Hello Nigeria, welcome to my thought-world and welcome back from the nation-wide stike that almost crippled our economy in a matter of days.
A few days ago I was in an e-conference and a partner based in the UK said something that stroke me “The problem of Nigeria is Nigerians” after thinking and interviewing people about that statement, I came to the conclusion that the problems of Nigeria is HOME GROWN.We did not import underdevelopment from anywhere, neither did we all go abroad to take courses on curruption and its accomplices (Nigerian Factor).
I have met a lot of peeople who believe our ex-colonozers are our problem (they forget that in recent times ,these same people dish out millions of dollars annually to help dvelope Nigeria) but I disagree, this is not to say that colonial practices did not contibute to some of the socio-political challenges we face today.
The problem is this, they gave us freedom, but we did not free our minds.We fought for indepence but did not free our minds from mental slavery thereafter.Let me give you a simple example of what I mean.We all still refer to our ex-colonozers as colonial masters,meaning we are still colonial servants, sounds simple but it shows in the actions of a huge percentage of Nigerians.Our leaders dance to the tune of “big brothers” so as to get foreign Aid (that they often do not use judiciusly ).This “colonial servant” mindset is what make the average Nigerian (both in other underdeveloped nations) run abroad to look for the proverbial greener pasture ….It has been argued that the worst kind of slavery is mental slavery.We are yet to buy into BRAND NIGERIA in our minds.For there to be a BETTER NIGERIA ,we have to buy into BRAND NIGERIA.Our leaders have to break with the past, think independently and stop been swayed by the waves of globalisation, they should work out ways to match global trends with local realities.
We have also lost touch with those down-to-earth fundamental values that shaped traditional African societies.How can you explain this-a prominent public office holder is being probed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commision and his community and committee of friends are busy giving him chieftancy titles and awards.I bet you, it can not happen any where in the world.Something is wrong somewhere in our value system.
In a typical African setting, the values of integrity,honesty and fairplay is highly esteemeed.Defaulters are frawned at and publicly punished.In pre-colonial days, some rulers were dethroned for currupt practices.Today the reverse is the case.To achieve the goal of a BETTER NIGERIA by 2020 we have to go back to our roots.
If I conclude without mentioning corruption I think I have not done justice to this piece.Gone are the days we all sat down and pointed hands at the political class accusing them of corruption.Corruption is everywhere even in bedrooms!According to Darlinton Ogene,the founder of Two Hearts Foundation, “the highest challenge we face in Nigeria is that of curruption in high and low places, that frustrates the implementation of good policies”.Let me give you an assignment, check up the reports of development partners like the UN agencies MPP3 and DFID you will be shocked at the millions of dollars pumped into the country for development , especially in the Niger Delta yet we see little or no progress.I will advice that these agencies monitor where there money is going into.
If you go further to study all the development plan rolled out by different regimes, will will realise that they were all good(except for a few)so what went wrong? -Implementation problen championed by corruption
We have a wrong attitude to nationhood and nation building generally.If we take a survey, I am afriad if we can have 30% of Nigerians who believe in Nigeria.There are several reasons for this.But the primary reason for this loss of confidence in Nigeria, is the protracted decay in leadership that has brought untold hardship to a lot of Nigerian.So nobody wants to depend on the government for anything, we provde our own electricity, water and security.The average citizen see the government as a sparate entity that enjoys the good of the land at the espense of the masses.
Our problems are all made in Nigeria and if we want to solve them we have to start from ourselves.We are all guilty in various degrees.Sometiomes I wonder if we hear of the exploits of Indonesia,Singapore,Malaysia, India and even Brazil.These are nations that were on the same level with us about 3-4 decades ago.But they have simply left us behind.Nigerians, we have to wake up fast.
A recent report by the US based National Intellegeince Committee shows that by 2020 “India’s GDP will have overtaken or be on the threshold of overtaking European economies”.The report also has it that “the economies of developing countries such as Brazil could surpass all but the largest European economies by 20202 ; Indonesia’s economy could approach the economies of individual European economies by 2020”
I am a believer in a BETTER NIGERIA .But we have to first of all accept that we are our problems.And that we do not need expertriattes to solve them.If Professors Chukwuma Soludo and Dora Akunyili could reslove problems in the various sectors they handle, then we can solve our problems ourselves.
Timothy Ogene
Social Entreprenuer
President Young & Speed Africa
www.profiles.takingitglobal.org/thinkblur
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