As elections draw close, I tot it would be a nice idea to share something I wrote sometime ago. I believe strongly in the possibility of our dreams, but I'm convinced that it takes more than our just wishing it! We must all work together for it! GOD bless Nigeria! NIGERIA WILL BE GREAT AGAIN!

TO THINK IS TO DIFFER


“What is wrong with Nigeria?” I asked in my search for my ‘own’ answer. “LEADERSHIP”, “CORRUPTION”, “POOR STRUCTURES”, “LACK OF INTEGRITY”… the answers were as varied as the people. I stumbled on my answer accidentally: our collective guilt and shame (or its absence). What?? I hear you say, but you are as guilty as I am. Let me explain….



It’s 9pm; you are on your way home when you notice a bleeding okada man (commercial motorcyclist), the incident is fresh- probably a hit and run…”Quick!” Your brain says, “You must do something!” “He could still be alive….” But your Nigerian brain says; “then again, he could die in my car or worse…it could be a setup…” Before you get both brains in sync, your car (which has a life of its own) has gone past. You feel guilty for a few seconds, but really, what could you do?? You go home to hot pounded yam and forget all about the blood and the shame you feel….



The next morning, you drive past a dead body (another) RITUALISTS! You mutter. The body is still there on the second, third and by the fourth day, the stench is horrendous! If you are squeamish or have children in the car, you make sure you all look in the opposite direction. All the while you are thinking: someone should do something about this! In an organized society this won’t be!



Being the erudite fellow you are, you discuss this over tea with thinkers like you. Predictably; you lament the deplorable conditions in the country, name a few culpable persons who are mindlessly living large- not to blame, innocent folk like you, striving to make a living in these hard conditions. What can you do? On the fifth day the body is miraculously gone! You heave a sigh of relief but feel no release you see; by our collective silence we could as well have killed that man! In ignoring him we all gave unspoken approval and the guilt we feel is one all murderers must feel. At least the murderers GAINED something, but we doubly lost! No monetary gain, just our peace and voice… gone!



But that’s not the only guilt we live with; residents of Lagos are familiar with mob action for thieves (AKA beat them to death!!) its proponents claim it dissuades future criminal acts (Yeah! Just like your mothers’ beatings stopped you lying!!), children hawking when they should be in school- of course it’s not your fault that the GOVERNMENT has faulty priorities. You are just so glad your children will never have to go through this! You return quickly to your notes- you really have to clinch this deal, Angel wants to summer in Disneyland Paris and your wife NEEDS that fabric of N250, 000 … No one ever accused you of shirking your duties!



By our collective actions and inactions, their resultant guilt and shame or its absence (for some) we collectively made today’s’ Nigeria! Democracy is not just for a few in Abuja or state capitals, it demands our input. Not someday when you win elections but TODAY! So how well are you ruling your home, office and street? Are your children passionate about Nigeria or are they in too many cities of Europe and America (Via MNET) to care?



We all think- this differentiates us from beasts! But few act and therein lies the difference! By our collective inertia in doing the little that matter: speaking up for justice, insisting on better schools and salaries (not just moving our wards to private schools) making government accountable… we became as guilty as the plunderers, murderers and cheats. The guilty are afraid you know? Scarred people achieve little…. Please don’t start the chicken before the egg argument with me (How you must think in order to act and then think again to improve your act) Think if you must, but please do something! We have too many thinkers and talkers and far too few doers! I’d like to see some action please. So WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY? DO SOMETHING! DIFFER!


CHINEDU AKITI

It 530 here in Ghana

You have well said chinedu. It looks very clear that the Cost of Doing Simple is so high that very few people are prepared to take the risk.

however the solution to the problem is that we must have viable, responsible and Non Tribal State government.

I have argued with My self that The GOVERNOR Develope the state to 80% without Federal Alotment. We have Political Enterprenuer Ruling the states instead of Leaders Leading the states.

True love for Nigeria and the state should come from governors With or Without Government alocation

I am already working out on "How to Develope a state with Federal Alocation" When i am thorugh I will post it.

Your write up is the reason why I said that we need Law and Order In the state or at least a sense of it so that we are not producing HEARTLESS INDIVIDUALS from the state.

We know that we can not help a dying man because we have Demonised Good people and their actions. THAT IS WHY STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INSTAL CAMERA EVERYWHERE. SO THAT INSTEAD OF CONDEMNING A DYING MAN AND YOUR HEART YOU WILL BE BOLD TO HELP ANY MAN OR WOMAN.

THIS WILL HELP IN BONDING.

WE SHALL BE OUR BROTHERS KEEPERS

WE SHALL LOVE OUR COUNTRY MORE

BECAUSE YOU HELPED WITHOUT THINKING OF WHERE I AM ARE FROM, THE BRAVERY WILL BE EMULATED BY YOUNG MEN.

THERE WILL BE KINDNESS IN OUR HEARTS AND TO DO GOOD IN EMERGENCY WILL NOT BE THOUGNT TO EXPENSIVE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE OUR SOCIAL LIVES VERY TRANPARENT.

WE MUST HAVE SURVEILANCE POLICING.