THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NIGERIA
By ARINZE ALINNOR A.
Many people have used different acronyms to describe the nation Nigeria. Some described this nation as the most populous black nation in the world. In some quarters, Nigeria is the giant of Africa. In some other quarters, this nation had been seen or is being regarded as the economic hub of Africa, the nation of possibilities, the sleeping giant, the land of opportunities, the sports giant, the fraudsters haven, the nation with the dreaded green passport, the nation with the richest human and mineral resources in Africa, and the list goes on and on. And it is also believed in many quarters that there is something wrong with Nigeria.
Many believe that there is something wrong with Nigeria because many universal laws had not worked here. They believe something is wrong with Nigeria because in spite of our huge human and mineral resources, the greater majority are still living below the poverty line. Many also believe that there is something wrong with Nigeria because even the best brains are looking for greener pastures abroad and many of her citizens are doing menial jobs that they cannot afford to do at home abroad to make a living. For some their reason for saying that there is something wrong with Nigeria bothers on the high level of corruption in the polity.
But in spite of all these reasons, I do not believe that there is something wrong with Nigeria. What causes riots in Nigeria, causes ethnic wars in other countries. Things that make headlines elsewhere do not make it to the press here. The earthquakes ravaging other nations are virtually not heard of over here. The tornadoes, hurricane Katrina, hurricane 'Jane' and 'Rose' do not affect us on this side. The heavy floods and drought experienced in other places are very minimal in Nigeria. Wild fires are rarely making headlines over here. The foreign press had made it look like there is something wrong with Nigeria. But our weather is about the best in the world. And we are hospitable people.
There is nothing wrong with Nigeria but many things are wrong in Nigeria. There is nothing wrong with Nigeria because foreign investors still show great faith in Nigeria. But in Nigeria, universal laws or principles do not find a fertile place to blossom or be effective. In Nigeria, personal, ethnic or party interest supercedes National interest. In Nigeria, wealth shadows integrity, and selfishness overshadows patriotism. Illicit wealth is celebrated in Nigeria, and hard work is relegated to the background. In Nigeria most good proposals sent to banks, governors and government agencies are never acknowledged. Proposals receive attention if only they could be used to siphon millions of dollars out of the country. Chief EddieUgbomah expressed this openly in his column 'Straight Talk' recently in The Sun newspaper. Nominations in Nigeria are not based on competence but used for compensating party faithfuls and stooges of royal fathers or god fathers.
There is nothing wrong with Nigeria; we are blessed with the best brains in different fields and abound in different mineral resources. Sunday Adelaja said, "Nations do not grow or develop by virtue of their wealth, but by the wealth of their virtues". It means that our growth or development is not solely hinged on the premise of our wealth of resources. Our virtues or value system guarantees our rate of growth or development. So, there is nothing wrong with Nigeria but in Nigeria and in Nigerians. The 'Nigerian' factor makes it almost impossible for universal principles to work in Nigeria. The problem is not with Nigeria but in Nigerians.
In Nigeria, the cacophony of ethnic voices and the ethnic militia groups have not allowed many things to align with the norms of democracy. People are always thinking about what they stand to gain personally and what their ethnic groups might gain. Nothing might really change until the ethnic patriotism is stopped and people look in the direction of national interest. We have been celebrating ethnic champions and not national heroes because of poor value system. Looters of the state treasuries and fraudsters are gallivanting around as elder statesmen. Corrupt public holders are not jail bound but unemployed youths are languishing in our prisons for minor offences. There is a rut in our polity but there is certainly nothing wrong with Nigeria.
Many Nigerians say there is something wrong with Nigeria. But it is the foreigners that know there is nothing wrong with Nigeria. The foreigners see potentials and possibilities while rustic Nigerians do not see anything good and therefore go abroad and buy houses they do not live in. There is no problem with Nigeria so let us deal with the problem in Nigeria. Let us deal with bribery, corruption, thuggery in politics, poor value system, lack of trust in Nigerian made goods and services, poor quality education and healthcare, unstable policies, lack of genuine commitment to national issues, ethnic sentiments and many others. There is nothing wrong 'with' Nigeria and the things that are wrong 'in' Nigeria are not without solutions.
ARINZE ALINNOR A.
P. O. BOX 17985, IKEJA - LAGOS.
08033001782, 01-8964893
arinze198@gmail.com
www.arinze198.wordpress.com
