THE NIGERIA WE DREAM OF

Azeez Oluwadamilola

Back in 1960, we dreamt of a Nigeria that would be ruled by the sons of the soil. Baba Awo and others dreamt of a Nigeria where there is peace and tranquility. A Nigeria where everyone has enough to eat and drink. A Nigeria where everyone has equal right and no one is above the law. A Nigeria where everyone will be happy and no one will have to go abroad. A Nigeria where there is milk and honey. A Nigeria where the lives of her inhabitants are secured. A Nigeria where human beings are not butchered like animals. A Nigeria where there is justice. A Nigeria where the fundamental human rights of the people are protected. This is the Nigeria we dream of.

But what do we have? A Nigeria where blood rains instead of water. A Nigeria where only a few exist. A Nigeria where darkness is celebrated. A Nigeria where corruption and other social vices have become the order of the day. A Nigeria where only the rich has a voice. A Nigeria where only the rich get ‘good’ education. A Nigeria where religious and regional interest is the priority at the expense of economy and intellectual growth. A Nigeria that swallows the dream of her inhabitants both ‘hook, line and sinker’.

Was this the Nigeria we dreamt of? Is this the Nigeria we want? Is this the Nigeria we want to leave for the next generation? Is this the Nigeria the almighty planned and created for us?

CAN WE GET THE NIGERIA WE WANT?

There isn’t going to be a better Nigeria except we make deliberate effort to make her what we want her to be.

Let’s start with you, are you not a hindrance to the Nigeria we dream of? Ok, Forget all that has happened and everything our past leaders have done to make Nigeria what it is today. Just like the popular saying, ‘you don’t cry over spilt milk’. Enough of the blame games and pointing accusing finger, let’s take the bull at the horn.

But wait, are you not worse than those you point accusing finger at? Are you not a thief, a cheat, a hater? Are you not corrupt yourself? Don’t you change figures too? Don’t you collect money for calculator and never buy it? That’s what some of our leader do too. Are you even interested in the welfare of the people around you or you are not as greedy as those who brought us into this mess?

Are you interested in leaving the country a better place for the unborn generation? Think about it.

If you can just be sincere with yourself, remove from your life all the corrupt attitude and greedy attitude we point at in the lives of our leaders. Then Nigeria will be a better place.

If all we do is care about ourselves alone, abhor hatred in our heart— religious and tribal hatered, if we can’t tolerate one another’s differences, and all we do is blame! blame! blame! Then we are not ready for a better Nigeria.

For a better Nigeria, we must see ourselves as one, love one another regardless of tribe or religion. Everyone should be ready to render selfless service. Only then can we have a better Nigeria.

Above all, there must be LOVE! Love and love again. If we can all love one another and see ourselves as human, created by God to rule the earth, then, we are ready for the Nigeria we dream of.