Nigeria 53 Years: Celebrating In Mourning
Nigeria
53 Years: Celebrating In Mourning by M.B.O Owolowo
What exactly are we celebrating, the fact that there are numerous students roaming the streets due to ASUU strike, or the high unemployment rate; a dire situation with many societal implications- as prostitution seems to be the 'easy' route for many of the affected females.
Are we celebrating Nigeria is currently regarded one of the worst places to be born, or is it the poor mortality rate that is worthy of celebration?
People aren't naturally bad but turned bad based on societal norms and adopted ethos- sadly this has been exacerbated by the vision-less rulers (not leaders), in charge.
With the right leadership at the helm of affairs, majority will follow suit and exhibit goodness: knowing there will be communal reward for their good deeds and severe consequences for their wrongdoings.
But, a culture that promotes self-aggrandizement and handsomely rewards 'piracy' and or 'militancy' has serious conscientious issues.
We need to reinvent the culture of discipline, honesty, diligence in hard work and being your brothers keeper- amongst many other good practices.
The task of rejuvenating our polity is for all of us, as we all have a part to play. For this societal revamp to be effective in contemporary Nigeria, that change (clean-up exercise) would be most effective from the top- leading by example model.
Those gallivanting with the wealth of the majority should remember though, your celebration is in vain, as you are surrounded by squalor- sooner or later those you have looted from will strike back in full measure.
This should be a time for sober reflection ideally, at 53 I am not celebrating Nigeria but mourning the continuous killing of innocent citizens; the future leaders of our nation. I am ruing the fact that our President has indicted he isn’t fully abreast with the security situation, as many citizens are wondering who is really safe.
My beloved Nigeria, I acknowledge you on your 53rd birthday but I am not celebrating you at this very moment. This is dedicated to all those who have lost their lives needlessly, may your souls Rest In Peace, Amen.
2013©
May be the inept refineries or erratic electricity supply are causes for independence day gyration.
Those in the corridors of power will surely use the slightest opportunity to celebrate anything, as the rest of the nation observes our declivity in anguish.
It is depressing enough natural and human resources are wasting continually, coupled with the squandering of our wealth by vision-less rulers, but, innocent people being killed by a dreaded sect just tops the list of our failings. The uncertainties about the terrorist group Boko Haram's leader Ahmed Shekau, depicts the reality of our security quagmire. Astonishingly, our President openly confessed he doesn’t know if Shekau is 'dead or alive', a comment that has elicited mixed reactions amongst Nigerians: honesty or maladroit? The choice is yours to make.
I woke up to the sad news of the Yobe Massacre some days ago, one of the stories on The Guardian stated:
“Suspected Islamic extremists have gunned down dozens of students as they slept in their dormitories during a night-time attack on an agricultural college in north-east Nigeria, the school's provost said.” "They attacked our students while they were sleeping, they opened fire at them,"
Whilst I slept that night, I wondered the horror of being slaughtered in my sleep and thought of what went through the minds of those poor students as they were attacked-did they even have time to think!
I have tried really hard to make sense of the senseless killing of these innocent students in Yobe during the wee hours of the morning, and I have tried harder to accept Nigeria currently has a president who may or may not have come to terms with his role as Commander In Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
At times I wished the President uses the same amount of energy exerted on Rivers State politics to tackle the security issue pervading the nation. It would be beneficial to the polity if the zeal for pushing his uncertain second term ambition was at par with ridding the nation of corrupt practices and pursuing corrupt related cases to a logical conclusion.
But, these are mere wishes and the reality on-ground contradicts the expectations of true patriots concerned about the direction the nation is taking. Unfortunately, the system has been structured by the “bad eggs” in our midst to facilitate and perpetuate corruption and impunity.
A society that doesn’t value life, only spells doom and gloom for the future; making the task of imbibing patriotism and nation building specially ardent.
Many people wonder why some of us bother, that those in power are more concerned about the squandering of resources and we are speaking to the wind, my belief is there are millions of good people out there and a whole new generation yearning for direction- though the dearth of good leadership has been one of the major challenges, there is hope. As patriots we mustn’t relent and must continue to prod the cause till the good ones amongst us emerge and take hold of affairs.
As I have stated I am not celebrating Nigeria at 53, because there is nothing to celebrate in the true sense- except you are part of those involved in the 'oil theft' racket or those sharing the commonwealth of the citizenry, then maybe you may have some cause to celebrate.
As some of my fellow Nigerians have stated, may be the recent ringing of bell by President Goodluck Jonathan at the New York Stock Exchange is cause for celebration- indeed our president has joined a unique league of NYSE bell ringers which includes, Mickey Mouse, Pink Panther, Darth Vader, Snoop Dogg, and Arunma Oteh; who rung the bell in 2011, congratulations to you Sir!
However, Nigeria's independence isn’t about Goodluck Jonathan or his presidency, neither is it about his presidential ambition or politicking squabbles, it is about the current state of the nation, the future of a nation and its citizenry.
-M.B.O
What exactly are we celebrating, the fact that there are numerous students roaming the streets due to ASUU strike, or the high unemployment rate; a dire situation with many societal implications- as prostitution seems to be the 'easy' route for many of the affected females.
Are we celebrating Nigeria is currently regarded one of the worst places to be born, or is it the poor mortality rate that is worthy of celebration?
People aren't naturally bad but turned bad based on societal norms and adopted ethos- sadly this has been exacerbated by the vision-less rulers (not leaders), in charge.
With the right leadership at the helm of affairs, majority will follow suit and exhibit goodness: knowing there will be communal reward for their good deeds and severe consequences for their wrongdoings.
But, a culture that promotes self-aggrandizement and handsomely rewards 'piracy' and or 'militancy' has serious conscientious issues.
We need to reinvent the culture of discipline, honesty, diligence in hard work and being your brothers keeper- amongst many other good practices.
The task of rejuvenating our polity is for all of us, as we all have a part to play. For this societal revamp to be effective in contemporary Nigeria, that change (clean-up exercise) would be most effective from the top- leading by example model.
Those gallivanting with the wealth of the majority should remember though, your celebration is in vain, as you are surrounded by squalor- sooner or later those you have looted from will strike back in full measure.
This should be a time for sober reflection ideally, at 53 I am not celebrating Nigeria but mourning the continuous killing of innocent citizens; the future leaders of our nation. I am ruing the fact that our President has indicted he isn’t fully abreast with the security situation, as many citizens are wondering who is really safe.
My beloved Nigeria, I acknowledge you on your 53rd birthday but I am not celebrating you at this very moment. This is dedicated to all those who have lost their lives needlessly, may your souls Rest In Peace, Amen.
2013©
May be the inept refineries or erratic electricity supply are causes for independence day gyration.
Those in the corridors of power will surely use the slightest opportunity to celebrate anything, as the rest of the nation observes our declivity in anguish.
It is depressing enough natural and human resources are wasting continually, coupled with the squandering of our wealth by vision-less rulers, but, innocent people being killed by a dreaded sect just tops the list of our failings. The uncertainties about the terrorist group Boko Haram's leader Ahmed Shekau, depicts the reality of our security quagmire. Astonishingly, our President openly confessed he doesn’t know if Shekau is 'dead or alive', a comment that has elicited mixed reactions amongst Nigerians: honesty or maladroit? The choice is yours to make.
I woke up to the sad news of the Yobe Massacre some days ago, one of the stories on The Guardian stated:
“Suspected Islamic extremists have gunned down dozens of students as they slept in their dormitories during a night-time attack on an agricultural college in north-east Nigeria, the school's provost said.” "They attacked our students while they were sleeping, they opened fire at them,"
Whilst I slept that night, I wondered the horror of being slaughtered in my sleep and thought of what went through the minds of those poor students as they were attacked-did they even have time to think!
I have tried really hard to make sense of the senseless killing of these innocent students in Yobe during the wee hours of the morning, and I have tried harder to accept Nigeria currently has a president who may or may not have come to terms with his role as Commander In Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
At times I wished the President uses the same amount of energy exerted on Rivers State politics to tackle the security issue pervading the nation. It would be beneficial to the polity if the zeal for pushing his uncertain second term ambition was at par with ridding the nation of corrupt practices and pursuing corrupt related cases to a logical conclusion.
But, these are mere wishes and the reality on-ground contradicts the expectations of true patriots concerned about the direction the nation is taking. Unfortunately, the system has been structured by the “bad eggs” in our midst to facilitate and perpetuate corruption and impunity.
A society that doesn’t value life, only spells doom and gloom for the future; making the task of imbibing patriotism and nation building specially ardent.
Many people wonder why some of us bother, that those in power are more concerned about the squandering of resources and we are speaking to the wind, my belief is there are millions of good people out there and a whole new generation yearning for direction- though the dearth of good leadership has been one of the major challenges, there is hope. As patriots we mustn’t relent and must continue to prod the cause till the good ones amongst us emerge and take hold of affairs.
As I have stated I am not celebrating Nigeria at 53, because there is nothing to celebrate in the true sense- except you are part of those involved in the 'oil theft' racket or those sharing the commonwealth of the citizenry, then maybe you may have some cause to celebrate.
As some of my fellow Nigerians have stated, may be the recent ringing of bell by President Goodluck Jonathan at the New York Stock Exchange is cause for celebration- indeed our president has joined a unique league of NYSE bell ringers which includes, Mickey Mouse, Pink Panther, Darth Vader, Snoop Dogg, and Arunma Oteh; who rung the bell in 2011, congratulations to you Sir!
However, Nigeria's independence isn’t about Goodluck Jonathan or his presidency, neither is it about his presidential ambition or politicking squabbles, it is about the current state of the nation, the future of a nation and its citizenry.
-M.B.O
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