March 26, 2009
Have you noticed lately how Nigerians at the least provocation or incident or mistake,they flare up?I have observed that the citizenry have become gloomier,more frustrated and belligerent in their attitude and relationships.Besides personal observation,if you have monitored BBC A KARKARA,that has spent more than two weeks today in about seven states of northern Nigeria,Niger,Kebbi,Zamfara,Sokoto,Kano,Jigawa,Kaduna,most respondents are disillusioned from the infrastructure on the ground and the poverty grinding their lives.BBC KARKARA is British Broadcasting Corporation rural program in northern Nigeria gathering how peasants are feeling,their expectations and the impact of democratic governance on their lives particularly.Therefore,the displeasure of many Nigerians with the current government is not confined to expressions of the masses through the BBC program alone.
The long queues waiting for commuter buses in the morning that don’t show up when going to work.The long sorrowful faces at 4pm after closing hours still struggling to board over loaded buses and the abuses that fling from one passenger to another are hyper signs that things are not well.
In the whole history of Nigeria,never has light been so epileptic and unreliable as between 2007 and now.Generators of all sizes have taken over and honestly if I tell you it has not affected my hearing I am not being honest.Every thing has collapsed to the machinery of Government.Civil servants go the office at 11am and by 2pm,virtual the offices are empty.Every one has become a liar.No one keeps to promises made.Children have become impudent and wives,women and mothers are shameless and sell their flesh for money.
Persons and people of influence have become greedier and love of money has increased beyond imagination. All these are cumulative effects of bad leadership.ineffective ruler-ship,vision less politicians and totally corrupt religious and elected leaders.We have become hypocrites and deceitful Nation that in South Africa,Equatorial Guinea,in Saudi Arabia,Britain,China,that even has the highest volume of trade with us,we are rejected,discriminated against and mercilessly murdered ad other times, because of our attitude.The burgeoning economic problems and the number of the unemployed is ever expanding. Compassion and mercy,cannot find space in the hearts of our citizenry any longer.Church leaders are almost beggars and have turned hallowed places into Bureau de Change.
The only good thing they are able to say is that ‘I have not seen you in the church last Sunday.’They are in the church but not in touch with the church and its good principles.They preach Christ,but do not behave like Christ.It is tragic that we are so rich,every thing around is wealth,but the right persons to turn these into finished products.Those who can do it are denied the chance,Clannish groups and cliques have taken over leadership positions and are only good at shuffling papers and signing checks for jobs that have not been executed.
As a way of ending this my thought ,we are getting wearied of inept leadership.We are getting tired of leaders at all levels that cannot perform.Just recently in Madagascar there has been a change of leadership.2011 is not too far away, for the youth of this country to look amongst themselves and bring up a proactive individual who can be firm,who can be decisive and churn opportunities that can serve the interest of the people,not the self-serving bunch of selfish few that are cornering our resources everyday for themselves and their families.We can do away with fear and lay down our lives for the future of our children and grandchildren.I am ready to lay down my life as the sacrificial lamb as Ken Saro Wiwa and martyrs have done as an attempt to make this imminent change. Man must die once.This imminent change must happen.This is the moment to galvanize,mobilize and sensitize the citizenry, that we have enough to go around,but others have decided to sit on it.We can no longer wait.Fellow Nigerian,find one group to join,Join a union,join a constitutional group for a greater Nigeria,for a better leadership,a better marshaling of ideas to lift this country to the next level.Let us stop mourning and look around for clear minds who can ginger.Let us stop getting angrier and pause for a moment and select someone who can drive us to a point of positive change.We can do it.Let us reason together and put our thoughts in one basket and push ourselves,from where we are and salvage ourselves,by ourselves.We can do it.We can.
BY:EMMANUEL Y.KWACHE,FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR ON NATIONAL ISSUES WROTE THIS PIECE FROM NO.30 GAMBIA CRESCENT,BEKAJI ESTATE,JIMETA-YOLA,ADAMAWA STATE,NIGERIA.
E-mails:[email protected] ,[email protected]
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