Nigeria has long been walking and working toward freedom, growth and development- the walk and work seem endless and all anticipations have been weakened by the decay in the society. As much as Nigeria’s leadership is structurally weak and uncultured, the decay in the nation is not limited to the political elites only, it has successfully spread like a viral through various tribes, culture, social class and ages in Nigeria. No doubt, Nigeria’s problems didn’t begin with Goodluck Jonathan, although his administration has compounded Nigeria’s problem more than any administration has done- the open condoling of corrupt public office holders, bad economic policies, consistent defense of lies, missing public funds without trace, peaking insecurity among others are testimonies to this fact. As much as we desire to reform Nigeria, beyond the leadership ranks, the society at large has to be reformed because there are thousands of Goodluck Jonathan yet to be known in Nigeria.
Any serious Nigerian will realize that under present-day conditions in this country, to seek for cheap or ephemeral reforms is naive and criminal; Nigeria needs lasting internal dialogue that will restructure the nation’s priority particularly in the post 2015 era. This implies that we have an important programme before us and it is important to carry it out very seriously and without delay. Those who queue in harsh weather in various parts of the country to elect a government deserve good governance-but the political elites have weakened the power of their votes through tough ridging. In a situation like this, those who are voteless or whose votes do not count cannot be expected to continue to pay taxes to a government which is irresponsible to them. People who live in poverty and starvation cannot be expected to pay exorbitant office rents to the government and local authorities that didn’t provide them jobs. We furnish the sinews of agriculture; we are enormously rich in oil, our mineral resources are unlimited, our leaves are green and cattle flourish all through the year. Thus, why should we continue enriching those who steal the products of our sweat and blood? Those who exploit us and refuse us the right to protest for our right to security, portable water, stable power and quality education? Those who struggle to swallow our future and monopolize our resources? Those who want to enslave us for life, even after freedom from British rule? Nigerians; young Nigerians must lay hold of the truth that we believe in, we must unite to secure a future, not only for us but for generations to come- because the failure of past generations is the reason we are suffering today.
One of the key forces which brought Nigeria to this level of retardation among other countries we know today is capable of propelling the people to stage a lasting reform marked by progress, development, pattern and respect for human rights and rule of law. Corruption is a force that has brought Nigeria to this level of regression, and the spread of corruption is propelling Nigerians to be radical for a change in the nation. The complaint of Nigerians is not only that they are poor in spite of the fact that the nation is rich, but that the policies and economic reforms which are made by the government are designed to preserve this situation; hereby, making preserving the political elites at the expense of the masses who voted them into offices. Nigerians have been disadvantaged by their own government and there are only two ways to break out of this terrible situation. The first is by identifying our rights as Nigerians, and the second is by fighting for the respect and implementation of those rights which will form greater wall against bad leadership. Unfortunately, these avenues of advancement from the long regression are intentionally curtailed by the government in order to further enslave the people.
Above all, Nigerians must identify their rights and fight for respect for the exercise of such rights- political, social, economic rights among others, because without them our problem will be permanent. This may sound revolutionary because the political elites are few, and the masses are in millions- the political elites trust in armed forces, the masses trust in their unity and courage, which are strong enough to pull down mountains. This explains why the Nigerian government struggles to disunite the masses in any struggle; the nation’s experiences with Labour Unions are example of such effort by the government. However, this effort or scope used by the government cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee progress, security, harmony and freedom for all. Our struggle has reached a decisive moment, 2015 is speedily approaching. We are at a point to decide whether we truly want a change in Nigeria or we want the bad governance to continue.
Reassessing Nigeria’s plight over the decades always raise a strong desire for change, a lasting reform that will touch the very foundation of living in the country. But how long can this be sustained by all depressed Nigerians in their millions- I call on Nigerians, young Nigerians, young compatriots, the strength of this nation who display their skills with burning passion in spite of the discouraging factors in the nation, to seize this moment so that the process towards a liberal and progressive democracy is rapid and importantly, uninterrupted. We have waited too long for our freedom, for change and reformation in Nigeria. We can no longer wait. Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax our efforts now would be a mistake which generations to come will not be able to forgive. The sight of change looming on the horizon should encourage us to redouble our efforts, we must not relent. Our march is irreversible; we must hurtle through this road successfully to attain a better Nigeria.
Written By Rotimi Ogungbola
About the Author
