In this view point, Prophet James Omitade of the Holy Trinity Authority Church, Ikere Road, Ado Ekiti expressed hope that Nigeria will soon witness unprecedented positive transformation
He wrote “Most countries we feel are greater than Nigeria will have their citizens’ queue at the entrances of our embassies throughout the world for visa
Thank God for another season of joy for Nigeria as she marks her sixty two year independence anniversary. A fortunate country comprising not less than two hundred and fifty nations regarded as ethnic groups. The land area, though smaller compared to several African countries, comprises the best potentials in terms of human and natural resources. Unfortunately, most Nigerians home and abroad hardly seize the opportunity of this great occasion to do the right thing. A highly educated populace that boasts of some of the best brains in the world, with little or nothing at home to show for her prowess. Great nations like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc to mention a few seize the opportunity of Independence Day to bless one another and pray for their country. Nigerians will rather swear and curse to the highest heavens for their woeful fate. The murder and suicide rate are higher in the United State than it is in most African Countries yet it is God bless America.
Most Nigerians have never for once demonstrated their love for a country they wish should birth their dreams. When we pray, we pray selfishly to eat the best cake in the land. We covet seamless work with fat pay. Let me ask ‘for whom do we reserve the hard work?’ Our conducts from the highest to the least persons in the country ruin our economy. Our value systems warped leaving no ethnic group with virtues. Nigeria seems to be like a rudderless ship whereas, going through the thirty-six states, the Federal ministries and parastatals is more of a ship being directed by several captains. It drifts here and there without any definite directions. Ask yourself, how many state governors treat public coffers with the fear of God? Most civil servants in federal ministries and parastatals have thrown servicom to the wind just because the permanent secretary handles the place like his father’s empire. Most subordinates are weary of putting up their best in all facets of federal establishment for the fact that federal character syndrome has placed their supposed juniors over them as bosses. They earn the credits after all if service performs well.
Everyone is involved in one misdemeanor or the other yet, point accusing fingers at others for the country’s problems. Simple acts of goodness are vilified by the majority while successful vicious escapades are applauded and culprits praised for their smartness. I have heard of several instances where someone who retrieved or found a lost Ghana-must-go bag stashed with money is cursed by everyone around. They swear that his generations can never make it again since he lost his best chance. We corrupt the police and other government agencies to escape from the law privately yet we blame them publicly when others have their way over us in any disputes. It is then the police are bad and corrupt whereas we are the architect of our own police system.
We are all in a hurry to get rich by one crooked means or the other. Just listen to what government contractors say in beer parlours, in company of friends and even generally, there is no country in the world where contract sum is inflated like Nigeria. Sometimes, it is more than five times the normal sum because every member of the committee or caucus that is a party to it must have a share at the expense of the rest of the public. Our own type of corruption stinks to the highest heavens. According to Kofi Awoonor, he titled one of his books ‘The beautiful ones are not yet born, however because we are all involved in Nigeria, the ‘beautiful ones have turned ugly’. Woe betides any state government who does not count the favour of the different transport unions with undeserved largesse to have a strong grip of power and uncanny support during elections. Nobody thinks about the future of the youth except future of ‘my family’. How much do most of these public officers earn that they send their children to expensive private universities in Nigeria and abroad?
Pastors, prophets, herbalists and alfas push their adherents with anticipated prophecies and prospects. Politicians are mostly victims as many of them; no matter their numbers that retune* to consult them are seen on the ‘seat’ now. They say it in a surreptitious manner in order to extort and force huge sums of money out of their hands before they go elsewhere. Every time, visions of one enemy or the other about to cross their paths are churned out to ensure the relevance of their interventions. Most Christians have been configured to attend vigils, revivals, crusades or prayers of sorts from time to time because the enemy is always awake. They are never told to do the right thing so that Satan or any other purported enemy will not tender such accusations against them before the throne of grace. Unfortunately, most of the people who are the architects of Nigeria’s problems are Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers.
Most Christians rooting for Muslim-Christian tickets are doing so to maintain their inroads to the state house and other powerful positions as usual. Who says human arrangement are Gods plan for the country in 2023? On this note, there is a need to exercise caution so that the covert ambition of a few people does not plunge the country into a state of anarchy. We all know that religion has done much harm to this country. It is high time we woke from slumber and took the bull by the horn. Smaller countries in Africa have spun past Nigeria in their giant strides at developmental efforts. Even Rwanda, despite the unprecedented carnage of the early 90s is at the forefront of development while Nigeria is wallowing in a war of ‘religion’.
The Nigerian populace complains a lot about lack of good roads in their communities. How many business men pay taxes contentiously? Non-salaried individuals have exempted themselves from taxes because of the fear that it will be embezzled by local government officials. Governors are not helping matters as they hijack monthly allocations meant for the local government, leaving nothing for the local officials to work with. Good neighbourliness is a thing of the past. It is a matter of things fall apart, the center could not hold. Everyone is after the other person just because of jealousy. The community chairman does not enjoy the cooperation of members of his neighbourhood yet we heap all the blame on the leaders: when are we going to rise up to our responsibilities?
Everybody creates problem for the society and criticize the establishment. The solution to the myriads of problems confronting lies in the great reawakening amongst the would-be patriots. We should be grateful for the bond of unity that presently exist in the country. God has a need for it. Most of the sentimental calls by different ethnic groups for independence are to say the least, premature and unwarranted. No ethnic group in Nigeria has a clearly defined boundary that can lead them to independence without ‘pockets of wars’. For instance, where is the boundary of the Yorubas with the north? Where is the boundary of the Igbo people with the rest of south-south geopolitical zones? The governments in the three tiers of administration have a joint responsibility of enlightening the populace so that sentiments of over expectations being passed to them by their overzealous and depraved leaders will not lead them astray. Such duties will be mammoth for the National Orientation Agency (NOA) alone.
My candid advice to Nigerians home and abroad is for us to seize the opportunity that beckons us through the forthcoming 2023 elections to pray aright for the choice of a leader after God’s own heart. Enough of prayers of blessing, let’s ask for the leadership that we put Nigeria on the right tracks. The hour for the greatness of Nigeria is at hand. The whole world shall yet again see and hear about the greatness of this nation and envy us. Most countries we feel are greater than Nigeria will have their citizens’ queue at the entrances of our embassies throughout the world for visa to behold and partake in this greatness. Most Nigerians who are in Diaspora will be caught unawares when this begins to happen. It is my prayer that God Almighty shall preserve us beyond then to share this testimony in Jesus name. Amen.