Nigeria: The government. The people

I am not a John Grisham fan but last Christmas, The Innocent Man was my gift. I am an avid reader and I was not going to allow my not so great affection for JG keep me from reading this book.
The Innocent Man is a true story of how a corrupt system can rub men of their rights to freedom, even in a free country like the USA. The story was at once annoying and frustrating as it was eye-opening. You read that book and you find yourself praying never to run against the government, the law and the police.
Bring it home. Nigeria is a great country full of potentials and indeed a great collection of smart people who, I strongly believe, if offered the right sets of opportunities could stun the entire world and if it were possible, God Himself. Given what we have, Nigeria is a woeful tale because the opportunity does exist to excel but our growth is stunted by the weeds we vote into office and refer to as our government. We are slowly becoming a failed state and yet we agree to be swept along by the tidal wave of corruption, injustice and plain malevolence.
Over the past 15 years and more Nigeria has had its fair share of questionable comic characters in government and you have to look no further than the National Assembly to find these comic strip characters with different accents and spectacularly confusing 'Englishes'. It leaves you wondering if you have truly been educated.
By these representatives are we saying one or all of the following things:
-It is difficult and almost rare to find a well educated leader in Nigeria?
-Every Nigerian is corrupt and even if they are not, power will definitely corrupt them?
-There is no hope for a better Nigeria?
We have been headless for sometime now and according to most people, 'the witch of Endor runs Nigeria from Saudi Arabia'. It is truly appalling to read from a National Paper that the Vice President is running the affairs of the state with directives from the first lady. (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201001171114681) Is this constitutional? Really, what does the constitution say? The Vice President has since denied this but Saturday Punch insists on the truth of this account.
We have heard series of talks. It is the only thing we Nigerians know to do best… talk. We have seen pro Yar Adua campaigns and all manner of lunacy. Where are the oppositions in all of this? Where is our democracy? Are we in need of a Niger- Delta-type revolution? Do we continue in prayer or is God waiting on us? Are we taking a step forward or a thousand steps backward?
Away from politics; is Nigeria really suffering from this Economic Crisis or shall we find 2 years from now that someone was siphoning our money?
As far Education is concerned, we see what slapdash group of people represents us so there is no point investing in education. Anything goes?
As far as Agriculture is concerned, when the oil no longer counts, we will look into it.
Employment? Get a skill. Be an entrepreneur.
Poverty alleviation? Talk about it, get a vote.
Terrorism! New to Nigeria? Well we live with terror everyday in this country. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab just slapped us in the face because he took it outside the shores of this country. We are terrorized by our government, our armed forces, registered and unregistered. We are terrorized by PHCN, CBN, NNPC and every 'N'd thing you can think of! Terrorism isn't new, no; we are terrorized even in the name of religion, houses of worship and kiosks are daily erected to everything above and beneath the earth.
Nigeria is a tale that only God understands but I believe that I understand Nigerians. We are witnesses to the crimes committed in this country, they never get solved and none of us wants to go sniffing for TRUTH, we know what happens to truth seekers. Nobody wants to be at the fore front of this fight, we don't want our lives to end suddenly in mysterious ways.
In this country, you are allowed to complain as long as you don't disturb anyone else.
In this country democracy means a government of the few, for the few, by the few. And we all know who these few are.
In this country, we believe in God because we look forward to heaven, see, hell is not a place you want to be in twice.
In this country, some day soon, children will take the reins and God help us, hell may loose its bounds.
Nigeria is a tale waiting to be told! So as individuals, we seek and hope to rise above...
For the fun of it, think of the 7 Point Agenda!
Have you watched 2012? Is it surprising that after the 'end of the world' Africa still stands? I mean, it must be because Africa is not part of the known world. Anyway, it is referred to as the 'cape of hope'. Funny, huh? Maybe our many issues and backwardness is a blessing in disguise? I know, Nigeria is better than most African countries and we have so much to be thankful for. So much believe me, except, of course the 7 Point agenda.
In my opinion, Nigeria is in need of serious action. I was no OBJ fan, but the man at least got me listening to and reading the news. This present government and its 7 point agenda is the most dreary, uninteresting thing that has ever happened to us as a country. So here is my 7 Point Action Proposal for Nigeria:
1. In the upcoming election, if we read about or hear anyone talk about something as stupid and as nationalism-destroying as, '' It is time to take the national cake to the north, south or further south (south-south)'', such a person should be declared a terrorist and shot in clear view of all. That is an example of a corrupt leader aiming to waste our tax.
2. Before voting anyone into office to represent us, can we at least ask that they read the English text we read in primary school? You know the one with Simbi and the rest... So if we need to dialogue with our representatives, we can at least say we understood each other. Dora could really get to know when to pause (you know... observe the English law of punctuations).
3. Can we sack our lecturers and professors and the NUTs and shut down all those progress- flagging unions and teach ourselves? I have a feeling we could do better by research, trial and error. For God's sake information is at our finger tips.
4. Is there a policy regarding employment in this country? What exactly can foreign companies do and not do to employees? Does the Nigerian work force in the public and private sectors have rights? If not can we please, seriously please, do something about it?
5. Can we do away with the registered army, train the unregistered army and hire them on a 2 month contract basis without arms? I'm not sure on this point, I think we should just pray for what we have.
6. Farm lands. Can you please start one in your backyard? Very funny right? Wrong, get a hoe and a spade!
7. Yar’ Adua! Can we ‘unvote’ him and his wife? If we can do this I believe Nigeria can be part of the 'Cape of hope' by 2012.

Wow, I have this all figured out right? Wrong! I'm just saying!

Genesis: Be Deliberate and Specific

In my last note, I asked us to make a list of what matters most to us and then spend the rest of our lives going after them. Top on my list is God and this morning I read something revealing about Him: He is deliberate and specific! In the book of beginnings, the creation story shows how God created the heavens and the earth, He spoke.

God spoke, it was, God saw it was good.

God did not say to the earth and the heavens, 'Be as I have imagined you to be', no he was deliberate and specific, He acted by design. For six days He spoke what He wanted and the results were exactly as His words would have them be

What good do you want to see in 2010, start speaking them forth and you will have what you say! God made us to have dominion and commanded us to be fruitful, be and do just that this year! 2010 demands that we be purposeful and explicit.

It is a great year for creativity!

Live deliberately!

Learn with intent!

Love consciously!

Act on purpose!

Pursue your dreams intentionally!

Letting Go and Moving On

Have you ever suffered a loss of any kind? Lost a loved one, an opportunity, a friend, anything you valued?


I suffered some loss this year, the details of which I will not go into.

When someone dies it seems the reality is not so apparent until the burial. It is when the body is finally laid to rest that we suddenly realize our loss. It hits home so hard, we search inwards for memories we can hold onto for as long as we can.

Sometimes we hold out hope. As long as it isn’t buried we hope that the reality of its death is only a figment of our imagination.

There are some things that are dead in our lives, and to move on we need to lay it to rest. Such things as dead relationships, dead jobs, dead thoughts, dead feelings, dead ways of life! Anything that does not add any value to our lives but for which we daily expend our energy; things that leave us feeling depressed and low and keep us from attaining the height which we know we were created for.

It‘s time to bury ‘em and move on!

Don’t hold on to some sad memory from the past, let it go and live!

And before the year 2010 begins make a conscious effort to live fully! Here is how; Make a list of what matters most to your life, then spend the rest of your life going after it!

Happy New Year en avance!

Bits and Pieces

Have you ever been in need of clear-detailed-straight to the point information and yet settled for just bits and pieces? I have and it really can be upsetting. Life is that way! As T. D. Jakes would say, in throwing more light on Psalm 119:105, we sometimes expect God to give us a floodlight (something like His 5 year plan for our lives) yet He gives us a lamplight (insight for now).

Friendship is built in much the same way. Bits and pieces! The fruit of this discipline is Trust. Trust that God will take care of us like He promised because we have seen Him do it time and time again. Trust that if this friend said it, s/he will keep her/his word.

Trust is the hardest thing to repair after betrayal but there can be no relationship between two persons or party without that foundation of trust. And trust is built in bits and pieces. Impatience may get you where you want to go fast but only the one who submits to the disciplines of patience through time will be kept there. Such a person would have been equipped with all he needs to succeed while the impatient man finds himself ill-equipped. Impatience has destroyed far more reputations, relationships and dreams than any other vice known to man yet God keeps saying of those who wait on Him, 'they shall not be ashamed.'

A Scottish novelist, George Macdonald puts it this way, '' It is a greater compliment to be trusted than to be loved.''

Over the past one year I have found this to be true. It is one thing to love someone and another thing entirely to trust them. It is simply the war between your head and your heart and most people have no idea how right their heads can be. Love is nothing without acceptance and the hardest thing to accept is an untrustworthy person.

We sometimes think that the pain of waiting is not worth the effort it requires of us, if there is a quick alternative. My grandfather would say, know your regrets first before you act. In other words weigh your loss first before you lose. Insightful! You cannot be too cautious!

I am not saying that one is not allowed to take risks. As far as I am concerned risk taking is where all the adventure is in life. I hunt it! Adventures that is! But not before counting my loss, my grandfather was after all a wise man!

Here is something insightful I got from watching Brothers and Sisters:

There are no shortcuts in life or in love.
 This pain must be felt.
The alternative is much worse!
It is what makes us special!
What makes us beautiful!
What makes us worthy!
The pain of how we love.
Now that pain is accompanied by something else isn't it?
Hope!
With your pain there is hope and that is where you are.
Somewhere between agony and optimism and prayer…
So we are human.
Alive!
And that is what we have.


To add anything else to that would feel like a crime. Let’s take it in bits and pieces!