NAIJA: UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

“Often the presence of mind and energy of a person remote from the spotlight decide the course of history for centuries to come”…Stefan Zweig

Where have you been?

Do you live in Nigeria or are you a Nigerian in Diaspora? Whichever category you belong (not leaving out other unenclosed ones especially foreigners), I’m sure you get the picture when I say or rather reiterate that there’s a whole lot of bumpy rides to brace up for, that is of course if we have made up our minds to commence on an imperative journey of a lifetime.

In case you’re wondering, what’s all the mambo jumbo this poor dude is yakking about? I might as well ask where have you been? And even if I cannot claim to be an authority in news casting like the daily tabloids, columns or even Linda Ikeji, well here goes.

“So few people are truly themselves when they are in the spotlight”…Lucinda Williams

 

Naija for Life

I used to think that Nigeria was very unpopular, considering our modest upbringing and every minute by minute apprehension about the unknown future which was stereo-typically and constantly promised to the youths like the Holy Grail. Only recently did it occur to me and several others actually that the world over, Nigerians are oxymoron-likely recognized as resilient perhaps as a result of deprivation, and on an extreme end which you might as well refer to as the edge of life, Nigerians are also known to be unremorsefully wasteful in the acquisition of luxurious material possessions, unknown to the rest of the world, it is neither a matter of riches nor affluence, but rather a technical resultant effect of poor financial intelligence and apparent interference of cultural belligerence.

We are presently living the fast life in this dispensation dubbed the jet age where nations are being run like fortune 500 companies and by implication forces territories to adopt current features of multi-nationals such as rebranding. Dora Akunyili of blessed memory tried to adopt the initiative by giving Nigeria the motto: Good people, Great nation, but it apparently didn’t quite stick perhaps due to the timing because Nigerians didn’t seem prepared for it, maybe due to our low level of exposure and our level of intellect generally. Still tolling that line though, and perhaps in a bid to psychologically free ourselves ‘Naija’ seems to have stood the test of time better for an unofficial brand name.

“Man is not imprisoned by habit. Great changes in him can be wrought by crisis”…Norman Cousins

Who are we?

This is probably the most difficult question ever as everyone is constantly on a mission towards the discovery of self, but unfortunately the tendencies of finding such crucial answers keep diminishing by the day due to interfering obstacles such as noise, lack of social amenities and our attitudes towards our challenges and our very selves.Most Nigerians have generally lost themselves in hate, lack, corruption, ignorance and misplacement of priorities, which doesn’t encourage us travelling far into ourselves to finding worth, content, purpose and the true joys and miracles life freely has to offer.

Most people both home and abroad get bewildered the moment the question pops up ‘where did we go wrong?’ like we have ever got it right before.

Sadly though evidently, Nigeria is currently and embarrassingly ravaged by terrorism, corruption, poor infrastructure, poverty and a broken people without hope in their eyes who ironically live on top of seeming infinite treasures.

“Plans are nothing, planning is everything”…Dwight .D. Eisenhower

What’s the Plan?

For me, the best question ever is what’s next? I pretty much believe that everyone knows this, and that’s why people unconsciously ask ‘what’s up or ‘what’s happening?’ It’s like asking ‘what’s the plan?’ then afterwards ‘what’s the next plan?’ which we generally call plan B.

Successful companies and countries around the world all have tangible plans to achieve success, and of course plan B in case their initial plan didn’t work out, here is where Nigeria got it all wrong

A school of thought justifies Nigeria’s lack of planning by tying our aims and objectives to the set blueprint of the western world that colonized us decades ago, enslaving our forefathers until the poor psychological effect of the hateful and shameful act of dehumanization seeped right into our subconscious minds which apparently constantly tells us that we amount to nothing.

I’ll personally consider this an alibi than a justification in as much as it has changed the course of destiny and altered the predestined eco system. Many nations are known to have taken a bold step out of the world of mediocrity and indiscipline and have chosen a path of liberation to be much better than they are, Nigeria on the other hand seems not to fully understand the picture or the plan.

“There are two futures, the future of desire and the future of fate, and man’s reason has never learned to separate them”…John Desmond Bernal

The Future

Believe it or not there is a countdown going on and by the time the clock strikes its destination those found wanting may actually be in dire want. The future is packed with loads of amazing surprises ranging from jaw-dropping technological advancement to massive intellectual content as the human brain continues to evolve and proves more capacity, but above all of all the future perhaps virtually holds is survival. It is already happening all over the world, wars are emanating from small crisis and millions of people are displaced and there isn’t clarity in their refugee status due to terrorism, culture shock and capacity to care.

In the midst of all these Nigeria doesn’t seem to be aware nor ready to take advantage of the situation, rather, her citizens seem to have clicked the self-destruct button by being corrupt, wasteful, inferior, inconsiderate and devoid of planning.

In the future, if Nigeria has not fully exploited the land especially in Agriculture, mineral and human resources and has not improved on power and other infrastructure, the future generation might just curse their fathers, and it will be absolutely embarrassing, why not? Remember we are underneath the spotlight

Thank you.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@yahoo.com)

SOURCES:

Google

Wikipedia

Time

Channels

The Punch

What do you think?

What did we miss?

Talk to us...Let your content flow.

SPECIAL FEATURE; ‘WE’ the world and the Rest for thought

The light of Patriotism has deemed in, since the commitments made by ourselves, our governments and all that make up the beautiful planet. While I pondered on the beautiful dreams while growing up, my thoughts often like the flight of a billion birds into the skies, blooming across my room windows like colourful rainbows.

 As much as human needs are insatiable according to economics, truth be told our needs and want differ and could be prioritized, for the purpose of all. To instill attitude of controlling all manner of activities medium such as rules of law, policies , principles are place accordingly to help lead and guide ourselves and our society to enable ‘WE’ reach desired results and the world around us.

A famous quote by J.F. Kennedy states ‘’let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty’’ .Patriotism to me along with many others means of course, to support, serve, defend, to be inspired by, to change for the better and to care deeply for fellow persons.

For as much as I know the Heavens would wave a flag of opposition to our level of patriotism, which has in most cases been described as self love for the ‘WE’ and nothing more and nothing left for the world around us.

Invariably I have I have seen Patriotism at different levels, when a total stranger ran into a daring flame to save a injured accident victim from total burns of a car crash. Patriotism I have seen by civilians who paid salutes and tributes to valiant soldiers who fought vehemently and lost their lives to fights against terrorist.

At other points I have seen levels of distrust and low patriotism practiced by the WE’s of this world , in likes of corruptible lawmakers ,politicians, greedy business men and women, irrational  and porous security operatives at different hems of affairs.

Much of all said, Patriotism is one of the biggest words known to this day.

The appreciation given to this word is truly magnificent which should always be in our lines of thought at every point in time. All it is, is to love is what Patriotism means to me.

Abimbola Oloyede

CEO LOYE'S MARKET PLACE

theloyesmarketplace@gmail.com