When Nigeria’s founding fathers laid out a vision for the country, they, perhaps meant well and hoped that the future would be rosy and enchanting.
Exactly 61 years later, the country, without being unnecessarily fatalistic, has sunk into the deepest waters of disrepair, disunity and despair.
Yes, the original vision was that the many nations and ethnicities, North and South of the Niger, with over 300 languages, differing tribes, and religions, would forge some kind of unity. Unfortunately, this has not been so.
At this point, the most sensible thing for citizens is to begin to ask questions. Fortunately, Nigerians are all over the world doing wonderfully well in all human endeavors. It means we have the human capacity to attain greatness.
It is therefore not out of place to call for patriots to start asking questions with the sole aim of coming up with sincere, genuine and practicable solutions to the country’s problems.
From us at Parrot Xtra Media Network, our fervent belief is that citizens of Nigeria need absolutely intensive reorientation. Our value systems have completely broken down.
A visit to any of our major cities will confirm this – from the driving habits to environmental cleanliness, down to state of our roads, the signs are vivid and nobody seems to care. We have completely embraced injustice and unfairness. Corruption has generally taken over. Of course, the end result of this is utter bad governance that has, as expected, produced insecurity.
What of our family units? The children will not help parents to run errands if there is no element of being ‘bribed’ with data on their phones. In addition, the child is hopelessly in a haste to be ‘richer than his or her parents’ and thus, is ready to engage in internet fraud popularly called ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ or ‘Yahoo Yahoo Plus’. Most parents shamelessly welcome this.
The nation needs a leadership that will kickstart this national re-orientation, a leadership that will, in deeds, practice what it preaches. And the time for this is NOW. Time is fast running out.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
