SIXTY (60) YEARS WOW! THAT IS A MILESTONE IN THE RECKONING OF MEN.
What follows is my rambling because I am angry, frustrated, disappointed, and feel helpless and almost hopeless. And what I write may not be entirely new as others may have written same or similar things. True, the bible even says that there is nothing new under the sun; and its pages provide records of horrors in the B.C. and early A.D. Centuries. But these have been provided so that we will learn from them and not do the same things, inviting the wrath of God that was visited on those who did such horrible things in the past. But have we learnt? No! like death, its impact hit home hard when a parent, sibling or close relative dies, no matter how prepared we thought we had been. I have generalised for more impact; and also because to be specific will omit some issues and require more time and specific data. Also, I have not tried to be “politically correct” in my writing, because good as that may be, it is not for all occasions, as it is also a way of cowing people from stating bare truths. I have been blunt; no rationalisation, because I need to arouse your conscience to action. I write because there is a pain, unbearable and almost suffocating me and I need to give vent. I do so also with the hope that I can find some company in you, and we can begin at least some conversation about the way forward. I have, like many of us, nice people, trying to live an honest and clean life, Played The Ostrich – I’m not going to join them; so let them do what they like, as long as I am able to live my own disciplined and quiet life. LIE!!! Everywhere I turned has been met with opposition to my style of life – I must join them or be frustrated, oppressed, and even eliminated! I decided to get out of the country, got more academic education, pursued and made a success of career. But whenever I returned to my birth country Nigeria, it is a story of Sorrow, Tears and Blood (woes), to borrow from Fela Anikulapo Ransom Kuti of blessed memory. My frustration is further heightened as I find my contemporaries, even from the Church seemingly settled in a posture of rationalisation and encouragement of submission or indifference to the misery that is the state of our nation; provided they are able to navigate their ways and ‘make it’ as is commonly said. And as I think of what is happening, and how it particularly affects the younger ones, including my own children and grandchildren, I am alarmed at the legacy that we – including those of us, who claim not to be part of the corruption, are bequeathing to them! You may be offended by some of the things I write; if that happens, then I would have achieved part of my purpose. But don’t just be offended. Do you feel the same anger, frustration, betrayal and even a sense of hopelessness and helplessness? Then you are in good company. Let’s continue the conversation, and perhaps we may be able to fashion out some things that can assist in bringing about the needed change. A change, which may not necessarily be for us, if you are a pre-independence or at least over 55 years of age. But it is a necessary change for our children, grandchildren and posterity, if Jesus tarries or the world does not end in 10 to 30 years. Do I have your attention? If so don’t throw this away as the ranting of one frustrated person, who should be ignored; kindly read on. I can work with anyone who is passionate about truth, integrity, rightness, hates oppression and exploitation, and is bold to uphold these under any circumstance.
At 60, a human being is regarded as a senior and most likely would be a grandparent. In most countries of the world, if this person were to be working in government or government-related establishments, he or she would be thinking of retirement. In fact in some countries, such as Canada, people of this age are given special treatment, including discounts on food purchases and service fee in banking transaction among others. They are regarded as those who have contributed to the growth and development of the nation and therefore deserve to be shown appreciation while they are still alive. This person would be looking back at life with some sense of satisfaction or regret as the case maybe, at the journey of life that was started 60 years earlier. Satisfaction if this person has been purposeful, worked with determination, dedication and commitment; drew on available support, took advantage of opportunities and followed through with well-articulated good plans and goals, and employed the resources available to make good on set goals. This satisfaction may not come from having amassed monetary wealth necessarily; but more from the sense of having made useful contribution to life, especially of his/her nation and family. There would be regret however, if this person has squandered the resources and opportunities available to him/her. I believe that from the above analysis, Nigeria should be in regret!
As I think of the Nation called Nigeria – from Niger Area, as called by the colonialist, I cannot but lament for the waste, decadence and the apparent purposelessness that can be used to describe her, and as the other name for the country. I am pre-independent Nigeria, and I thank God that I can look back, count some positive milestones and rejoice at what my journey of life has been so far. But the same cannot be said of Nigeria. Hers should be a case of Deep Regret. With my limited knowledge, I dare to say that we can count on the finger tips very few countries of this world that are as endowed as Nigeria. The climate is wonderful, it is located in the tropics, mostly in the grassland region; its soils can sustain agriculture all year-round; it abounds with numerous minerals; her rivers are filled with a vast variety of fishes and other sea mammals; and its forests and grasslands provide multitudes and varieties of animals and all kinds of wild life. With a population put at roughly 200 million today, and about sixty percent (60%) of this in the working group category, with at least fifty (50) percent of this group having secondary school education, Nigeria is furnished with more than sufficient natural and human resources. There is therefore, no reason why we should not truly be the pride as well as the envy of the whole world. Every part of the country has what can be described as their comparative advantage, when it comes to productivity.
Growing up, I knew about the Groundnut Pyramid in the North; the Cocoa Boards in the West; the Palm Nut and Kennel Factories in the Midwest and South; the Coal Mining Industry in the East; and Mineral Mining Industry in the Middle-Belt; when the country was initially delineated along those lines. Where are these today and what development(s) or improvements have we built on these, sixty years and now counting? Where are our Petroleum Refineries? The Steel Smelting/Rolling Mill? The Cement Factories? The Vehicle Assemblies? The Textile Factories? The list goes on! A normal human being (not terribly sick and disabled) in sixty years would have grown by developing on innate as well as acquired abilities, to become an adult, with remarkable development indicators to show for being alive. Consequently, at 60, such a person haven become a senior, can look back with some real sense of satisfaction, because there will be developmental milestones to show for the efforts of the long years of faithful, dedicated, devoted and committed work. Such should be expected of a nation – she should have developed and grown, building on basic strength/abilities to become a formidable entity, providing needed amenities of life for her citizenry. The same cannot be said of Nigeria, sixty years running. We are a shadow of ourselves, and the only development, if these can be called development, are Corruption; Exploitation; Poverty, Oppression and the General Waste of Resources, both human and natural. We have retrogressed instead of making progress! Every part of the country can be seen in decay and now have armed gangs wasting lives and resources on a daily basis.
How did we get here? How did a nation with over 200 million people, with about 60percent of this as adults allow themselves to be so intimidated, impoverished, betrayed, traumatised and beaten into a state of comatose?. When I think of people who are 30 years and above in this country today, a good and sizeable percentage of them possess a minimum of secondary education. Yes, the quality of our education has been watered down greatly, a major outcome of the ills of our country, yet, these people can think to some extent. So, what has gone wrong and what is going wrong? The simple answer is Bad, Incompetent, Selfish, Wicked and Greedy Leadership; people in positions of power and authority only to deceive, exploit, extort, and oppress the populace! This started with the British colonialist but became perfected with every stream of those who put themselves in positions of power and authority. Every season or occasion of election is only a charade of waste, empty promises, and a parade of recycled people who continue to pillage our economy and lives. A most annoying one being that of 2019, where some seventy (70) or was it eighty (80) individuals, supposedly enlightened people, wanted to be the president in a country where there are well established political parties, and electoral fraud has been perfected to the level of a profession!
By their evil and contemptible actions, these self-appointed leaders have so emasculated the populace that the majority of people live on a survival mode! In this mode, the unwritten law is: don’t oppose or resist, otherwise you are crushed; acknowledge and serve those in power and have authority if you want to survive; wait for your time and do as we are doing! It is a mode of accepting the wrong as right; lack of initiative and of acquiescence. It is a mode of corruption and being corrupted! The few among the populace and a very tiny percentage among the leaders and those in authority, who do not practice corruption as a way of life, are ENABLERS. They are just as BAD because they not only tolerate the evil around them, they also encourage submission to the order of the day, which is characterised by Corruption, Extortion, Oppression and Exploitation. Yes, those of us who pride ourselves in not being part of the corruption live in self-made cocoons, and salve our consciences by using agents or consultants when we have to deal with government offices, and its agencies. These agents charge us at a premium so as to be able to pay the bribes usually demanded in these places. But we tell ourselves: oh we are not part of them, LIE! Is your money not being used to pay bribes that corrupt the system? Can anyone go through muddy waters, especially in white clothes and not be stained? For the Christians, they will quote the Bible out of context when confronted by saying: give unto Caesar what is Caesars’. Jesus Christ was talking about taxation when He made this statement and paying taxes is a legitimate and acceptable civil responsibility. So my dear innocent and upright one, can you see the dilemma and deceit in which we live? You, against your will, are being made to participate in corruption!
We seem to live in a state of denial with our reality so warped that we easily compromise; justify wrongs; and encourage wrongs. Though we pray a lot and religious organisations flood the whole landscape, we are experts in oppression; stealing; fraud; conceiving and speaking lies. We label those who are trying to live right perfectionists; difficult; and trouble makers; and they are frustrated and plundered. Like the Bible says: “they (we) are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.” The result is that we live like sheep without a shepherd floundering like those without eyes, falling prey to enemies and stumbling even at day light. We growl and moan; we hope for justice and salvation and there is none (see Jeremiah 4:22b; Job 24:13; Isaiah 59:9-15a). This is part of the reasons you can no longer afford to play the ostrich. Stand up to be counted. Life is meaningful when we live and die for something; something that is objectively and legitimately worthwhile and meaningful. You cannot be on the fence any longer!
The very very few who can be called the exceptions; who question and challenge wrong doings do not last as they are easily eliminated! (where is Dele Giwa; Alfred Rewane; Ken Saro-Wiwa; Kudirat Abiola; Bola Ige; among others).
The annoying fact is that the real king-pins behind this horror and evil that is spreading like wild fire in our country are not in the majority, they cannot count up to one (1) million in this nation of about 200 million people. So why is the vast majority apparently comfortable with the daily carnage that is our lot? Why do we appear to be in a state of stupor? Do we not see? Do we not hear? Do we not feel? And do we not experience this evil that is almost becoming a way of our life? Or has our psyche been so battered that we can no longer have any consciousness of what is good and bad? For how long must this evil go on, and how far must these evil people go before we wake up and do something meaningful and appropriate? True, one bad egg can make a whole box of eggs stink; but the box of egg can be sorted to separate the bad from the good. Therefore, these wicked few can be caged and taken care of. Yes, their disciples, who are now in all the spheres of our life, are alive, active and fine-tuning their wicked devices, and inflicting unimaginable damages on people, psychologically, emotionally, physically and even spiritually. Yet if we get hold of just a few of the king-pins and deal with them with the punishment they deserve, it will serve as a lesson, warning, and a deterrent to those who have followed in, and those who are planning to follow in their steps.
There is no society without some level of corruption; it is part of the nature of fallen, sinful mankind; the difference is that in most societies the corrupt are appropriately held accountable, and made to pay for their evil deeds. Wrong doing and evil generally in such societies knows no colour, gender, tribe, tongue or age. Accountability is the leveller, and people are made to play by the rules, and those found wanting are disciplined and punished accordingly. But Nigeria at 60 has not much to show for becoming a senior citizen than corruption; poverty; exploitation; extortion; wickedness and abomination! Ours is a nation of people who know what good thing to do but will not do it! According to the word of God these people are living in sin and will be punished accordingly if they do not repent (see James 4:17). Our Economic Policy, Economic Approach and the Economists who advise the government are second to none in the whole world. They are better than those in the most developed economies of the world! Otherwise how do you explain this situation of a country where more than 50% of her population are poor; with millions jobless, industries and other means of production failing; a situation made worse by the COVID19 Pandemic, increasing the price of the most essential commodity for existence – Petroleum products, and adding to that, a hike in power tariff as a means of revamping a depressed and battered economy? This is after billions have been taken as loan to salvage the economy, in addition to financial grants from international organisations including the European Union; Britain and Germany. Nigeria, we Need Accountability! This is the missing link.
It can be generally stated that the blight of corruption and evil have eaten into every facet of our national life. From the unit family, to the community and society at large, there are found nothing but a few brazen people who act like thugs and terminators, seemingly possessed by a spirit of fraud, corruption, and destruction, who will stop at nothing in oppressing, exploiting extorting, and arrogating to themselves the commonwealth of the whole population. They are so fierce and forceful in their pursuit of the acquisition of the national treasure for themselves, that anyone who dares to resist them is mercilessly crushed; as when a sledge hammer or heavy igneous rock is used to crush an ANT! I cry and lament for my country Nigeria! Why are the majority of us seemingly not concerned about this scourge that is ravaging our land and lives? Why does it seem as if we have been assigned to a state of stupor and in a state of permanent comatose? Who will wake us up? Who will wake up this mass of almost 150 million people, making allowance for those less than 18 years of age? Who will wake up this giant elephant called Nigeria? The Ayewa Gospel Music Ministry, made an album “Amona Tete Mabo” in 1984 after Babangida overthrew the regime of Buhari and late Idiagbon, lamenting the plight of the nation with streams after streams of leaders coming into power only to exploit us and loot the treasury. They prayed for the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Light to come and show us the way out of our mess. I’m such they will be shattered and alarmed at the state of affairs 36 years after their music of lament!
I lament for Nigeria at Sixty (60) years, a potentially great but crippled nation, where the only thing that seem to work is corruption, disorganisation, and kleptomaniac behaviours. Our leaders have destroyed us by the manipulation, abuse and exploitation of otherwise noble principles of our culture and religion! Our youths are turned into fraud specialist – the yahoo-yahoo epidemic; they have been turned into loafers; thugs; drug addicts; prostitutes; armed robbers; murderers; and terrorists inflicting havoc in every corner of the nation. Those who cannot join them die in the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea trying to seek greener pastures.
Where are the Archbishop of Okogies, the Rev. Father Kukah; the Mamam Vasta; the Wole Soyinkas and the Alhaji Lamido Sanusi (former CBN governor) of our time, who used to challenge our consciences? Oh, do we need a Jerry Rawlings? Yes, a Rawlings, but not in the mould of AK 47and the like. Our ills are embedded in moral decadence; a dead conscience, and a heart completely given to evil, wickedness, and abomination; or ineptitude (See Romans 1:26-31). AK 47 and any form of assault rifle cannot get to those places. Yes, the Bible says our salvation comes from the Lord alone. It states clearly that it is vain to seek help from the hills and mountains; to seek help from those who stay on horses and trusts in chariots (Jeremiah 3:23; Isaiah 31:1) – the physical and military systems of the world, which only make grandiose promises, but fail and fill us with shame and dishonour, as we have in Nigeria today. But salvation from religion, especially the Church? NO! The Church is generally speaking, DEAD. She has forgotten her mandate to: Arise and let her light shine; it has forgotten that she was given to the world to be its Light and Salt; they have forgotten the warning that they cannot serve God and money; that the love and greed to have money at all cost compromises and even destroys; and that the Church is to be holy and be prepared to be raptured by her Master and Lord, Jesus Christ! (Isaiah 60:1; Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 6:24; 1Timothy 6:4-5, 9-10; 1Thessalonians 3:13; Revelations 22:12-16). And very well did the same Bible say that: “… But if salt loses its saltiness how will it become salty again? It is good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13 CEB). Hear further how God describes a nation with a degenerated Church, paraphrased: the leaders and rulers of the land abhor justice and pervert everything that is right. They have built the cities with bloodshed and injustice. The rulers issue rulings for a bribe; her priests teach for payment; and her prophets practice divination for money! “Their hands are skilled at doing evil. Official and judge alike ask for a bribe” (CEB); when the powerful man communicates his evil desire, they plot it together. The best of them are like a briar; the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns.”(See Micah 3:9-11; 7:3-4 CSB). Does the above description not perfectly reflect the state of affairs of Nigeria? Is it still news that most religious leaders in Nigeria work only for money? I can state with a lot of veracity, I being a member of the Christian Church that since the late 1980s that for most people, being a Church leader – Pastor, General Overseer, Bishop, or by whatever name they are called, is more of a profession than a holy calling. In fact the concept of a holy calling has been thrown into the Atlantic! And so is the commitment to care (pasture/pastor) the flock/followers, let alone wait for their reward to come from their Master Jesus Christ in heaven. It is a profession and they want to be like their peers in the industry; treated as C.E.O.s’ of some flourishing fortune 500 companies; and they want their reward even with interest, here on earth. They will take their pound of flesh and with blood, so to say. In so doing, they bleed their local assembly to death – both physically and spiritually speaking. Most of their followers in an effort to meet the demands have joined the system – the rat-race of making it – that is, having money by hook or crook. So they have joined in the deceit, lying, looting and fraudulent behaviours, characteristic of the larger society. Look and check closely, and you will find that this has become the norm in our churches, with only a very few exception, the difference being only a matter of details and degree. Therefore, as the Bible also prescribes, it is high time these leaders – both temporal and spiritual, are Thrown Away and Trampled Upon!
At 60, we look directionless, but perhaps only committed in the direction of self-destruction, despite all the resources, both natural and human. We must wake up and act; we must wake up, because if we don’t, we will remain in this increasing state of shame and disaster that is upon us; we must throw to the air all the pretences to the noble principles of our culture and religion; we must jettison all the antics that constitute the scourge of our country today. We must remember that like the grave and the eyes, those who are bleeding our nation to death and have placed us in a state of stupor, never say or know enough! We still have the one who in his prime, described himself as the evil genius and made corruption our currency; we have the specialist Arms Dealer/Mogul; the one who disbanded satellite campuses for universities but set up his own university; those who feed fat on sea-ports, making commerce and business almost impossible except you pay through your nose after the normal charges; we still have those who have frustrated our railway systems for their own land haulage system; the ones who frustrated our Tele-Communications systems, making the country to waste colossal amounts in Lanlate Satellite Earth Station; and Necom House; the ones who said that telephones are not for everyone; the ones who destroyed our national carrier – Nigerian Airways; the ones who have destroyed our oil refineries; the ones who have left our roads to become death traps, with daily carnage and waste of both human and material resources that would have built our nation to an enviable position; we still have them living amongst us. Particular reference must be made of the Lagos – Ibadan and the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressways. These have been under renovation and construction respectively for over five years and unimaginable amount expended and yet not completed. But all the same, serve as revenue collection points for their cronies in uniform.
These leaders and their cronies killed Dele Giwa; Ken Saro-Wiwa; Kudirat Abiola; Alfred Rewane; and Bola Ige; to mention but a few of lives wasted; wasted so to say, because by their death the nation was denied and deprived of the relevant and needed services they were providing and could have provided for our nation. The list of the atrocities of these evil, wicked and despotic enemies of the State in the cloak of leadership in our nation is unending. I know that some reading this piece may be agitated and feel threatened and may begin to plot how to eliminate me. You will FAIL! The Spirit of the Living God will raise a standard against you; frustrate and bring you down to bite the dust. What I have written has gone out; and as a seed will germinate and bear useful fruits of those that will fight against you, and will build this nation. It is you because of your wicked motives that will be eliminated by the same schemes that you and your allies are plotting.
Dear reader, are you still there? Have I been able to arouse and challenge you and your conscience? Or do you still need something stronger than this to awaken your consciousness? I am not a politician; do not have political ambition and so not forming a political party. But I am concerned about our country and desire to make my little contribution. If you have the same desire; you are fearless in standing for and speaking the truth; you will not compromise on clear and objective principles; you will work for the good of the nation and her peoples and not use position for your own personal gains; you are a person of integrity; and are passionate about and committed to these values, then join me in dialogue and conversations that can produce resources and support for upright people who seek political and leadership positions for the sake of saving our country and her peoples from the squander, predicament and hopelessness that is being inflicted on our nation Nigeria.
Therefore, as I lament for our country Nigeria at the old age of Sixty (60), and I’m sure that you and many like me are also in lament; this is my wish and prayers for those who have bled and are still bleeding our nation to almost death and make us a thing of a shame in the comity of nations:
As the Bible Says: “Now I will rise up, says the Lord. Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.” “For he (they) did not think to show kindness, but pursued the suffering, needy, and broken-hearted in order to put them to death. He (they) loved cursing – let it fall on him (them); he (they) took no delight in blessing – let it be far from him (them); he (they) wore cursing like his (their) coat – let it enter his (their) body (ies) like water and go into his (their) bones like oil.” Now, because you have done all these things, this is the Lord’s declaration – I will banish you from my presence…” “I will destine you for the sword … you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in … you will be hungry, you will be thirsty, you will be put to shame; you will cry out from an anguished heart, and you will lament out of a broken spirit. You will leave your name behind as a curse… and the Lord will kill you;” This is so “Because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.”(See Isaiah 33:10 CSB; Psalm 109:16 NLT; Jeremiah 7:13 NLT; Isaiah 65:12; 1Peter 3:12 CSB. Emphasis and paraphrase mine). Can you join in saying a resounding Amen?
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