In answering this question, I will like to recite the first Stanza of our National Anthem to help make my points more colourful.

“Arise oh compatriots

Nigeria’s call obey

To serve our father’s land

With love and strength and faith

The labour of our heroes past

Shall never be in vain

To serve with heart and might

One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

Our fathers in the early 1960–1975 sang this stanza merrily with every atom of patriotism in them. The green white green national colours, were colours of honour. Traffic’s came to a pulse, pedestrians have to stand still whenever the national anthem is on the air. That was the height of patriotism and love for this country called Nigeria.

This was an era when things were working the way the ought to. Probably like my father will always say (May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace), the shadow of Britain was still lingering with us, since it was barely few years we got our independence. The system left behind by the whites, were still working.

This was a period, when Nigeria had something closed to a functional government. A government, that understood the value of education and its impact on its citizens. Universities were almost fully funded by the Federal Government. Students loans were easily available to all who care for it. Getting a scholarship was as easy as getting a ticket from Silverbird cinemas to go watch Black Panther. Most of our current political leaders were the benefactors of this generous system. In fact most of them would not have seen the four walls of a university, if not for social schemes like this.

I will tell you this for free as well, foreigners were also coming to Nigeria to study because of the good educational system we had in vogue then. When I say foreigners I mean western expatriates, not fellow Africans. Seeing a Ghanaian in Nigerian schools then was so common like sunshine in the city of Kano.

The universities were so neat, good infrastructures, and students were treated like kings and queens. Their hostels were cleaned by the university staff including their laundries. There was school feeding even for undergraduates . Milk and eggs were considered necessary for every student and the government provided it regularly free for all! Bursaries were given to students to aid their living expenses. Even when tuition is payable, it was so infinitesimal that it could pass as free education. Yes, Nigeria was once this beautiful, am not talking about Canada here.

Even as an undergraduate, you are already getting offers for a job. My God! My mum told me after her secondary school and passing the Teachers college exams, various colleges were after her, offering her a job with accommodation at the age of 19 years. I mean as a Secondary school graduate, not even university! Being a university graduate, could land you a job in one of the government ministries or some of the functional foreign and local companies operating at this time with a good pay and perks like official car. Nigerians who travelled to UK for post graduate studies always returned back home to work, because Nigeria was far richer and better!

The industries were working optimally, the government was supportive. Fiscal policies were made to encourage industrialisation. This caused other African migrants to flock into Nigeria for a better life, and we willingly welcomed them and gave them jobs. Yes we did!

There were few roads, but most were in good motor able conditions. The health care system was also top notched. Most of the wealthy men then never travelled abroad for proper medical treatment, they had it here. Mother-Child mortality rate wasn’t as scaring as it is today. Our hospitals were fully equipped to cater to the needs of the citizens. They few that were existing at this time were fully staffed. There was no brain drain, our doctors were happy working here!

There was great infrastructure, Lagos was the commercial hub for the entire black continent. Most of the infrastructures we are using till this moment were built in this period or before then. Loans were easy to be paid up, the banking system was near perfection even without modern technology. The public transport system was working optimally, the trains and busses graced our public routes. Crime was not as high as it is today. Inflation was under control and our government was getting the best financial advice from the experts.

Buying a new car was never a big deal, mostly all working class Nigerians could afford it. Only few drove second hand cars. We were so rich and wealthy. The oil boom money was properly utilised! In a nut shell, the quality of life then was above standard!

There was tribalism, corruption and nepotism then at a small scale notwithstanding. The civil war also caused a set-back, but to be frank,the Nigeria of then, is now the Nigeria of our dreams. Yes there was a time, Nigeria was the pride and giant of Africa.

However now, in Shame I will write to pour out my disgust of what is making Nigerians flee, including yours sincerely. All the good life I painted above are either in an abysmal state or even non existent. The education system is if not the worst in Africa, one of the worst educational systems in the world. Everything is in shambles, excessive strikes, brain drain, poor infrastructure, lack of teaching tools, obsolete curriculums that cannot meet the demands of the modern day. Lack of enough universities to cater for the needs of millions of college graduates who seek admissions yearly. It is either you are exceptionally brilliant or your parents are rich enough to “buy" a slot for you in any of the public or private institutions. Travelling abroad for studies is now a luxury. Even to Ghana!

When you finally graduate, there is no job. You will still join your uncle that graduated 5 years before you to be roaming the streets of lovely Lagos looking for a job that will pay less than 100USD per month. Even the minimum wage is 50USD! The worst is that the certificate you carry has no value at all outside the shores of Nigeria.

Infrastructures are almost dead. Epileptic power supply that has almost crippled the industrial sector of the economy. Only companies dealing on FMCG running on diesel powered generators have survived. Don't ask me how that has contributed to inflation.

The roads are death traps themselves. The Benin - Ore expressway has won several awards as the valley of death referred in the Bible by king David. Come to Nigeria and see it. Mokwa - Illorin expressway is so notorious in falling trucks, destroying goods and claiming life's. The transportation system is in shambles begging for a state of emergency.

The health care system is not left out. Almost dilapidated. Visit the National Bureau of Statistics, and the number of people travelling out of Nigeria to India, Germany, UAE, Saudi Arabia etc for medical tourism will shock you. In this lovely country, a senator that claimed he built a world class hospital in his state was flown abroad after sustaining a minor injury due to an accident! Same with the President son! The health system is so poor. And the number of professional doctors and nurses leaving the country for better futures abroad is not even helping matters.

Corruption is now our second name. It has eaten so deep into the fabrics of this nation, that nothing is working again in Nigeria. Occupying a public office is seen as an avenue to loot money and satisfy personal angrandisement. No one cares any longer. Our politicians now see themselves as gods.

To many Nigerians, good and portable water is now a luxury. Better get yourself a borehole because none of the state water boards are functioning again except in FCT.

Taking a loan from a bank is like signing a death warrant, because you can never pay it back. The economy of the nation is so bad that many can no longer afford 3 square meal in a day. It is indeed that terrible.

Nigeria has become a country with no future for its citizens. The same people I read in books and called them former leaders are still leading me till today! When will the future of the youths now come?

Frustration is all you see on the faces of those young men and women huzling on the streets of our major cities. A lot of workers are being laid off on daily basis most especially those working in the banking sector, economic depression is really hitting hard. Suffering and smiling!!!

Our Security system is the worst in the world! In fact, God has been our security. No wonder we have the biggest churches and congregation in the world. Our security outfits are poorly trained and armed. The prisons are in poor state. Only the rich can afford to get personal security guards. If you don't know how to tip police men on check points, you will always be accused of flouting one law or the other. Bribery is now a norm in the society.

Bureucracy is at is peak. Tribalism has reached an unprecedented height in recent times. My background now determines how the government of the day should treat me in case I am looking for job or favour in any of the federal ministries.

Inflation is at its peak, and with a meagre salary, surviving in Nigeria is almost impossible. As a young lawyer in Nigeria, most law firms pay you something within the rage of 70–150 USD a month. You start asking yourself, is this why I wasted 6 years of my life in the university and Law school for?

And in the face of all these challenges, you have a government that is either ill informed and unequipped to tackle the challenges or rather overwhelmed by it. Some proponents sees it as a political strategy by the political class to keep allowing the populace to be improvished so as to always use that disability to keep elongating their stay in power.

These and many more are the reasons why Nigerians Flee Nigeria. To get a better life abroad. Many doesn't mind doing menial jobs on the streets of Canada and earning more than 1000USD monthly, than parading as a professional in Nigeria and earning less than 150USD monthly with no joy and peace to live a healthy life.

I pray that the glory of the past years be revealed again. Let Nigeria be great again, we have the best brains in the world to drive the country to an enviable height in all sector of human living, we just need the political will to get there.

“May the Labours of our Heroes past never be in vain”

I love Nigeria.

This your story omo,wetin I know be say nothing dey naija,he who dey hear me make em hear me wella.
If you get OPT jet out of this country,do so.

You said it all.

Nigeria is the melting pot,and the excaped gases are in equilibrium with the condenced ones...so we are developing at the same rate of of our backwardness...that's why you won't see things change.

The poors are getting rich,the richer is getting richest,the rich getting broke.

New powers emerge,old ones decline(excluding his glory IBB).

We just want to block of our backwards,so that the equilibrium will fall and circular progress vanish.

We just move forward,but in circular with the rapid movement.

Everything you said is true. I don't have time to read all these long write-ups especially not about nigeria.

Wtf man

Because they have no balls. They should listen to Eric Donaldson's "This is the land of my birth "