Only very few sincere people
can call a spade a spade
including the educated
ones. We judge things
from our own tribal barometer even
judging people. These biased judg-
ments have cost Nigeria a lot mone-
tary and intellectual wise. In elections,
when electing a president, people ask
“which tribe is he from” including
the vice president. Even in the labour
force it is like a dust bin due to tribal
and religious profiling. In big offices,
you expect to find big informed people
but what you find there are people
installed by the Ogas to be loyal to
them. You feel bad when the informa-
tion you are searching for is denied
of you because of the inadequacies of
people there. The system of evalua-
tion in choosing people has brought
a mess in Nigerian society. Things
are not judged from the patriotic or
justice angle but all are through ethnic
or religious perspectives. This thing
has eaten deep into the Nigerian
society to the level that even a child
in the womb can align tribally or
religiously. We are facing leadership
crisis and sufferings today because of
sentiments attached to our choices
in the areas of tribal and religious
considerations.
The Universities are no longer
sanctuaries for social responsibility.
Teachers who are supposed to be
role models have failed to inspire the
young ones. Everything now is quid
pro quo. In today’s world it is not
possible for a man to give something
to a woman without expecting some-
thing in return. We are living in a
world that lacks moral compass. Peo-
ple no longer respect the yardstick
for measuring the truth. Admission
into the University does not inspire
young women again to read and pass.
Some women enter into the Univer-
sity through liaison and many a time,
it does not last. Some wouldn’t want
to study because they are sure of
passing. They embark on using nega-
tive measures to scale through. Most
randy Lecturers pass their mistresses
and often fail those that failed to co-
operate. There are many revelations
of the unusual behaviours of teachers
and Students in the Universities.
Sometimes in other sectors you can
only be appreciated in your ethnic
or religious circle not by a whole
country. How can a man in Nigeria
feel accepted by his excellent per-
formance? This is a million question
requiring critical answers. When the
answer is completely positive then
you will know that Nigeria is filled
with patriotic people. Being patriotic
citizens will help in the develop-
ment of minds which in turn leads
to development of a country. This
gives positive values and solutions to
elections in Nigeria. People who are
not appreciated in the country are
appreciated more overseas because
their criteria of judging what has
merits are not clouded by prejudice
or any social construct. For them,
what is real is real and what is good
is good! There are many intellectu-
als and Entertainers yearning for
support, appreciation and approval
but they don’t get it until they travel
overseas.
Nigeria fails to understand that
some things she fails to appreciate
have many economic benefits. This
is why Nigeria is suffering from
economic brain drain. The nomina-
tion of Genevieve Nnaji’s film; THE
LION HEART in 2020 Oscars has
lifted Nigerian Movie industry. There
are many Nigerians whose artworks,
creativity, intellectual industry are
yearning for recognitions in the
native land and when they find an
avenue of presenting themselves they
will soar high overseas with correct
scale of measurement. Many Nige-
rians are making waves in various
countries overseas in different sectors
like Health, politics, Education,
medicine, Entertainment industry
even in sports. These things we
don’t recognize here are the things
that are enriching and booming the
economies of the countries Nigerians
move to and yet Nigeria complains
of a dormant economy and end up
blaming the youth.
Nigeria should look inwards and
identify things that would empower
the economy irrespective of the tribe
or religion of who would boost the
economy. Nigeria and Africa have a
discouraging system that does not
promote excellence in research for
development but still hang on to old
systems that the colonial masters left
behind. What is wrong if a Nigerian
discovers a cure to HIV? Look at the
conspiracy and battles surrounding
the man; Dr Abalaka who claims
to have first discovered the cure for
HIV. He keeps crying out that his
claims should be verified but no one
is listening to him. Other people have
come out with various inventions but
are not encouraged which makes the
ideas to die off yet we complain of
bad economy.
Will our economy improve by vari-
ous indiscriminate bank deductions,
discouraging businesses from free
transactions, closing the borders and
clamping down on the auto dealers
while we are yet to have formidable
local alternatives? The economy is
improved when people are em-
powered to work hard with regular
supply of power, good road networks
and a business-friendly environment.
Corruption is a very big obstacle
in the economy. We should tackle it
sincerely and wholly without color-
ations. When people work hard and
earn what is due to them legitimately,
the economy would grow not relying
on lottery, pool, betting and gam-
bling. The economy has hit so many
people so hard that they have resort-
ed to various “get rich fast” schemes.
What is seen as abnormal in other
countries is normal in Nigeria and
this is getting deeper into the fabrics
of the society. What our ancestors
frowned at is now cherished and not
seen as a big deal anymore. We are
witnessing the emergence of nouveau
de riche. Fraudsters with various
schemes imitating MMM, mul-
ti-level marketing prey on gullible
Nigerians to feed fat, Internet frauds
(yahoo-yahoo) have increased in
geometric proportions while few
people hoard looted money and not
letting it circulate. Many ex heads of
states squandered our money and
for the fear of being caught they
built several underground vaults to
keep cash of various denominations
causing great economic sabotage.
We cannot just go and lubricate the
economic system without knowing
those that are the engines of econom-
ic power in Nigeria that would move
the economy to the desired heights.
We need to work together, tap the
talents that are lying dormant from
our people irrespective of where they
come from and use them judiciously
for the good of the nation and not
for the selfish interests of those in
governance.
Very Rev. Msgr Livinus Ukah
Visit: www.levinereflections.com
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