It’s not a prophesy neither does it a rocket science that our country is overmuch afflicted with Bad Governance and Intolerance. Least to say, these are the few problem bedeviling our dear nation. My opinion though!
Intolerance
Religious and Ethnic intolerance are the most complicated factors that give our Motherland a bloody-nose. History has it forthrightly how the spirit of togetherness brought our mighty fallen heroes together to restore the future of our Motherland. The Independence we’re celebrating today didn’t happen overnight, it was collective work of our heroes that worked together regardless of ethnic and religious affiliation to pursue a common goal and that’s Nigeria. Appallingly, the Nigeria of today is fast-growing of ethnic-religious sentiment because there exists no tolerance.
Up North. Down to South. To the East and West, are of no exceptions. Our people utterly forgot the fundamental idea behind living together in peace. The disputed intolerance is ultimate cause of bloodshed that we’re unavoidably witnessing today. The elements of peace are eluding as a result of unfair treatment of our fellow compatriots. Today, the self-seeking actors(Politicians) are using that gap/difference between to win us; to dine and misgovern us. To steal from us and to enrich themselves. The religious leaders are using that obvious differences to gain more followers. Nigeria of today, a fellow countrymen will kill, denigrate, harbor ill-feelings and spew venom just because of religious intolerance, because of ethnic affliction. Least we forget, there’s a place called home and it’s Nigeria of our dreams where people embrace their common differences and live together in harmony –where zero tolerance for ethnic and religious bigotry exists.
Bad governance
58 years after our Independence people are still living in alleys and gutters as a result of poor leadership; people are suffering under despots and prosper, under just rule. 58 years after our Independence, people are still ululating over absolute absence of social responsibility, poor medical care, inadequate transportation network, failed education system and whatnot. 58 years after independence our politicians keep on using the same tools to campaign yet no glimmer of hope. 58 years our country is yet to be projected by sustainable social and economic growth. The poor state of affairs resulted from unyielding clutches of poverty, pangs of hunger is as a product of bad governance. Visionless,incompetent and mossback leaders keeps on taking advantage over and over again.
But then, why do we keep telling ourselves that politics exists in a realm outside our own realities? Why do we refuse to engage in political process of identifying and supporting visionary leaders, instead we remain at mercy to the political leadership committed to putting private interests ahead of public interest. Leaders who are beholden to the ideology of political parties come before citizens. Leaders who are private-seeking actors. Of course, what we seriously need is nationwide awakening. We must grow to become active citizens who are committed to getting involved. The system isn’t self-correcting. There are no unstoppable forces or market forces at a play to ensure the system correct itself. Surely, the system requires human actors – me and you – to identify and destroy the structural handicap that fuels the status-quo of bad governance. We must address this issue both systemically and systematically. We must address this issue before it devastatingly finished our dear Motherland.
Today as nation, and, as citizens of this great nation, I want us to recall the past glory of our mighty fallen heroes, of our fellow countrymen that are making us proud both here and diaspora. Today I want us to reflect and respect obvious difference between us as good people.
Fellow Nigerians, I want us to embrace peace and live together in harmony and refrain from any form of ethno-religious violence and intolerance. Today, I want us to get active in the process of taking back our country, our future by spreading the word of peace, tolerance and advocating good governance. Today I want remind us that Nigeria is far greater than anyone; amidst of all this negativity, of this plight, of all disappointments from our politicians, Nigeria deserves better leadership; Nigeria deserves the better version of all us.
Keep hope alive. Be positive. Be active. Get involved. Let’s save our Motherland. May Nigeria succeed!
Happy Independence Motherland 🇳🇬
Inuwa writes from Kano Municipal.
