Nigeria who should be a land of abundance for all people, a beacon of hope for the black people everywhere, and a major player of global political economy. But Nigeria is found wanting in all of the above mentioned abilities. In our case it seems that we are trapped in the potentially great zone.
Our per capita income is nothing to take home or lament on because we are expected to be one of the countries with the lowest economy and social indicators are in dismal. Our physical and social infrastructures are in disrepair and our people are increasingly pensive, irritable and disillusioned to the breaking point.
For us to move forward as a people’s nation, as a building with solitude all these bad attitudes of ours must change. But change cannot be wished into being. All hands must be on deck; we must work hard for a possible positive change, and we are sure to have some work to do. Our tasks have been compounded by decades of misrule, by shallow policy choices, by pervasive corruption, among other things.
Such heavy combinations of bad omens in my country have only lead us to under-development and more still poverty of abject nature. However, this vicious cycle we must break together as a people. We all have our stakes and roles to play in revitalising this great nation and in making it work again.
It is a hard task indeed but the reward of hard work they say is greater than hard work itself. We frittered away the opportunities of pulling our potentials together for our independence. Many decades had passed and today, we are all witnesses to the outcome of it. Losing faith and hope in everything, in politics, in people, in institutions and in the country.
It is hard to blame us for our past but cynicism is easy. The hard part is thinking of ways out of the bind and working for change when I mean change I mean the real change, transformation and rebirth.
Change is the medicine we need for our moving forward, and the change can be adopted in selfless service, honesty, sincerity, dedication, hard work, and commitment.
My father once told me this story, a story that motivates me and it goes like this: An old man planted an apple tree, people laughed at him and said:” Why do you plant this tree? Many years it will take to get fruits and by that time you are already died?” The old man replied them thus:” I know that I wouldn’t be alive to eat the fruit of this my tree, but after many years those who will eat from this tree will be grateful to me.” I learnt so many lessons from this story it gives me a hint about selfless service and its meaning.
Selfless service does not look for personal gains. It is giving and the joy derived from it is incomparable. For one to live authentically in this life you must live part of your life selflessly. The very aim of our living is to liberate man from his dilemma. Liberation and selfless service begins with you and me today.
Nigeria will be better if we act and work towards eradicating corruption and make Nigeria great and a happy society free of poverty.
Make it real.
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