*IT IS ONLY A CHILD WHO DOESN’T KNOW THE SOUND OF A WAR THAT WILL CALL IT DON JAZZY’ TUNE.

BY ADEYEYE MICHAEL *✍️✍️✍️

Our dear nation is subconsciously treading and charting an unknown waters with the way things are; We presently do not need a Chrystalball to tell us that we are comfortably sitting on a keg of gun powder. Permit me to express my dismay in Nigerian Citizens and further bolster the reason to fear for what’s in the offing in the nearest future.

Many a times, I travel down the lanes of Imagination and memories and a deep regret snaps me out of my unending fantasy. God has indeed been faithful to Nigeria. To start with, we are endowed with abundant natural resources at our beck and call; From oil, agricultural produce, fertile and arable lands, mineral resources, naturally peaceful people etc infact, it wouldn’t be out of place to state that God blesses us more than many countries around us. It is sardonic, saddening and sickening that our supposed blessings is a viable tool in relegating us to a pitiable, beggarly and comatosed state we have found ourselves. Where did we go wrong? We have got Oil, Agriculture, mineral resources etc yet we wallow in abject poverty while consistently sitting as the apex country chairing poverty. We used to be cynosure of all eyes; a citadel of great innovations but I seriously fear for what may chance. However, the height of capital flight and exodus of irreplaceable talents seems to be the order of the day. The western world keeps feasting on the sharp decadence that cocoons our society; we are unrepentant at showing that we are slaves to our past as we glamorously pride ourselves as the GIANT OF AFRICA with no commensurate evidence. Let me again, drum it into the ears of whoever cares to listen that the evanescence and disappearance of talents in Nigeria is fast reaching its apogee- a feat I envisage around us now. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t take note on time. I remember vividly 2004, being an unrepentant and ardent lover of athletics,Francis Obikwelu who won a silver medal � for Portugal had earlier raced as a Nigerian. He outclassed his fellow countryman. He is one out of thousands of stolen talents from Nigeria. Today, I can’t conceal my sadness each time I see how many Nigerians being fielded to race and outclass their countrymen. Information has it that the unabated exodus of doctors and nurses never struck any cord of concern in those leaders at the corridor of power in Nigeria. I pray that Nigeria, a haven of opportunities, don’t turn a desolate, deserted and habitation of mediocrity in the nearest future. Who remembers the GROUNDNUT PYRAMID IN THE NORTH; THE EVER LUCRATIVE COCOA ERA IN THE SOUTH? We are fast loosing it! Some of us with unalloyed and unrepentant passion for this country are already loosing it! Some persons are on the verge of switching their allegiance! With the unabated fluctuations and dwindling oil prices, stranded millions of oil barrels on the sea, low purchasing power of countries, plunging disposable income, gradual disinterest in the use of oil in the nearest future accompanied by other alternatives to oil, I can boldly say that the panacea to resuscitation and diversification starts today. Let us go back to those produce that gives us comparative advantage like Ginger, Cashew, Cocoa, Soyabeans, Millet, Sorghum, Gum Arabic etc

Sometimes, I feel compelled to air a poll on which is more corrupt- the political seat or the person involved?
Greed, parochialism, corruption and ethnic jingoism champions the natural disasters bedeviling this dear nature- one that is not only contributory in nature (Politicians and the people) but poised to be pandemic in the nearest future.

Before I go, let me quickly acquaint you with a fact that has its veracity unquestioned- Agriculture is not the solution to our menace to future stability and increase in revenue. Recall that if the fundamental challenge (Corruption) isn’t reviewed, this quest to self sufficiency and diversification will definitely be a wild goose chase. I am quick to point this out because it is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that the compass is pointing towards this direction.

AGRICULTURAL PROCESSING is the closest panacea to the challenges in the nearest months. Take a look at Germany, Poland, US, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland etc earning billions of dollars from Chocolates. The question is this, why should they earn from Cocoa product more than Nigeria, Ghana which are among the largest producers of cocoa? It will amaze you that some of these countries don’t even have hectares of Cocoa farms yet they make time 5 of what we make

Again, revisit the value addition on Cassava and see the enormous earnings on Cassava chips, ethanol etc by the Chinese yet we only produce cassava with little value addition. Worthy of note is the unrivaled position of Ogbomosho in the production of most sought-after grades of cashew. We are a large producer yet India imports from us, process it and make cool cash. In essence, we are in for a debilitating and enervating exercise if we want to resurrect the acclaimed glory of yesteryears. It is not going to be an easy ride; Expect some excruciating pain with some attendant losses in today’s adventures. Suffice to say that we can only win a war by winning battles in succession through tenacity, unprecedented resilience, and concerted efforts by perspicacious leaders.

God be with us!