Homeland crises...

I shouldn’t have to struggle to put down the words, I was almost blank for a second there.

The thoughts of our homecountry weighed heavily on my mind and I just couldn’t help but make a personal supplication for God to see us through. It isn’t just about the fuel price inflation, but so many ills inherent in the system. Don’t get me wrong, am not preaching for Shari’ah as a legal system, but at least a fair governance of the acclaimed ‘Democracy’ we say we’ve got. So much for government of the people by the people and for the people”! It is so sad to see that people can be so obsessed with power, money and authority, forgetting where they are coming from. I mean these politicians are just ordinary humans like you and I, who have been privileged to attain their status, fairly or by fraud. The question is, how can they close their eyes to the sufferings of the people? Are they also not humans who one day would be swallowed by earth, irrespective of wealth or status? Others have gone and yet that seem not to be a lesson for them. The most powerful tyrants have gone under and so will many others. Is this not enough lesson to remind them of the inevitable reality of death  that may come unannounced?  

To what glory would these amassed wealth, riches be after they have gone? The accumulated wealth will feed generations yet unborn, but they cannot resist the greediness to acquire more. What is it with the people we have entrusted with our welfare mismanaging and looting our funds? Hard earned money of the lower class? The money derived from  the sweat and labour of workers who never get to reap the fruits of their labour. We are also a part of the cancerous problems facing our country. We sell out, we compromise, we forget, we care less, we get greedy, we are impatient and conscienceless. The youths that should work towards rescuing this country are in the wrong path. There is desperation to amass wealth without having to labour. We look for the easy way out and give-in to degrading and dehumanizing means to achieve this. We need to be reminded that, whatever we do today, will have a ripples effect somehow. The indirect consequence of our bad ways leaves us with a bleak future and little left for our children and the ones yet unborn. We cannot call Nigeria our country and not be concerned. The expatriates come to our lands, take over our businesses because we have made them believe they can do it better, really? We are close to the benefits, yet refuse to see it. The people from a distance see clearer and have come to take away our birth rights. Rights that some have fought for and laid down their lives. The rights that we would have to make sacrifices to achieve in a foreign land. But this is home! Even the Hollywood stars are tracing their roots back to Africa. What story would you tell the child that schooled abroad or even here at home, but cannot speak his mother tongue? Do you think reverse would be the case? That a foreigner would prefer to have his child speak your language and be completely ignorant of his roots? We are also part of the problem. We have to take pride in what we have and cherish our heritage. We have to see that there is something to be savoured even in the wreck we have left. The leading countries today take pride in their heritage. If we continue to condemn and rebuke, depart and refuse to be a part of the change that we need, who then would come to our rescue- our colonial masters? The military or some confused eccentric set of degenerates that have slain innocent lives under the guise of faith? This country belongs to you and I. It belongs to all of us. And until we also appreciate the need to make our own contribution to lifting it up, until we realise that even that little contribution does make a difference, we would have nothing left to call out country. We would not have the pride to say…”I was a part of it”. Think deep and act wisely people. Let the change you want to see begin with you!