Great is the future of Nigeria. By Yinka Dallas

Great is the future of Nigeria. By Yinka Dallas

A few days ago, I was watching a DVD proudly displaying Nigeria’s glorious past.

 

It showed the apparent joy on the faces of Nigerians on October 1st, 1960. You could see from the video, the promise of a great future; the Atilogwu dancers were at their best, regaling the audience with their acrobatics; the nation’s leaders were dressed in their long flowing gowns, celebrating and congratulating themselves for successfully fulfilling the mandate of their generation: LIBERATION.

 

Looking at their happy faces, I wonder if they could see what was lurking in the future. As I watched,  I wondered if they had the benefit of far sight, would they consider our 53rd Anniversary as a moment of jubilation? Would they know that 53 years “up the line”, several million hopes would be dashed? Could they have ever imagined that 53 years later, our educational system would deliver a 79.4% failure rate in the WAEC examinations? Could they ever have an inkling that 53 years from then, our nation would be buried neck deep in debt, after having been blessed with over  billon dollars as revenue from crude oil.

 

I’m sure that would definitely knock off a step or two from their fox trot.

 

In most cultures, the 50th and above anniversaries are golden milestone to reflect on the lessons of the past and prepare for the challenges of the future. In our nation, this is a critical time to move beyond survival mode and unleash the success and greatness that lies within us in preparation for the next 47 years. Several pundits have argued whether Nigeria should be celebrating our “successes” or mourning our lost opportunities, untapped potential with evident degradation and destruction of the labours of our heroes past.

Fast forward 53 years, our medical doctors and ASUU are on strike, protesting poor healthcare facilities and poor university funding,also failed promises from the government,many are been kidnapped daily by unscrupulous individuals holding innocent families to ransom. 

 

I’m sure that at independence, our leaders had dreams of building a great nation, several heroes laid down their lives at the altar of struggling for our independence. Have the labours of our heroes past been in vain? My mind buckles with pain to think that if they had the foresight to see Nigeria in 53 years, would they have danced as hard as they did as the British Union Jack was lowered and the Nigerian Green and white flag was hoisted?

 

Would they dance if they knew that our roads would become death traps from poor construction and poorer maintenance? Would they dance if they knew that in 53 years, over 70% of the people for whom they had laid their lives down for would be living on less than a dollar a day? Would they sway to the music if they knew that 53 years later, we would still be hoping to generate a mere 4000Megawatts of electrical power?

 

As I watched the programme, I saw several unions and organizations salute the National Flag as they marched past the dignitaries. Imagine my pain as I saw the staff of Nigeria Airways dressed in their navy blue suits and white gloves and the smiling faces of the staff of the ECN (Electricity Corporation of Nigeria) walking proudly. Would they have held their heads high if they could foretell that both organizations they represented would be either out of business or well on their way there in 53 years?

 

The greatest gift “today” presents to us is the ability to separate “tomorrow” from “yesterday” and make your “future” different from your “past”. My heart thumps in fear to imagine what would happen to our nation if we “siddon look” and do nothing. The truth is, while we may not be able to change the past, our future has no right to take us by surprise! Today is the history of the future. The next 47 years of our nation’s history must not take us by surprise. We will be the “heroes past” in 47 years! What will be said about us?

I believe that one of the greatest promises that God gives is the promise of Jubilee. Here, the yokes of the past are broken, debts cancelled, freedom given with the ability to focus on the future. As you know, the rear view mirror of a car gives access to the past, but the windshield gives access to the future. Whatever we have seen in Nigeria’s past will pale in comparison to what we can make in the future.

 

53 years ago, the generation of liberation delivered independence. Now our nation calls upon the generation of TRANSFORMATION to rise and transform our pothole riddled roads into the safest highways in the world, transform our schools without teachers, classrooms without tables and chairs into centre of academic excellence. I sound the clarion call to a generation who would transform a selfish people into leaders of integrity who will accept responsibility to build their nation and shape their continent.

 

We were born for such a time as this!

 

Even if the baton of positional authority is still being withheld from our generation, no one can stop us from holding the baton of responsibility. Many of the “rulers” from our political class today will not be remembered for what they stole or how they brought Nigeria to decadence, rather, our history books will be filled with the records of our heroes present written in precious ink.

 

So the time has come for us to begin to rejoice. I choose to dance in the face of despair, because my eyes see beyond the present into the next 47 years, where Nigeria is undoubtedly, the world’s most desirable nation to live in. I choose to celebrate the opportunity given to us to rebuild and restore the nation from the brink of destruction. I ask you once again to let the light of hope shine through the darkness of despair and celebrate in advance, the next 47 years of Nigeria’s glory.

 

I see bright and uninterrupted power supply, clean, potable water flowing from our taps, beautiful roads devoid of bumps or potholes, with clean drains and pedestrian walkways and well-kept advertisements.

 

I see leaders of the future from a tender age, wearing clean uniforms, purpose in their heart, a sparkle in their eyes and smiles on their faces gather at designated bus stops where dedicated school buses transport them on time to school.

 

I see the greatest Nigerian role models answer the noble call to teach and infuse the values of a “True Nigerian” into the next generation. I see innovation and the invention of new technology coming out of our “research for development” laboratories. I see the most dedicated and caring healthcare professionals working with pride in the most celebrated and efficient wards in Nigeria.

 

I see our graduates beaming with excitement and pride as they once again, deliberate on the impact their lives would make in their respective fields of endeavour. I see our banks and financial institutions giving the best advisory services to our aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs, while our established ones operate world class systems and structures to build global brands in Nigeria.

 

I see the Nigerian Stock Exchange rival the Dow Jones and FTSE as the most traded stock on the global stock market.

 

I see the cities of the Niger Delta, prospering with unprecedented productivity and peace. I see those cities give Lagos and Abuja a run for their money in terms of urban and rural infrastructure and development.

 

I see beautiful aerial views of our well cultivated farms, with our farmers celebrated as role models and heroes, with less than 3% of our produce lost between the farms and the marketplace.

 

I see Nigerians going on vacation to the beautiful tourist destinations of Kano, Calabar, Asaba, Ekiti, Funtua and Abeokuta,Yobe without the fear of insurgent rather than “escaping” out of the country and spending our well earned resources abroad.

 

I see underground train stations and the best airlines with the most courteous crew. I see local airports in the form and fashion of Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA 2) in places like Akure, Umuahia etc. as their minimum standard.

 

I see the most honourable and distinguished police force, with well pressed uniforms, but serving with great humility, respect and expertise attracting the best brains in the nation for service.

 

I see corruption becoming a by-word as our political landscape has replaced thieving rulers with thriving leaders and vicious rulers with visionary leaders. I see leaders who are of high intelligence and integrity in political office. I see honourable members in office who are men of honour and intelligence. I see a nation where power is given to the people and not to the party. I see a nation where the electorate do not sell their birthright to politicians, who offer a token, but instead give their own money to elect their own political choices into electoral office.

 

I see stable homes and family units filled with love, laughter and respect for others.

 

Clearly there is work to be done.

 

There is a difference between illusion and vision.

 

Illusion is wishful thinking and lacks strategic planning and action, but vision involves clear Strategy, definite Milestones for achievement, deliberate and purposeful Action, precise and quantifiable Resources and a highly effective Team.

 

While some may be tempted to believe that this is an illusion, I and a few thousand people (which might include you) have dedicated our lives to actualize this vision. We have taken action, focused on our goals and ignored the doubters, sceptics and naysayers. 

Building Nigeria into the world’s most desirable nation is a task that must be delivered. It is the honour of responsibility handed to our generation and the obligation of our time to the future generations.

 

It’s time to arise and shine. It’s time to rebuild.

 

Great is the future of Nigeria.

 

We must deliver the future.

 

Happy 53rd Anniversary.

 

God bless You.

 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Yours in Nation Building

Yinka Dallas