Thus have I heard! That we should seek not what our country can do for us; but rather we should seek what we can do for our country. It is in accordance with this saying that I take it upon myself to try and capture in writing the optimism of a believer in the Nigeria project. Cynics may see this as an apologia for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, but it does not matter. I am convinced it is also the view of many progressive minded Nigerians.
At 51, what is there to celebrate? So the questions would go. Is it poverty, unemployment, gang-rape, insecurity of lives and property in their manifold expressions that we celebrate? My answer is that we have lived with pessimism over the years and it has not changed many things. Rather it only served to undermine the progress efforts of successive civilian leaders. Those who think the job of leadership is child’s play must be very under an illusion. Over how many hundred million people across the entire length and breadth of this country with myriad challenges and prejudices and the subversive activities of certain elements in the guise of militant organizations and tendencies to grapple with is not really a small task. And on top of it all, the absence of support and encouragement for the persons in the helm of affairs. Is this good enough followership to exhibit? We are very bitter in our tirades against those in offices of trust. We are impatient in our demands. We want very quick solutions to troubles we have accumulated over the decades. We are righteous in our indignation. We go so far as carry on protest rallies. We call our leaders unruly names: dull, lacking in political will, etc. And we call ourselves patriotic?
However, not minding the calumny on our leaders, I choose to go the way of patriotism and optimism. I rather choose to see a Nigeria which is working. I see a Nigeria with improving electoral processes and greater confidence in the judiciary as the arbiter of what is considered just. I see a Nigeria with firmer thrusts to create jobs for the teeming unemployed as demonstrated by the GEJ administration. I see a Nigeria with better women representation in government. We can easily express our opinion today without fear of harassment.
In just about 12years of the democratic experiment and we have been able to achieve these. Our democracy is working. Our institutions of public interest are reviving. There is improvement in the way foreigners regard us. Many investors are coming to Nigeria and the prospects of employment gets better with the entry of every one investor. It is enough to celebrate knowing that much more is yet to come. We should assume an attitude of gratitude; for some hold ingratitude to be the greatest sin people commit.