preaching prosperity gospel instead of Love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 | NIV

But do you think it is possible? It’s like the average Nigerian is too hungry and angry to feel any kind of love, infact such sentiment is regarded as “jonsing” and our so called elite are too overfed and power hungry to care about any one else

The average Nigerian is greedy and self centred, he pretends sometimes like he cares about others, but he only cares about himself and his immediate family, he worships the rich because of what he can get from them, and detest the poor because he can't gain anything from them.

He loves going to church or mosque, not because he wants to be a better human being, but because he is afraid of the afterlife, he pays millions in tithes to his rich church and Pastor, but he pays his gateman less than minimum wage.

When i tell people that this country will never change for the better, the always say am a pessimist, and prophet of doom, but i always ask 'em, where is the change for the better going to come from, is it from the greedy traders who are always looking for an opportunity to rip off their compatriots?, or the corrupt judges who are sell justice to the highest bidder,or the Politicians who embezzle our money or the greedy Priest and Pastors who are more interested in amassing wealth than saving souls?

This has nothing to do with the country or its citizens ( that is a global crisis and is currently happening everywhere- yes I mean the hike in prices).

I haven't been affected as the price is food markets are unchanged.


You need to find a way around it. E.g buy airtime online, buy food at major food markets or do not buy from a customer or do not buy that hiked product.



It's the law of Macro economics- if you all rush a product, prices will go high but if you do not prices will actually go low.


Don't also forget individual bahaviour too. E.g For someone who has been selling non essential products and has had his shop closed off for weeks- he has too options on reopening his shop.


Either sell high for desperate customers and Recoup missed profits or he can sell low so he has quick cash to eat and get some basic necessities.


The point is at times you have the opportunity to work round the problem. Substitute the seller, the product , or just plain ignore the purchase - this should drive down the price.

okooyinbo:
Your dream is great, but I am afraid there's not enough young people thinking like you. Sadly, a lot of Nigerian youth have lost their sense of reasoning to religious believe and cultism.

Nigeria is a lost course, and it's gonna get worse before it gets better if ever.
I wish I was young again and knew what I know now.

#Lalasticlala
#Seun

Please sir, what do you know now. please enlighten me. I'm still young. I'm ready to pursue the course. Nigeria will be great if the youths make demands from the government through serious agitations.

hungryboy:
The average Nigerian is greedy and self centred, he pretends sometimes like he cares about others, but he only cares about himself and his immediate family, he worships the rich because of what he can get from them, and detest the poor because he can't gain anything from them.

He loves going to church or mosque, not because he wants to be a better human being, but because he is afraid of the afterlife, he pays millions in tithes to his rich church and Pastor, but he pays his gateman less than minimum wage.

When i tell people that this country will never change for the better, the always say am a pessimist, and prophet of doom, but i always ask 'em, where is the change for the better going to come from, is it from the greedy traders who are always looking for an opportunity to rip off their compatriots?, or the corrupt judges who are sell justice to the highest bidder,or the Politicians who embezzle our money or the greedy Priest and Pastors who are more interested in amassing wealth than saving souls?

They believe in the afterlife and yet, we are still not living up to the societal standards of what is bad or good? Are you sure there is really an afterlife?

You are right Absoul, Nigeria can NEVER be great

Usorohtheman:


Please sir, what do you know now. please enlighten me. I'm still young. I'm ready to pursue the course. Nigeria will be great if the youths make demands from the government through serious agitations.

Let me just put it this way: Nigeria is like a person asked to fetch water to fill a drum and given a basket as a tool to achieve. Every system set up in Nigeria to ensure equity and development has been corrupted.

Nigeria needs total overhauling.

By the way, Revolution will never work in Nigeria. At least not the people led revolution, because there is no love among the many ethnic groups of Nigeria.

With this few words, I hope I have been able to provide a little insight.

okooyinbo:


Let me just put it this way: Nigeria is like a person asked to fetch water to fill a drum and given a basket as a tool to achieve. Every system set up in Nigeria to ensure equity and development has been corrupted.

Nigeria needs total overhauling.

By the way, Revolution will never work in Nigeria. At least not the people led revolution, because there is no love among the many ethnic groups of Nigeria.

With this few words, I hope I have been able to provide a little insight.

Yes, you have. Thank you. But, is there any hope?

Nigeria will be great again by God's grace.


Doom Sayers Keep Off!

okooyinbo:


Let me just put it this way: Nigeria is like a person asked to fetch water to fill a drum and given a basket as a tool to achieve. Every system set up in Nigeria to ensure equity and development has been corrupted.

Nigeria needs total overhauling.

By the way, Revolution will never work in Nigeria. At least not the people led revolution, because there is no love among the many ethnic groups of Nigeria.

With this few words, I hope I have been able to provide a little insight.

revolution ke? Need I remind you of what happened to sowore when he was picked by the DSS and how Nigerians backed off or the bbog by ezekwensili?


Nigerians don't do anything for patriotism but personal gains and if there's no personal gains they won't involve themselves