CHANGE!

“He who rejects change is an architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery”…Harold Wilson

A Paradigm

Change is different things to diverse people; it also is a part of our lives in every possible way, change is generally a process through which something becomes different, thus a revolution which has not only been around from the genesis of mankind, it also has indeed come to stay, leaving us with no choice but to adapt to it no matter which form it takes.

Do you like the American entertainment industry? …well I do, and It sure varies from creative sports to high content Hollywood blockbusters, then to the massive and chart topping billion dollar music booty, many do not realize that they have come a long way for things to so happen for them in this way, such that their style has become some sort of an international model that the entire world seek to emulate.

When American hip-hop star Curtis Jackson A.K.A. 50 cent graced the limelight about a decade ago with his smash hit album “Get rich or die trying”, he was interviewed why he chose the stage name $50, and he simply said “it means change”, it is definitely an interesting perspective no matter how you look at it.

“The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind”…William Blake

 

Are you also a fan of the English Premier League, where the media and an amazing crowd enthusiastically idolize the so called gods of the arena?

Well, truth is it was not always this glorious, despite the fact that it was one person’s idea, at first it was probably boring and not as interesting, but a change in someone’s thinking expanded the creativity into enjoyment and employment opportunities, gaining massive support from all angles to translate a dream into the big picture.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”…Victor Frankl

Metamorphosis

The best way to grasp the attention of children is to make learning practical and fun, their minds are so young, free, fertile and inquisitive; perhaps that is why I can vividly reminisce about the complete metamorphosis lesson back in school. Well, metamorphosis is basically a change in form or nature usually the transformation of an insect or amphibian from an immature form or larva to an adult form. The prominent example is that of the leaf eating caterpillar which transforms into a pupa and then gives way for the glorious butterfly to break forth from within it, an amazing sight of nature that genuinely excites kids.

Humans also change, by growth, passing through puberty from a child to an unrecognizable adult. And when a woman gets pregnant, it comes with a lot of discomfort, changing her looks and feelings to unpleasantness and pain, a sacrifice made for a birth which is a good thing for the world, like a healthy eco-system.

“The wheels of change moves on, and those who were down go up and those who were up go down”…Jawaharial Nehru

Change in Nigeria

 

It is evident that quite a number of things have changed in Nigeria. Since the advent of use of mobile telephony and the prevalence of the internet, quite a number of people have been empowered both financially and knowledge-wise, allowing a majority of 170 million people to be more aware of their environment and becoming pro-active to that effect. 

In Nigeria’s world acclaimed and highly anticipated general elections, the main opposition party which is the All Progressive Congress (APC), using a broom as her logo has very widely adopted the word ‘change’  as a slogan for their high profiled and really expensive campaign which put the incumbent People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government jittery on their toes.

Well, the elections have come and gone and as projected and predicted both by apprehension and online polls, something that Nigerians have never experienced,  an opposition for the very first time beat a sitting government at the polls, the APC gallantly defeated the incumbent PDP, literally changing the political tide in the world’s most populous nation of the Negro race.

“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it”…Mary Engelbreit

Real Change

It is however a major challenge recognizing what the actual change really is or should be.

The ultimate brand of the APC, now President elect in person of Gen. Buhari has a long standing reputation of incorruptibility and of being a principle centered leader, who owing from his historical leadership as a military ruler in the 1980s, has been hailed for abiding by the law, though strictly, he set precedence for discipline, but was not very welcome due to his rigidity and use of force on the highly corrupt Nigeria’s highly placed officials, which subsequently led the overthrow of his two year military regime.

Nigerians are known all over the world as citizens of an oil rich nation, recognized in developed nations as big spenders, described as lacking financial intelligence with the way they squander money acquiring luxurious property, with a higher percentage of the country barely surviving on less than one Dollar per day. With Governors managing larger budgets than some countries talk less of how much the Presidency controls, coupled with the ineffectiveness of the Legal system in the country as there are many allegations of carefree corruption, looting and non-implementation of sparkling budgets.

The truth is that with all these in focus, the government of the day can only do so much, the real change happens when individuals decide to change themselves.

Change comes to a nation when every single individual recognizes the fact that he or she is important and an integral part of the nation, and also has the power in the presence of will, to choose a path for the country to go.

“It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory”…W. Edwards Deming

For the first time in Nigeria, the citizens are actually convinced that their votes count, they finally have a feel that they are important and can indeed effect the change that they want, psychologically putting leaders on their toes making them realize that it is not business as usual, but they have to bring on their best game.

In all of this, it’ll be wise to realize that the presidency cannot come down to monitor simple things like stopping a regular guy from throwing trash on the street or monitoring traffic crimes, the real change rests with us.

If I genuinely love my country, no one needs to tell me not to be dishonest before I become incorruptible, it should be my initiative and act of kindness to let the nice old lady take my seat in the bus, I should know better than to throw trash into the sewage or break oil pipes or rob and steal from a fellow hardworking human like me, the world is ours and it’s worth fighting for, countless opportunities fly all around us and it is up to us to recognize them by having an open mind and looking out for the good in others. As the amazing January 20^th 1961 speech by J.F. Kennedy, the 35^th American President, which completely changed the attitudes of Americans, goes, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask of what you can do for your country”

Additionally, in Gen. Buhari’s speech after being declared winner of the March 28, 2015 Presidential election, he said, “…you voted for change, now change has come…”

In as much as a school of thought advice that we should not expect a miracle, but to be rest assured that acts such as economic leaks, corruption and mediocrity will be put back in the right perspective. If we are insightful enough, we would easily realize that the much desired change that we crave for is within us.

Thank you.

Akin Abimbola (akinzogee@gmail.com)

Source:

Google

Wikipedia

Brainy Quotes

Goodreads

Annie

Thanks, Michelle