A BETTER NIGERIA YESTERDAY, RETROGRESSING NIGERIA OF TODAY AND A POSSIBLE EXTINCTION OF NIGERIA TOMORROW by Olabanji Joel

We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve. John F. Kennedy

Nigeria is a country full of great minds with dazzling potentials and abilities but it saddens that with all these existent blessings, my dear nation is still crawling behind the fast - paced world.


Image of Nigerian youths at present and the future of the nation 

Just as John F. Kennedy stated, the citizens in a “saner clime” are the boss while the leaders chosen to serve do so appropriately. However, this narrative tends to play out in the opposite in Nigeria. The citizens of Nigeria are living as slaves in their own country while the leaders assume the position of boss and neglect their primary repsonsibilities. The leaders are busy gulping the milk and honey meant to nourish the nation and thereby enfeebling this great country. The country has been impoverished so badly and made vulnerable while the leaders are suffering from obesity due to gluttony. The leaders we voted for derive solace in weilding power as they are pleased forgetting their purpose throughout their sojourn in office. Meanwhile, the status quo is for them to come back seeking to be re - elected into the same office with new set of promises while living behind the facade of who they truly are. Alas, shamelessness has become the order of the day and dignity is now a thing of the past in our nation.

Our leaders of today lived in Nigeria of yesterday where Kennedy postulation stood the test of time. They attended free schools with good meals and benefits - they enjoyed various scholarships -  they got employed with great goodies immediately after school. Thence,  living a good life was cost effective. 

It would interest you that some of the leaders of today after enjoying the benefits of yesterday were also privileged to participate in governance at their prime age but unfortunately their activities back then and the way they rule now is the product of Nigeria of today. They enjoyed the Nigeria of yesterday but messed up the Nigeria of today. The Nigeria of today is still in the hands of those who led the country yesterday. The youths who should be the leaders of today have been sidelined. Many of those who should be leaders are already comfortably serving as slaves to those who deliberately made them slaves so as to continually hold on to power. Nigeria leadership is now revolving around the same set of people for donkey’s years. The democracy is being suffocatted as people don’t have the voice in challenging bad governance.The leaders are not afraid to enrich themselves with the country’s fortune with the believe that  they will no longer be in the country with their family when the consequences of their atrocities loom. 

It is mind boggling to the concerned Nigerians how our dear state has turned to be. With the current situation of the nation, it is not overly to say that Nigeria is sitting on a ticking time bomb which can explode anytime. This is a clarion call to these patriotic Nigerians to display their solidarity in redeeming Nigerian from this conundrum.

The Nigeria politicians have seen the citizens as hungry people who can be bought during elections. Therefore, they utilise this as a means of clouding people’s mind from the 4/8 years suffering with just a stipend with the aim of gaining their trusts again at the pooling units. Another instrument they use is violence in having the election in their favour.

Matter-of-factly, the Nigerian citizens are instruments viable of determining the fate of the country. These instruments can be for progression or retrogession. The moment you choose to stand aloof from being used by the politicians, then we are considering progression. On the other hand, if we choose to fall in the hands of these callous people, then Nigeria of tomorrow is pitiable. As a Nigerian, what type of instrument do you want to be?

A normal day on the streets of Lagos state

It is time for Nigerian masses took their position as boss again. It is time we utilize our voices and powers to choose the leaders of our choice. Enough of these junketing leaders. Enough of cyclic leadership. Enough of bad governance. Enough of tribalism. Enough of hardships and sufferings. Enough of insecurity. Just for a better Nigeria!

2023 is another year with the opportunity for the masses to choose leaders to occupy various seats across the country.  The politicians have mapped out their rhetorics again and they are unleashiong them to us back to back. I think we’ve gone a long with them and we should know better now. We need to wise up and save this country.

AS THEY ARE PLANNING, LET US PLAN ALSO.

THE YESTERDAY OF NIGERIA IS FAR BETTER THAN TODAY AND IF CARE IS NOT TAKEN, THE TODAY WE SEE WILL BE BETTER THAN TOMORROW OR A TOMORROW MAY NOT EXIST FOR NIGERIA WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN SWEPT AWAY BY INSECURITY, DEBT, RECESSION AND DISINTEGRATION.

Written by Olabanji Joel

A Nurse, Writer and Socialist.

Edited by Musefiu Olalekan Ogundiran

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