Nigeria’s number one problem by Ademola Adeoye

A few days ago, I looked at the quality, class and worth of folks, who fought and secured our independence and those who led us from the 60s through 70s and that of those governing us today and it was a walk in the park for me to clearly see that today’s men and women—occupying varied leadership positions cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with our founding fathers and those who led us in the 60s through 70s!

Did those who founded Nigeria and those who led us from the 60s through 70s have their own issues? Yes, but they did not throw caution to the winds of childishness, thoughtlessness and imperviousness like we are having in this day and time.Also, the quality of thoughts of men and women of old tower above that of the current crop of political leaders. The issue I am addressing gets undressed, when our current political leaders either speak to our myriad of national issues or present papers—both at home and away!Depth is always either hiding its face or on the run! This not to ridicule anyone, I am just stating the obvious.

Also, not long, I was asking myself on the reason why those plundering the country and are behaving like gods today were fighting the military in the dark days of our nation, because till today, our dark days are still with us. Could it be that they were only fighting, so that they too can pilfer the country? Currently, is there any difference between “khaki” and “agbada”?

I lark and caper each time we preach at the citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to love Nigeria and respect her leaders, but on a daily basis, our leaders are showing that they detest Nigeria—because of what to eat, ride and where to hide their heads, they daily ridicule, mock and deride themselves before cameras while the rest of the world look at us as unserious people. It is impossible for Nigerians to be valued beyond our shores, because our public-office-holders derive pleasure from ridiculing themselves on a daily basis.

Nigerians have always known that leadership in Nigeria is self-serving, not problem solving, but the recent “NDDC”comedy is probably the lowest we have ever descended as a nation. The problem is even not the money (we have been mismanaging our resources since the Union Jack was lowered at the TBS in Lagos) that was said to be mismanaged, but the shambolic-way those occupying varied leadership positions handled the issue before the whole world. We have no more iota of honor again in the comity of nations!

There is no problem we are having today in our polity that is not man-made. Leaders in Nigeria create problems, they do not solve them. What Nigerians religiously pray to God for, leaders of developed nations proficiently make happen for their own people. God does not construct good roads and he does not make happen constant supply of electricity. Nigerians need to understand this.As long as we continue to play with the issue of leadership, we will remain like this till we begin to think for a difference. Nations that are working are not working because they are praying alone, but they are working, because they are using their brains and pushing forward their best to lead them.

 

Furthermore, the rate at which people are being daily killed in Nigeria calls for a serious attention.Hundreds of precious souls would be wasted, and both the leaders and led would look the other way, as if nothing has happened. Animals are more valued in saner climes than human life in our clime. The information coming from Kaduna State reveals that our people are being killed during the night! And I have seen too far many gory pictures of men, women and children being massacred and butchered! It is safe to say that the governor of the state in question and the president of Nigeria have failed the people of Kaduna and all our people as a whole. Any government that cannot protect the sanctity of life is unarguably a failed one!

This is where I am coming. Our number one problem in Nigeria is neither corruption nor bloodletting! What?! You heard me right. Our number one problem in Nigeria is a very high-ranking-hypocrisy.How do I mean? When a leader we do not like is in power, we would take to the streets, agitating as if we love Nigeria, but the truth is; we do not love Nigeria a hoot! But when a leader we ‘love’ gets to power, even if he or she performs worse than the one before him, we would look the other way. I never knew that many activists are deaf, dumb and blind till Baba got to power. They screamed to high heaven when the man from “Otuoke” was in power, but since the man from “Daura” took over power, for five solid-years now, they have comradely lost their corporate-voice! Till we leave the apartment of hypocrisy for the house of honor, we will remain as we are right now for a very long period of time.

Lastly, Nigerians now have no veneration and admiration again for those who once called themselves activists and nation builders, because it is clear (as water) to them that what they were looking for was power, but now that they have it, they do not know its purpose!