At The Bottom Of Nigeria’s Quagmire

GREAT IMO JONATHAN

The dream of a nation is expressed in the potency of residence over state of origin in identity determination. Nations are bound together by common ideals and not mere ethnic nationalism or religion. Where there is no common ideal propelled by common sense of destiny the nation is bound to fail. And where a nation is constrained by internal or external forces from expressing common ideals, rather choosing to focus on boundaries of ethnicity and religion, it is a nation in bondage.

There is the need to determine:
1. Our shared dreams and aspirations
2. Our ideological position
3. Our nation-dream
4. Our underlying philosophy
5. Our merit base
6. The standards by which we must be equally judged
7. Deliverable projections
8. Our areas of comparative advantages
9. Our philosopher kings
10. Our best and brightest hands in different fields of endeavors; despite ethnicity, religion and political affiliations
11. What is our plan for human resource management and utilization?
12. What is our equality base?
13. What is our education philosophy?

Successful entities all over the world are driven by:
Vision
Mission
Goals and Objectives
Strategic framework; and
Action plan

In all, societies rise and fall on the altar of leadership; not necessarily people who occupy positions. A nation whose leadership is populated across all tiers by individuals who are consumed by their sense of primitive acquisition, self adulation, greed and lack of sense of responsibility, is a nation most accursed.

Leadership is about responsibility expressed in vision and commitment to common good. With this in mind, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Simply put, we are still in need of men and women who have good understanding of what it takes to build a nation. We need councillors, LGA chairmen, State House of Assembly members, Special Advisers, Commissioners, Directors, Board Chairmen and members, Heads of agencies, National Assembly members, Ministers and Judges with great sense of responsibility towards Nigeria and her generations unborn.

Being in government should not be seen as an opportunity to become wealthy but a privilege to contribute our best towards our corporate success as a people. It is an opportunity to show that we are mentally wealthy enough to contribute to events and activities that can bring our nation to a desired place in the comity of nations. Those who go into government for purposes of amassing wealth are of all men most miserable. Because in the end, what matters is the positive impact we are able to make in the lives of our compatriots.

This is where the black man has failed to lift himself. Especially those who we have asked to lead us have been unable as they have been unwilling to let go of their greed and self adulation. They have refused to elevate their minds to a pedestal where purpose is key and life is understood beyond primitive acquisition and material possessions.

I wish I could say things more directly and still not offend you. But I am constrained to say that we are a disappointment to our nation, our children, the black race and humanity in general. We are a people gifted by God but a people limited by the little mindedness of our leaders. There is so much we can be but we have refused to rise above our selfish desires, ethnic bigotry, religious stupidity and political shenanigans. A nation so blessed yet so deluded. We want to sound politically correct all the time because we want the opportunity to benefit from the pervading stupidity. Yet, only truth can set us free. Yet only men and women who have outgrown pedestrian thinking can lift our nation.

I mean that we have the ability within us to change our story for good if we set our minds to do so. We have the God given abilities to make something great out of our current mess but we only need to elevate our thinking. There is so much that we can be that we have not become, I see the possibilities everywhere but we cannot become until we elevate.

A Cry for Nigeria!

Great Imo Jonathan writes Abuja, FCT.