Tag Archives: Nigeria

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The Government and The Public Functioning as One

Once I got off the plane it was like hot air rushed out on me. What a warm “Welcome back” to Nigeria that was. I kid.

I visited Nigeria – to be exact, Lagos for the Christmas/NewYear holidays. The main aim of my trip was to celebrate with my family and I thought sarcastically – Well, it would be good to see Nigeria again. With the constant news about bomb blasts, stagnant progress in very crucial areas in my country, I was sarcastic. It probably will be the same ol’ Lagos.

What I met at the airport was orderliness. I left the interior of the airport and got on the airport bus with my sister and dad, and I was fascinated. The bus was well-maintained and ventilated too. Then, we arrived at the car park area. The drive from the airport was smooth. No/very minimal traffic. Wow! I was thrilled.

Now, talk about consistency …

In Nigeria, electricity supply is not constant and generator business is good business over there. However, the electricity supply that I witnessed throughout my two-week stay was consistent, not complete but very consistent. Daddy installed Solar so our house gets constant electricity, regardless, but we were still alerted anytime an external electricity source came on. The trip from the airport to my house was not the only one that I took during that stay. I took 1, 2, 3 more and the roads were still very free. If you have driven or been driven on Lagos roads for years, then you know that the traffic can be brutal and can last for hours.

Each of these progressive experiences that I witnessed in Nigeria reminded of a post which was a sort of, my wish for Nigeria, after returning frustrated at the stagnancy I noticed last year. That post was titled – The Government Is People, The Public Is People Too. You can take some minutes to familiarize yourself with it. What came to my attention is that not only does Lagos State have a positively active Governor – Babatunde Fashola (not being partisan (I do not work for him) or partial, just being honest), it also has a public that cares about their society and nation as a whole. The latter are the people who are organizing themselves at the airport, ensuring that they do not deface and/or pollute the airport bus. These are the people who somehow … that I will confess to not being able to explain, created free roads for all Lagosians and visitors. This is the progressiveness that I seek not just for Lagos, but really for the whole country.

The Presidential election comes up in February. I will not be around to vote, but I will be praying for progress. Just as it hurts to see a gifted child produce subpar results time and time again, so it hurts to see Nigeria constantly performing below its potential. In some cases, the nation is not performing at all. My fellow people of Nigeria, in the coming month and on the day of election, use your power to put in place a fellow people that you truly believe can take Nigeria forward. No one can predict if a candidate that promises progress will take action when handed the mantle. However, I urge you to lay tribe, religion or any other source of partisanship aside as you cast your ballot on February 14th – and vote for the one that you feel is best for Nigeria – and then, hope for the best. Do it for Nigeria – that is, do it for your future.

Members of the public – rich, poor or disabled, we all have the power to change broken systems. Whether we remain in the public or move on to executive levels of government. The government is people and the public is people too.

Love & Peace,

Chiamaka

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Nigeria Turns 54: An African Dream, Still but A Giant In Imbalance

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Dubbed the Giant of Africa, Nigeria gained independence from colonial rule by the British on October 1st, 1960. So, next week Nigeria will be 54!

Encompassing several tribes, Nigeria shines with evident cultural and religious diversity. The country has been known for possessing very economically-vital resources, perhaps the most common of which is crude oil. Nigeria is a country with great potential, some of which, sadly, it is yet to begin to reach. The film industry of Nigeria – Nollywood, has soared tremendous heights in Africa and abroad. Nigeria’s economy recently became the largest in Africa. So, you see, Nigeria is an African Dream. It is a shining light in Africa which not all Nigerians including myself often realize, as for years the nation has been smeared with outrageous corruption among leaders at different levels of government; a huge financial inequity among the population. Also, in very recent years, terrorism has placed the Giant further in imbalance.

The economy of any nation affects the standard of living of members of the population. Nigeria’s economy is performing very much below its potential. Even the report on the milestone that Nigeria reached on becoming Africa’s largest economy acknowledged than more than half of the population are living in poverty.

My fellow Nigerians, possibly like many of you, I have an on-and-off relationship with faith, with regard to my reflections on our nation, Nigeria. However, my consolation has been the realization that you need not be a member of the government or a wealthy person to have power to make change. If members of the public do what is right, they can begin to put an end to vices that have become norms in Nigeria. Positivity and virtue sometimes spread like wildfire. So, if in your personal life you practice fairness, equality and peace, you are consciously or unconsciously moving Nigeria forward. Nigeria is the country, the land with raw materials and resources, the space, it (Nigeria) cannot do anything without the living beings that it consists of.

So, my fellow Nigerians, my hope is that as Nigeria turns 54 on October 1st, 2014, you will celebrate acknowledging the blessed nation that you have been given. It should also be a day of reflection for all concerned Nigerians. A reflection on what we can do in our personal lives to influence the Nigerian community positively, whether you live in Nigeria or are representing abroad. Let me remind you again that every human being possesses power and you decide whether to use your power positively or otherwise. Another reminder is that the government is people and the public is people too. Thus, as you hope (like I hope) for some leaders in the government to start doing what is right for Nigeria and Nigerians, believe in yourself as a member of the public and do what is right and believe that by doing so, you are playing your part in improving Nigeria.

Happy birthday to a country that I will always love and forever believe in – Nigeria!! To my fellow Nigerians, have a happy happy Independence Day.

Love & Peace,

Chiamaka.

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Fellow Nigerians, Keep Rising – Let’s not allow grief kill Our hope (Part II)

“Our girls” are still missing. Two-hundred-and-something of them. The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Johnathan (GEJ) is still yet to give the families of the girls hope, probably except for informing Nigerians that the United States has decided to help. President GEJ granted a media chat on May 4th, 2014. During and after the interview, a lot of Nigerians took their disgust and disappointment at the President to twitter. Many were probably expecting that GEJ’s media chat would bring hope to Nigerians, especially with regard to the case of the missing Chibok girls. However, when the President was asked about the action that he would take to solve the mystery behind the kidnap of the girls and bring them home, he said: The parents need to help us. We are asking that they bring the photo IDs of their children, but they are not co-operating. The most surprising and annoying part of President Johnathan’s answer to that question was when he stated that a high majority of the kidnapped girls are Christians. According to the President, the Muslim parents seemed to be against the idea of giving out the ID of their children because of the rules of their religion, but he did imply that the ‘good news’ is that majority of the kidnapped girls are Christian (who probably do not have that kind of ‘restriction’). Yes, I watched the interview, I thought: So this is my President? The goal is to be one. The goal is to teach Nigerians to love each other irrespective of their differences and beliefs. The goal is not to make biased statements that could lead to dispute among Nigerians. The goal is that the President, who should be the most powerful person in the country would encourage unity and peace among the public which he governs. Why would GEJ be interested in obtaining data on the religion of the kidnapped girls when everyone knows that the Boko Haram group consists of Muslim extremists. Why would the President put some, or most (according to him) of the girls who are already at risk, at greater risk by announcing such to the public. I felt weak and sad after watching President Johnathan’s media chat on May 4th. The relatives of the missing girls must have felt worse. They must feel so let down by someone who should be their hero. Someone who should be Nigerians’ defender. Now, it is confirmed that all we have and need is joint community action (both local and foreign). Nigerians, keep rising. Some weeks ago, I read a report which stated that Nigeria has become the largest economy in Africa. I was overjoyed, till I read that 70% of my people, Nigerians, are living in poverty despite this ‘growth’. The news then became bitter-sweet. A report on this milestone for Nigeria stated that the nation is expected to have a future total GDP of $510 billion based on calculations from 2013. The contributing industries to the expected progression include the film, mobile telephone and music industries of Nigeria. I was born and raised in Nigeria. The people of Nigeria are a hard working people. However, it is time to stop, like the late great Fela Anikulapo Kuti put it, “suffering and smiling”. While we should continue to persuade the federal government to improve Our society and provide more fair opportunities for Nigerians, it is time we worked on our individual talents as well. It is time that you depend on you. Build your own film market; direct movies; construct mobile phones; build your own fashion industry; build your own school. In other words, my fellow Nigerians, keep rising. I, myself, have risen with you.  

My Questions For You

– How are you planning to help the Nigerian people in this time of grief?

– What is it that you do to improve your own community?  

My dear readers, please keep using the hashtags, #BringBackOurGirls & #StopTheBombings. Keep sharing the story of the missing Chibok girls. Also, for those who can, please keep praying for the swift and safe return of “Our girls”.

Love & Peace,

Chiamaka.

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Fellow Nigerians, Keep Rising – Let’s not allow grief kill Our hope (Part I)

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Back in highschool in Nigeria, teaching students about the natural resources which their country possesses was a key part of our teachers’ curriculum. We learnt that this state in Nigeria possesses a lot of coal, the other, petroleum, the other, diamond, and the list goes on. Nigeria is a naturally blessed nation. So even in the midst of all the grief that Nigerians are currently going through, I continue to stick with my mantra: Nigeria never did anything to me, it is some Nigerians IN Nigeria that should check themselves. I developed that mantra because I do not want Nigerians including myself to look down on the Land that We are blessed with. We are lucky to belong to a Land naturally blessed with resources in terms of people, mineral resources and religion. Nigeria is a rich country. Nigeria is the earthly body containing people who were made to be able to take action. The direction Nigeria goes depends on the people it contains. It depends on Nigerians. Grief has been mentioned twice in this article. It is the simplest sorrowful word that I can use to describe the present condition that most Nigerians are in now. About two weeks ago, 234 school girls were kidnapped in Borno State, Nigeria by Boko Haram (a vicious Islamic militant group in Nigeria). The news was received, but as time went on and a majority of these girls had still not returned, Nigerians began to take action. I must say that I am very proud of my people. This has been the first time that I have heard of so many Nigerians coming together to publicly condemn the actions of the Boko Haram group. Women were marching in the rain on Wednesday, April 30th, calling for “our girls” to be brought back. Lots of Nigerians began using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls on Twitter. I joined in. To my amazement and delight, lots of foreign celebrities joined in using that hashtag and spreading the sad message of the missing girls to others. Nigerians have had enough, so now they have risen. The rain did not stop them. Their togetherness has inspired many including foreigners to take action. This relates to the post from Tuesday in which I wrote that taking your talent or passion public would make a positive impact somehow. I am proud of the Nigerians that action for the sake of “our girls”. While I mention that Nigerians have risen to take action, I refer to the Nigerian public as the President seems to care less about these young girls who have been taken away from their families, their education and have been stripped of their human rights. Nigerians are yet to see the President, Goodluck Johnathan take serious and beneficial action towards the case of these missing girls. His wife demanded that she be addressed as “Mama Peace” some months ago. Where is she now that women need a voice? I am proud of the Nigerian public for seeing that there is power in community. However, I am saddened that the President has yet to learn and is yet to be inspired from the governed. Yes, it is meant to be the other way around, but that is what is recommended in Nigeria, at the moment. Nigerians and supporters of the #BringBackOurGirls movement from all over the world were still grieving when we heard that another bomb blast had occurred at Nyanya, Abuja. That was the same place were Boko Haram bombed and killed people about three weeks ago. As suspected, there were deaths in this second bomb blast. Still the federal government seems nonchalant. Hearts are heavy. Nigerians are grieving. It’s hard for hope to stay in hearts that have been tested by heartbreak on and on again. It is true, but please, Nigerians and all who advocate for peace in Nigeria, let us not allow grief to kill our hope. Continue to use the hashtags – #BringBackOurGirls and #StopTheBombings on your social media networks. You do not have to be Nigerian to feel the pain that looms in Nigeria right now. Do your part and inspire others to advocate for peace in Nigeria. I have hope (though on-and-off), but I do have hope that Nigerians will be rescued. I have hope that Nigerians would be rescued from Boko Haram, bad government and all people and things that are hindering Nigerians from enjoying the fruits of their naturally blessed Land. My fellow Nigerians, please keep rising. I have risen with you all.

Ahh … My heart is heavy. I had to still make sure that I ask you all a few questions, so here we go:

– How are you planning to help the Nigerian people in this time of grief?

– What do you do to maintain peace in your daily lives?

Let me know!

Also, please use the hashtags – #BringBackOurGirls and #StopTheBombings, in one tweet or separate tweets. You can follow me – @Amzy_M and tag me in your tweets. I will retweet you!

Love & peace,

Chiamaka.

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