After reading Ibhade's- Housewife tales- post(please look for hers and read) on her estate wahalas, it got me thinking so much about this country called Niger-area.
Hmm, IT IS WELL-though an awesome word in the scripture- is one unusually used cliche to wave off the obvious. But I choose not to lie to myself this morning that all is well because the problems are so glaringly ugly,irksome and sad. I may ramble abit but follow my flow keenly:
I'm not one person given to criticising nigeria because in all honesty I have a deep seated passion for her but this "fifty γεαr old-looking baby" at this moment needs to grow up. My sixty something γεαr old mum cannot be shitting in her pants nor my four γεαr old nephew,he knows he would be spanked. But it seems my dear Nigeria is like one country with all the shitty problems stuck to her pants. Its either government is reeling out a bla blah point agenda/propaganda on things its yet to achieve, or its passing bills into laws(laws yet to be properly effected) or efcc is-boring us with news on- diverse probes and arrest of Ex law makers or an ex-governor or ex-one somebody or the other. The cases never seem to have an end. Now how much has been recovered at least right from 1998(after the dictator passed)? How much of all the millions recovered from Swiss banks or stashed away has been used to build this country to International standard? I mean built to a point where NITEL(a government owned telecoms) provides cheap call rates and we can spend a while talking on phone and pay less? Or NIPOST(government owned postal service) is taking letters round Nigeria in less than forty eight hours, where at the Ports Authority goods are cleared,etc ASAP, where the railway corporation is working 2-4-7 and we won't need to fly bikes on major roads or struggle with rickety buses. Where immigration, customs, Police face their duties responsibly without oiling hands, where we won't have to sink our boreholes but fetch and drink water supplied by water corporation, where Nigeria Airways is the national carrier used by many with very sane air fares, where environmental Sanitation agencies clean every nook and cranny, clear gutters, empty dust bins and even provide bins in strategic places for people to throw refuse. I mean, where Fire service and emergency help lines are in order,not arriving one hour after a crisis.
Where this nation state as oil producers will sell PMS(premium motor spirit) and other petroleum products at an affordable rate; where government hospitals are equipped and people won't have to "kick the bucket" because of negligence and a care free attitude; where NEPA/PHCN supply uninterrupted power (and I weep right now) #hiss and all other like NTA, NN-acronym and NN-parastatals are JUST WORKING as it was when I was young....
My God, HAVE MERCY! This country should be a million miles away from where it is now.
Do I blame the government alone? NO! Should the government perform better than it is doing right now? An uncountable YES from me.
But do Nigerians need to change their perspective and comments made about this country?YES. Can we make constructive criticism and join hands to build than stand back saying; "Nigeria issue no concern me or I no wan get headache on top naija mata? YES.
Even if you live in the moon and your name is "Ada, Eno, Yetunde, Hassan, your roots will still be traced back to Nigeria, every time you hear there's fire in Niger Delta, killings in Aba/Onitsha or Northern Nigeria,you will hold your breathe making frantic calls, praying it doesn't reach your loved ones.
Don't mind my lamentation this early morning. Its Ibhade's write up that's made me think so deep and I've attached a paraphrased comment I dropped on hers;
"...No amount of the "it is well" cliche can change Nigeria except we all stand up and effect changes where we can. You may not agree with me here but I believe our attitude(everyone)MUST change if Nigeria is to be like the Western countries we compare it to. People live orderly lives there and choose to abide by laid down laws. If government isn't working hard at keeping Nigeria clean,some of us dirty it even more. You find stacks of refuse,bottles, pure water wraps,food wraps, name them in gutters and on streets. At times I marvel at how sane people can live in dingy squalors-365 days of their lives- waiting for government to come and clean their immediate environs. I pass by some restaurants, stalls in the market and almost puke.
We live like lawless people always waiting for the government. Now who's the government?There are you and me who get into power and suddenly lose sight of their duties and problems in the land. There are those civil servants, neighbours etc who are dispassionate, lackadaisical,non chalant and passive about their jobs.
Our attitude must change as we play our part: Let's build our country with our words, Keep Nigeria clean, don't throw things on the road like a woman I sat with today who flung her gum on the road. In fact throwing things on the road and in gutters is a plague(sane educated or literate people throw gala wraps and bottles out of their cars). We need to learn/keep simple laws or make laws to guide you e.g queue up everywhere and don't jump the line, obey traffic rules etc."
I don't mean to be pessimistic or sound critical,but I'm stating the facts while looking to God the final judge for help. As Ezekiel in the 37th Chapter was led to the valley of dry bones, I stand there now looking at my dear country like those bones saying LORD thou knowest what will become of this country in five years but I speak to the dry bones to LIVE amen. I pray you Lord to scatter the cabals, dissolve caucus and godfathers surrounding the seat of power hindering progress.
I know without a shadow of doubt that Nigeria is a few steps away from change and it shall stand amen.
I say as provoked;
"NIGERIA shall FLOURISH again amen. "
