FOR THE LOVE OF NIGERIA

As a Nigerian, and an avowed Pan-Africanist, my loyalty, love for my country and its people cannot be questioned.

However, I am deeply troubled by the ease with which our leaders make pronouncements, renege on these words they have sometimes sworn by and turn around to eat these words.

Why? You will be right to ask why. I have often wondered what will make a man turn around to eat his own words.

1. The promise of money or wealth
2. The Love of a woman or women if you are the multiple partners type;
3. The promise of a political or economic position that one has eyed for a long time;
4. The threat of exposure of past crimes;

Whatever the reason, any man or woman that turns around to eat their own words is described in the Holy Books as an infidel or a Dog who eats his own vomit. I am not a stranger to making a vow or vows. I made such a vow to my late wife with a promise to her before she died that I would do all in my human capacity to look after the two children she gave me and I have.

However, this is not about me or my vows to my late wife….This is about our dear nation Nigeria and These are very strange times for the Nigerian nation.

Who will go for us and who will speak on our behalf in the presence of the Gods;

WHO WILL PLEAD OUR CASE?

The beautiful ones are not yet born and we are no longer at ease. It seems as if peace has taken flight and violence is now our portion. Our leaders seem oblivious of our pain and it’s now everyone for himself and God for us all.

It wasn’t always like this you know, I grew up in this country and there was a time when we were our brothers and sisters keeper. I recollect during my NYSC days. I served with a Finance Company and I was a trade officer posted to Northern Nigeria. I had to buy Maize and supply to Jos Brewery and some other breweries. I sometimes slept in Fulani camps or with the maize sellers with massive amounts of cash and nobody harassed me or stole from me. I would leave Malumfashi, drive to Yagoje and then Funtua and Zaria at 2am in the morning.

There were no kidnappings, rapes, killings or robberies. What has happened to us is sum of several things. Policy failures and summersaults, and mostly LEADERSHIP FAILURE at all levels of governance.

Please do not get me wrong. This is not about Mr. Mohammadu Buhari. That will be too simplistic and easy. He may also have contributed having also being part of a coup that truncated our democracy under the Shagari Government but he is not alone in the gradual destruction of our nationhood. What has destroyed our peace was a gradual descent into the abyss.

WHERE DO WE START FROM??

1. When we agreed to reduce Standards about everything in our daily lives: No Society can develop when there are no standards. One of the fundamental failures of successive governments in Nigeria is the refusal to stop the obnoxious QUOTA SYSYEM. When the Obasanjo government introduced it to help the educationally disadvantaged states get the push forward and catch up with the better organized states, there should have been a period of disengagement of the policy. It should NEVER have been a permanent feature of our national lives.

Quota system has not only deprived the so called disadvantaged states any modicum of development but it has also enabled the past and present governments of these states and at all levels, STEAL, PILLAGE & ROB their own people of all they get from the federal revenue allocations.

Any quick check of all the monies shared to the so called disadvantaged states will show that there is nothing on ground to show for all the monies allocated to the states and the level of education is still as it was when the policy started;

2. The lack of accountability at all level of government. Most states, MDAs, Ministries, Parastatals, Local Governments are not audited.

Therefore, monies are simply spent without accountability and what ever policies put in place to check flagrant spending is simply ignored;

3. No Consequences For Wrong Doing: This is probably one of the most important decimal for a civil society. When laws are abused at will and no one is punished for wrong doing, it simply means that everyone can do what ever they want and nothing will happen. Nigeria has simply being lucky or fortunate. The level of lack of civility in our daily lives is legendary. People simply misbehave at will and bad behavior is an acceptable way of life.

4. Leadership: Everyone blames the LEADERSHIP and this is easily the most flogged of all the 4 points that I have put forward here but I beg to differ.

The LEADERSHIP of any CIVIL society is CHOSEN from amongst its PEOPLE or CITIZENS. Therefore, if we must blame Mr. Buhari, then we must also hold each and every Nigerian responsible because whatever behavior the President may be exhibiting for good or bad, HE WAS CHOSEN FROM AMONGST US ALL.

Leadership for me rests and depends on ALL of us doing right by ourselves and each other. It is about DECENCY; CIVILITY; EMPATHY which all sums up to our cumulative HUMANITY. Every Nigerian must make up their minds and ask the right questions of your appointed leaders and representatives.

I know it is tough on everyone right now but we must resist the temptation to think that breaking up the country or going our separate ways is the right thing to do.

WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER!!!

What we must do is to agree on how to move the nation forward IMMEDIATELY.

1. Repeal the Quota System in all forms. This may be painful but it will help reset the nation on a good pedestal. Who says there are no BRIGHT, INTELLIGENT and SMART Northerners

The Quota system has been a problem to both the North as well as the South of Nigeria.

It has allowed the WORST of us to Govern the Best of us.

2. We must set standards for every sector of our societal life. We must devise a way that the best amongst us must be able to get to leadership positions both economically and politically. We can no longer allow people with questionable backgrounds and educational qualifications get into leadership positions and now use stolen wealth to disrupt our lives;

3. Religion must now be a PRIVATE MATTER. State or Federal Government funds must no longer be used to finance Christian or Muslim pilgrimages.

Holy Pilgrimages must henceforth be a private matter. If you can afford it, you can go and if you cannot, then so be it. The system that allows State and Federal funds to sponsor pilgrimages has been so abused that God himself will look at us with regret and disdain. HOW DO YOU STEAL AND DO WRONG IN THE NAME OF GOD? HOW

4. Accountability MUST be enforced at all levels going forward. Reputable Audit and forensic firms must be engaged to verify, and scrutinize all expenditures for all the tiers of government.

This can be done through an independent body empowered by law and sustained by direct allocation from the federal purse and independent of any manipulation from the Government in power.

We are at a cross roads as a nation. A stitch in time they say saves NINE. We all have a choice to make.

Insecurity, kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Drug usage amongst youths and Robberies are at an all time high in most of the states of Nigeria.

I am a Nigerian and I love my country I no go lie. I am who I am because of the opportunity granted me by this nation.

We may not agree on everything I have written here but can we at least speak, talk together and engage each other

We all have a voice and we have our God given right to speak up and speak up we must.

I carry a green Nigerian passport as do all my children.

All I ask is that let us REASON TOGETHER.

This is NOT THE NIGERIA �� OF OUR DREAMS.

This is not the nation our past heroes died for.

God bless us all. God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Not mean anything.

Most times, at point of entry, our leaders are all brain and home with the plethora of problems facing the nation and have absolute means of solving them. That's just like a spectator outside the field of play.

But when they are elected, the "bug" in the State House stings and they become "mad".

Gov Mattawale is a case in point.

Pls put a credible source so that we will know what we are assimilating.

Tinubuadvocate:
Not mean anything.

People like you are the reason our politicians behave the way they are behaving

Who takes an average Nigerian politician serious

Tinubuadvocate:
Not mean anything.

And Jesus wept

Xiaomi1:
you are the real definition of shame

that is if Tinubuadvocate even have shame at all.

I will advise us all to take time and read Matawalle's submission. He made valid points especially for a Northern Nigeria leader irrespective of his political affiliation.
It's in our hands to decide the Nigeria of our dreams. PDP or APC is inconsequential in the points he raised up there.

This speech supposed to be a presidential one. Mattawale spoke the truth. The question is, how far has he faired in the discharge of his duties as a governor? Has he done anything tangible for his people? By how much has he proved to be different? Has he showed any sign that given another chance, he will discharge?

I haven't been to his state and do not know/read much about it.

Mattawale, hope you are not just another politician?

Tinubuadvocate:
Not mean anything.

It is finished

Even Tinubu will be ashamed of you

See e.diot wey dey advocate for Tinubu