on the way to 2019

“How fortunate for our leaders that man does not think” I once read. This to me is not completely true. Our leaders are more than fortunate but man is constantly thinking_ fact! Man will keep the thought process on for as long as there is grey matter enclosed within his cranial walls.

However, the quality of his thought processes differ in different parts of the world. While some prosper by thinking their way through to developmental advancements, many of us have resorted to think things would get better as long as we are praying in patience and so we take important issues lightly and even make jokes out of issues that are threats to national interest in the process.

Let me state emphatically that in the course of this discourse you may have reasons to disagree with me but I will respect that you have a right to your opinions whether contrary or otherwise. I again hope that at the end we shall find a common ground to pitch tents.

Once upon a time we were held spell bound by foreigners who came into our country with the aim of exploiting us. This they did almost with ease. To cut the long gist some of us (who were educated, enlightened, young, willing and had the interest of our country at heart) decided that it was time Nigeria broke free from the clutches of colonialism. They decided that it was time to change the status quo and get Nigerians involved in Nigeria’s running. With the limited resources available then, they gave their time, money, strength, sweat and blood for one course_ to give Nigeria back to Nigerians! They believed that only Nigerians could better Nigeria because we knew and understood our problems better or so we thought. And so these individuals collectively maximized the potential benefits inherent in the traditional media of Newspapers to speak out and orient other Nigerians that the time has come.

The likes of Ernest Ikoli of the African Messenger, Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony Enahoro, Chris Anyanwu and so on walked their thoughts and talks through the pages of newspapers_ the media of communication that was available and even costly to operate then. Even when this Self rule was realized they did not stop. There was the need to look into how the affair of government was run to ensure good governance. Thus, the likes of Wole Soyinka, Bola Ige, Agwu Okpanki, Tai Solarin spoke up and campaigned massively in favour of good governance because only that would ensure that the dividends of democracy gets to all. Even during the Military interregnum people still fought repressive rule and advocated for the subject matter.

The above time has long gone as many water have gone under the bridge. Where are we now? Now that we have more educated, enlightened, young population? Now that we have more young graduates and post graduates than before? Now that we have much freedom of self expression than as it were? Now that ICT has engendered the proliferation of information and communication and knowledge and what have you? Now that we are at a better advantaged edge over the youths of the yesteryears who fought when the white chained us, when soldiers jailed us, how well have we fared?

Some of us believe it is the same youths from way back that have formed a cabal that has since taken government and governance as their property_ unwilling to bow out to allow today’s more intelligent, educated, better understanding, exposed and active young generation to make impact but have we all forgotten so soon that power is not given on a platter of gold?

Around the 1600 and 1700s there was a fight for independence and civil war in America where Virginia a south Atlantic state took the lead. What about the revolution that transpired in England? Remember the one that happened in France? _the French Revolution where the brutality of the aristocrats towards the masses gave rise to a popular uprising which led to the elimination of the upper class and abolished the monarchy forever. This indeed points to the fact that power is taken by force!

You probably didn’t know about the aforementioned but do we need to know that some people somewhere decided to fight to bring about good governance in their respective countries before doing what is right? At the risk of self contradicting myself, I’d say that we may not really need to cause wars to bring our leaders back to sanity but we need some sort of revolution that will clearly mark out the fact that power belongs to the masses always. It’s about time we woke up! Things are happening around us and we only just started moving the motion for our leaders to give way for the younger generation as if that’s the only solution to the myriads of Nigeria’s problems. Not too long ago we had a young president who happens to be the most educated president Nigeria has ever had in the person of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (PHd). What happened under his leadership has since been manifesting as the recession the country’s economy dovetailed into during PMB’s. Dimeji Bankole was an educated youth, Alison Madueke too, Stella Odua and now we have Yahaya Bello and Dino Melaye. Their actions by far have not represented the yearnings of Nigerians. It is almost like asking for good governance is too much of a request to make.

We’ve had to put up with PDP for so long a time with near nothing to show for despite our oil production and exportation of same. Proceeds from this commodity were looted abroad instead of using same to develop the Giant of Africa. We decided to pass the baton to APC and within four years Nigerians are losing jobs from unemployment, Nigerians are dying from Insecurity, lies are covered up with more lies to the extent they now help us create distractions just so we don’t get to see the reality on ground. Just recently a whooping sum of #24billion was used to erect EFCC’s complex and while this happened we focused our attention on the blunders made by the IGP while presenting a speech in Kano. What about the cases of animals who were accused of swallowing millions of Nigerian Nairas cum how rats chased the president out of the villa? Can we at least agree that the aforementioned are detrimental to national interest? If yes then why have we decided to become self proclaimed standup comedians who go about making jokes off serious issues instead of standing up like the youths from way back did to win us Freedom? Why!?

While we are quick to say that today’s leaders have failed the country despite the numerous resources we are blessed with, we failed woefully too. Despite the education and exposure we’ve had and the heightened level of awareness we’ve attained, we’ve gotten ourselves bad leaders and have failed to make some responsibly accountable. Instead of priding ourselves Africa’s largest economy, Giant of Africa and largest black nation with nothing to show for, it would have made sense to show the world that this nation is one where true power resides with the masses.

Stop the hullabaloos and get involved in the process. We must not start and end at electioneering. We must support/cooperate with leaders when issues of national interest are at stake. As employers (electorates) we must believe in the capability/ability of those we employ (vote for) and ensure that they deliver. It is not enough to get your PVCs, exercise your franchise and criticize the government of the day. The system should be such that power truly belongs to the people and we should begin to set simple and easy-to-act modalities to check, punish as well as impeach erring serving leaders. The law should be allowed to rule and not man according to Mexico’s ex president Philippe for if the masses agree to this, indeed power will be theirs.

Furthermore, It’s time for a New Nigeria Orientation. Let the ‘na me wan repair Nigeria?’ rhetoric go and accept the reality that if we must have good governance the people must themselves be good leaders and followers alike. Remember that you are a product of the society. We must now realize that we are Nigerians in one Nigeria and if we don’t begin to solve our problems business-mindedly now, history will record a failed generation who never thought it’s wise to savage their problems by seeking, having and maintaining good governance at all levels.

__Jeremiah Kadiri