₦airaland Forum

So first, so let us look at how, once, we wanted to be perceived by the world.

Nigeria at the time of independence was viewed as one of the leading lights of sub-Saharan Africa, a future “superpower” some whispered. In those heady days, the Father of noted polemicist and former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode could wax lyrical in the House of Representatives about the country’s “manifest destiny”.

The achievements of the era, worthy though they were, could be compared to colossi built on feet of clay. Clay in this case being our old friend, crude oil.

We had gone from Prime Minister Balewa saying [at a UN address, laying out steps for our intervention in the Congo]: “Nigeria is prepared to make its experience available and to send technical experts to assist in planning and development for the future. We can also lend professors and teaching staff from the time to give short courses and lectures, and I assure you that many qualified Nigerians are eager to take part in such work during their school and college vacations.” to practically begging our most qualified citizenry to stay. From the 1980s till now, we had become and remain a situation that must be salvaged

The below shows the number of people living in extreme poverty globally. China has PROGRESSED!, Ethiopia has progressed, we HAVE NOT!! That is the honest truth. Africa may be rising, but Nigeria is not.

The major reason “why”, I would say is we, “the people”. Our contentment with mediocrity. National and economic progress are neither created nor maintained by outsiders. Unless we decide to build Nigeria, nobody else can or will do it for us. That is the honest truth, everything else at this point is just sophistry. Take a look at the chart once more, the only explanation is our collective malaise. Indonesia, India, Ethiopia all have the challenges we often claim as obstacles and yet the disparity between us and them is so stark. Too much so.

Modern Nigeria at this point it seems to me is divided into:
* Those who do not see the coming storm.
* Those who do, but think they can survive alone.
* Those who do and plan on being far away.
* Those who do, but do not care, because in this moment the storm hovers in the horizon.
That would makes us a nation, more a hotel of strangers.

NO

yes o! plenty

dollytino4real:
yes o! plenty

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