Do it for the children

The only thing Africa has left is the future.
Marita Golden (1950 - )
U.S. writer and teacher.
A Woman's Place
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Children, they say, are the future. Because the future belongs to them. However they can only grow up to meet whatever we leave behind for them when we die.

The decisions we make today determine the future we meet tomorrow. In a certain movie I watched recently, a profound statement was made- “there is no such thing as fate. Only choices…” In other words, the real issue is not what is meant to be (fate), but the decisions we make. The choices we make today determine our fate. But not only ours, but the fate of our children also. We have all heard of parents leaving behind for their children either great wealth, or conversely, great debt.

Many of us grew up to live with the consequences of our fathers’ irresponsible lifestyles. Or our mothers neglect. It is indeed a thing of sorrow to see our children suffer because we made wrong decisions.

This calls for us as members of this present generation to begin to build a better Nigeria for our children to enjoy. Let them grow up to meet a better socioeconomic system that guarantees a better standard of living.

Talking about health for instance, in particular HIV, how pitiful it will be to have children born with the deadly virus. But that will be the case if we do not take heed to the clarion call for responsible sexuality.

For those of us clamoring for a revolution in Nigeria, the benefit of succeeding in such a revolution is not just a better life for ourselves but also for our unborn seeds.

So if your life is just the way you want it right now and you find yourself being dulled into complacency and nonchalance about the current state of Nigerian affairs, well, I urge you to wake up. Do something to make things better. At least do it for the children.

ARISE O COMPATRIOTS!

A palpable darkness seeks to engulf the entire nation of Nigeria. This is evident in the reign of fear and pessimism that pervades the land. The spate of ethno-religious violence, ritualistic and occultic carnage and armed robbery that assails the country gives credence to the fact that Nigeria as a nation is on the verge of calamity. Corruption and injustice are twin evils that clog our wheels on the ride to economic revival and social transformation. The foundation of politics in Nigeria is for the most part occultic and opposed to righteousness. How then can our political leaders lead us out of the quagmire in to the bright light of national prosperity?

No section of our nation has functioned optimally in the last twenty years, be it economy, education, politics etc. Just take some time to peruse the newspapers, there you’ll get the full gist of what I’m trying to pass across. Yes, there have been some good and positive changes in the area of telecommunications, information technology etc. but there still remains a lot of decay that should not even be because Nigeria is one of the most endowed nations on the face of the earth. Other countries can only envy the variety of resources that God has deposited within our geographical borders. Yet we have not yielded the commensurate fruit. We have not shown gratitude and loyalty to God. Rather we have squandered our resources and opportunities.

In the light of the above, we cannot continue with business as usual, or think the responsibility to pray for and change Nigeria belongs to any special groups. If this country disintegrates into anarchy and chaos, we are the ones who stand to lose, not the Americans or the Japanese. We! Us! Even if you are a Nigerian abroad, you will not be able to raise your head with pride if our nation succumbs to the destructive forces operating within it today.
We all have a collective stake in the peace and well-being of our nation. This message is addressed to the youth of this present generation. Among us are the future presidents and ministers of Nigeria. We are the PHCN (formerly NEPA) officials and state governors of tomorrow. We are the future of this nation.

Let us not be overwhelmed by the present state of affairs in this country. Only let us not be partakers of the evil going on. Let us stand firmly in the belief that Nigeria can be all that she has the potential to be. PHCN can work, our roads can be better. Our police force can be agents of justice and order, poverty can be reduced, unemployment can be limited and the general standard of living can be improved. However, this can only be if we decide to make it happen.
Indeed, those of us who believe in a better and brighter Nigeria may only be a minority. But look through history and you will see that great change and invention has never been the offspring of the majority. If the majority had always had its way in time past, there would be no aeroplanes, telephones or space travel today. Helen Keller said once, “I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
Ella Willer Wilcox said, “Upon the wreckage of thy yesterday, design thy structure of tomorrow...”
You can make a difference in your own small way. Do something about the poor in your neighborhood; help the helpless in the hospital wards. That huge sum of money you are about to spend on a luxury can save a life in need of medical help. If you have no money, you can pray. Pray for our leaders do not curse them. Choose to live up to high moral standards. Read this article once more, spread the message- Nigeria can, and will be great. You and I can make it happen. It is all for our own good.

A POLITICIAN FOR THE PEOPLE

Professor Pat Utomi is a man I have come to respect so much. A political economist, management lecturer, entrepreneur, societal role model and recently, Nigerian presidential aspirant. He represents a breed of Nigerians that, if permitted, will serve as much needed medicine for our present day ill-plagued society. Not that he needs our permission anyway. One look at his resume will tell you that.

He has served on various boards in government, private sector and in academia. He is a role model to young people like myself who have a burden to see a better and greater Nigeria (named Societal Role Model in pioneer awards by the Nigerian Tribune in 2001)

http://www.patutomi2007.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=27

In his article, POLITICS WITHOUT THE PEOPLE, (http://www.dawodu.com/utomi8.htm), he made the following observation:

Nigeria lies prostrate because in Nigerian politics people do not really matter. Just look at the things we assume about Nigerian politics. They all seem to discount the Nigerian people. Look at the undemocratic nature of the processes of our political parties; the assumption by most Nigerians that voting is pointless because elections are rigged by a political class that think nothing of the weight of the voice of the people; the mindless corruption that leaves the state treasury empty even as the Governors pour the fortune of the common wealth into their private quests for political bounty as aspirants for the presidency. How did we get it so wrong.

Indeed, how did we? I believe that the very definition of "Bad Governance" is governance that is not people-centered. At this point, I am reminded of the chorus in one of Micheal Jackson's popular songs- "all I wanna say is that they don't really care about us!" Our rulers don't really care about us. How else would you explain why they amass stupendous wealth while the people that voted them in live in abject poverty and disease?

What we need in Nigeria are compassionate leaders who give a damn about the common man; leaders who will deny themselves of even sleep; not to hatch evil plans on how to obtain and retain power and wealth, but rather staying up to devise strategies to reduce poverty and make life better for the masses.

We need leaders with a vision for our country.

"....my vision of a new Nigeria is a country of people of industry and integrity who live in harmony and prosperity with one another, inspiring an African renaissance in which the dignity of the human person is at the centre of all public choice..." Pat Utomi http://www.dawodu.com/utomi8.htm

What Nigeria needs are politicians who ARE FOR the people.

THE REAL VICTIMS

On my way to work this morning I was struck my a pathetic site. Pathetic in the sense that it was a sad deviation from the norm. Just as I was negotiating a bend in a crowded marketplace, there stood a little child by the road. He couldn't have been older than 4. He stood in his tiny green checkered uniform, arms spread out, gesticulating like a traffic warden, and a broad grin on his face. It was 9 am in the morning and the traffic was heavy.

What struck me was that at 9 am in the morning, when little kids are supposed to be in school, here was this kid playing around by a busy road. Plus, he was barefoot.

It got me thinking- who are the real victims of our malfunctioning society? What are little children who are supposed to be in school doing roaming the streets aimlessly? Their parents are too busy struggling to make a decent living. The result? Undue exposure. Child abuse, rape, child trafficking, juvenile deliquency. Etcetera etcetera.

There's much to say about this but for now i'll say, the children are enough reason for us as Nigerians to look into making our society a better place. Selah

To be continued...

30 million a day?

Was just wondering...apart from chicken farming by presidents, what legitimate business could earn you that huge amount of money. In Nigeria.

Make 30 million naira a day from chicken farming

Telegraph.co.uk
President comes clean to fight corruption crackdown
By David Blair, Africa Correspondent(Filed: 25/11/2004)

Nigeria sought to draw a line under decades of corruption yesterday when President Olusegun Obasanjo declared his private income, disclosing that he makes £140,000 a month from a chicken farm.
Mr Obasanjo, the first Nigerian leader to declare his assets, told a bemused nation that his farm in Otta state yields annual profits approaching £1.7 million.The president's spokesman, said his declaration was part of a government campaign to clean up Nigeria.
The farm also stocks ostriches, pigs and fish and boasts a conference centre where Mr Obasanjo hosts regional summits.Previous Nigerian leaders gloried in looting their country's oil wealth. Gen Sani Abacha, the military dictator who died in 1998, stole between £1 billion and £3 billion. Despite scouring the world for his assets, the government has recovered less than £500 million.Despite the crackdown, official corruption continues on a wide scale. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, earning about 95 per cent of its hard currency from daily exports of two million barrels. But about 50,000 barrels are stolen every day and sold for huge profits.

http://nigerianmuse.com/important_documents/Obasanjo_farm_wealth.htm

Forgive me if i sound like an ignoramus when it comes to agricultural matters but can anyone please explain to me how one earns over 30 million naira each month from an animal farm??@#$$

Been away for a while. Be back with some gist soon.