Liberty vs Tyranny in Nigeria (1)

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. ~                                                                                                         Thomas Jefferson

The Nigeria of our dream is a land of liberty. We want it to be a country where government will stop to take us for a ride. We should endeavour to make the government to respect our views about every policy they intend to introduce. But if they don’t have respect for us, our liberty is but a big dream. Nigeria government since independence has always been unfair to Nigeria. We can't count on any of them that has been fair   on Nigerians. They ought to have repaired the breach of colonialism, but they deliberately started neocolonialism. If the all the government that we have had since independence has been committed to the welfare of every Nigerian, life expectancy in Nigeria should be at 90 years plus by the reason of the abundance of natural resources. Our human resources hold sway in the world over.

The agenda is how we can readily call our leaders to order. We need to make them to fear us or we will taken for granted all our lives and keep on day dreaming for a change that is not imminent. The first step is to place every aspect of our governance under close public scrutiny. We should let go of assumptions and start to ask questions. We must make them to fear us. If Nigerians had not vehemently stood their ground about subsidy, we will be buying a litre 350 Naira by now. We stood our ground and said no to tyranny and we were respected but betrayed by a give and take labour movement.  

But as it is in the present day Nigeria, we fear still our leaders. We need not fear them but confront them. After all,  The government is being managed by incapable persons. We will say no to tyranny by saying no to this present era of selection where imposition is the order of the day. We must endeavour to have a credible election. Our choice of leader must be accepted. It doesn’t matter what anyone wants. Edo State indigenes just made a choice that was engendered by good governance. It should be like this anytime we go to pools. 2015 is around the corner, we must whittle how we it to be now.

This is what to do in a time like this to seize our future and that of this emerging generation from the hands of these losers and looters, opportunists, pilferers, and corrupt people at the helms of affairs. This is what to do now in to make Nigeria of our dream real. We must arise and say no to tyranny and corruption. We will get there but we must take the responsibility to take us there. God bless Nigeria! 

   

What our problem is!!!

America's  40th President and oldest ever elected at age 69, Ronald Reagan, in his inaugural address on January 20 1981, said 'Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem'. In Nigeria's context, what is our problem? who is our problem?

There is a worldview about government in Nigeria as a mere institution and the persons are in it are sacred and invincible. Anything government in Nigeria is more of the monuments and moments, not responsibility and commitment to service and delivery of electioneering flattery. After all, politicians in the world over way of life is flattery. What is our problem? Who is the government?

The Government is made up of persons and it implies Government is human, and not necessarily our historical monuments and the duration of its stay in power. It is human even if it indulges in inhuman activities. But what is Nigeria's problem? Government? No. Who or what? Nigeria's fundamental problem has always been laid on the government but it is not entirely so. Nigeria's basic problem is her citizenry.

This has to do with our mindset, believe system, values and convictions. We are overly expectant of our brand of leaders as if they are not the product of our system. The problem is our system that is simply change resistant. If a leader arises and intends to visit the sins and misgivings of our past, people will moan and groan. We are emotionally tied to culture and people group. If he or she is our kinsmen, no problem. But if not, they should be punished. Our system is the problem and if it is taken care of, no one will be able to confront it. An average Nigerian is selfish. If you think you are not, when last did you say, 'God bless Nigeria'?

Think about these things. We are capable of taking our destiny into our hands. We are the problem. When we solve this, we will celebrate the Nigeria of our dream on the mountain top.

  

Give us real Men in Nigeria

God give us men. A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands:
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor--men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And scorn his treacherous flatteries without winking;
Tall men sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty, and in private thinking.
                                                             ANON.

This thought is anonymous and it is older than the amalgamation of the Nigeria State but it is most relevant to our Nigeria context. We really need men in Nigeria. True men. Read the lines thoughtfully.

The poem is taken from 'Architects of Fate' by Orison Swett Marden and was published in 1895.