WAKE ME UP

Can we hold a summit where the Past Head of States, Presidents and Ministers who are still alive from Nigeria's Independence to date give an account of their stewardship, a summary of their core achievements? This is with a view to discover the missing link, where and when we got it all wrong – Water, Education, Power, Agriculture, Health, Manufacturing, National Institutions.

When was the last time you watched a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Programme, was there any noticeable improvement from what you have known it to be?

Did Nigeria ever show the promise of a great nation? As an optimist, I sometimes struggle to see how the Nigeria of my dreams will be birthed. The late erudite Professor, Pius Adesanmi once wrote that the reason why he published articles on the Nigerian state was for Archeology purposes, to show that not all Nigerians looked away when her leaders showed no vision and sailed with the wind. It is the same with this article, it is to register my displeasure on how our Nation is being run.

The reality of the Nigerian state is best described as a Nightmare. How did we end up being represented by ill-equipped and self-serving individuals? To use the current leadership as an example, how did a supposed Integrity hero manage to head a government whose legacies reek of corruption and corrupt practices?

How did successive generations manage to sow discord and hate in their young? A visit to the politics thread on Nairaland (Nigeria's most visited online forum) reveals the deep hatred the Igbos and the Yorubas have for one another.

For how long will Nigeria remain a bad dream? The realities of Covid-19 forced our leaders to have a taste of their evil deeds; some of them did not survive the border closure. Ironically, the typical Nigerian politician will not learn any lesson from the COVID experience. They are waiting for COVID to pass and get back to their normal way of life. A letter recently credited to the First Lady, after her return from a medical-related trip confirms this position.

If the Nigerian story was a movie, the scriptwriter would have won multiple awards for documenting a brilliant horror story and the actors recognized for a flawless show of evil, ruthlessness and terror – with exception to a few actors.

The Major political parties are structured to present undesirable candidates for elective positions, leaving the electorate a hard job of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. Our electoral laws and set up makes it difficult for private candidates to have any chance at the polls.

For a long time, our education system remains on life support. This is not for a lack of Educational Policies, but a lack of implementation and leadership. The realities of COVID-19 underscore the importance of ICT Infrastructure to support blended learning. These infrastructures are non-existent in our tertiary institutions, needless to say in the public Secondary and Primary institutions.

Undoubtedly, we need a revolution to birth the Nigeria of our dreams. Be part of this revolution by being a good leader and citizen in whatever position you find yourself. Do not abuse your office; use your influence for the common good. Lead from the front; be accountable and transparent in your dealings. More importantly, a critical mass of the Nigerian Stakeholders must come together to set up mechanisms to engage and hold our leaders to account across board – at the Local, State and Federal levels.

The tragedy of the Nigerian nation is one of leadership, men and women best described as mediocre with no moral pedigree continue to dominate and dictate how our nation is run. Their strategy is simple but it continues to work, to ride on the people and divide them along the fault lines of ethnicity and religion whilst plundering our national and collective wealth.

Nigeria has been a bad dream and Nightmare.

Please, Wake me up. Wake me up.