The western intellectuals have debated for long on the topic- Is Africa the sick baby of the world? Most have concluded that Africa is sick and is always associated with anything negative which range from wars, despotic leadership, famine, extreme poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, polio, religious extremesem and so many other vices not mentioned here. But then, the question is Can anything good come out of a sick baby!
History has it that Africa was the continent that the Portuguese came to in search of spices! The whites came to Africa and traded in slave trade with the local chiefs. Those blacks sold into slavery worked on the plantation which built the economy of the 'New World' but when the abolishing of slave trade finally happened, many Africans were returned to an Africa that had been distorted. The map of Africa had affected the social construct of the people. The partitioning of Africa wasn't about the people, it was about the resources. The fact that Africa has so much crises is a reflection of the evils done to it by past relationship with the west.
Africa's challenge of 400 years ago is the same as we have now. African leaders produce the manpower for the development of the west through slavery hundreds of years back, today Africa produces raw materials, human talents and established brains for the west. There are schemes called 'Visa Lotteries' and cart away the brains but quick to blast the continent for the criminal elements that find their way in to their countries. Recently, a Nigerian schooled Doctor performed an operation which was termed astonishing, yet they term Africa as a sick baby. Africa has the largest deposit of Gold and Uranium.... The irony for sure is that, nothing good comes out of a sick baby, its all about liabilities. Africa is a blessing...not a curse!
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Thursday 15 December 2016
Monday 21 November 2016
For Nigeria to wake up!
" 'Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.'
FRANTZ FANON
Nigeria is a country with so much potential to lead the African continent in terms of economic, military, technology and political capacity, but she has been unable to even lead herself not to talk of others. Nigerians are quick to blame the slave- traders of the pre-industrial epoch, the colonialists and the the politicians, but never ready to accept responsibility of their share in the blame of what Nigeria has become.
The first blame which exonerates no one is the lack of value for the human life. After so much contemplating done by me, I came to the conclusion that the cheapest commodity in Nigeria is the human life. Many Nigerians have been forced to their early graves because of human activities deliberately done by insensitive individuals or because of errors caused by lack of adequate capacity in important sectors of the society. The preference for mineral and material resources over the huge advantages human resources has been the bane of our development. When Nigerians talk about the blessings of nature which abound they never think in terms of humans as having the richest of all resources.
It is pertinent to discuss how we all contributed to what Nigeria has become.
Fathers;
The first person a child learns the rudimentary lessons of leadership from is the father. He is the first role-model cum hero-like figure that a child first encounters in the world. The values passed by the father to the child serves as foundation that other agents of socialization build upon. He is to protect, teach, guide and protect the child during the formative years. But, the fathers have been plagued with viruses known as 'absentisim', run-awayism, moral-bankruptness and irresponsiblity. Fathers have taught their wards to lie to unwanted visitors, fathers have broken traffic laws in the presence of their children, fathers have gone absent without leave (AWOL) in the lives of their children. Fatherhood goes beyond siring a child, it is a duty which lasts a lifetime. Robbers, looters, corrupt legislators, kidnappers, evil civil servants all have men who sired them but lacked fathers to build an enduring foundation in their lives. Some fathers buy questions for their children.
Mothers;
A mother by default has a relationship bond which can't be exhaustively defined with her child. A child lives in the mother for the first nine moths of existence and at delivery, even after the umbilical cord has been detached, there is still an attachment. Motherhood goes beyond the process of carrying pregnancy and the eventual delivery, motherhood involves a woman taking care of her child with utmost care and love. Every child needs the love of a mother, it is deep. But, mothers now want the place of fathers, many do not understand that their roles are different and unique. Many mothers teach their children against their husbands as weapons when there are marital issues. Some mothers do not discipline their children, thinking that this is the best way to show love to their children. They do not understand the term 'tough love' which simply means doing the right thing for the child even if it hurts.
Teachers;
There was a time when teachers were seen as sacred because of the roles they played in the society. Children took everything their teachers taught them as 'authority' , which couldn't be questioned, the teaching profession was seen as a calling and not a job. Teachers were revered and seen as light for the society. They were termed 'noblemen'. Teachers were believed to have special rewards in heaven, they were seen as heroes. Teachers produced great minds, helped continue the building of the life of children from the 'foundation' level where the parents started from. But today, teachers defile children from their pre-teens, help students cheat during WAEC examinations, sleep with their students, force students to pay for marks. If these heroes have failed, who else hasn't failed!
Religious Leaders;
According to Karl Marx, 'Religion is the opium of the masses'. Religion is a veritable tool if properly channeled, but in Nigeria, it has been a source of religious violence, aiding and abetting of treasury looters, pursuance of wealth by all means. Religious leaders have so much influence on people, yet evil and corruption pervades the land. An unverified poll has it that 90% of Nigerians are either Christians or Muslims, yet all sorts of evil is recorded across the country. Some, have canvassed for the use of local deities during the swearing in of public officials so as to discourage them from looting the treasury. Religious leaders have schools that many of their members can't attend due to poverty, they private jets while their members hardly have an international passport, they have mansions while their members squat with family or friends, they dine in the Aso Villa while their members are bought over during elections with 'stomach infrastructure'. Many of them have failed their members, even maybe God.
Politicians;
They happen to be the 'scape goat' of all the other groups I have written about. Every Nigerian blames the politicians, even though we know that the society produced them. Politics is like Amoeba which can take any shape. Many see politics as being 'dirty', but fail to realize that politics takes the shape of those who practice. Politics have the capacity to change the lives of many people by just one command of the politician at the helms of affairs. Politicians have taken advantage of the desires of the people. I believe strongly that material poverty is not the real problem of Africa, rather it is 'poverty of the mind' that has plagued Nigeria for so long. Politicians are like chameleon, they can only destroy you to the degree that the society has allowed them.
Youths;
The youths want a better country, but are too laid back to vigorously chat the course of their destinies through politics. The moment the youths decide to be in charge, Nigeria will CHANGE!
FRANTZ FANON
Nigeria is a country with so much potential to lead the African continent in terms of economic, military, technology and political capacity, but she has been unable to even lead herself not to talk of others. Nigerians are quick to blame the slave- traders of the pre-industrial epoch, the colonialists and the the politicians, but never ready to accept responsibility of their share in the blame of what Nigeria has become.
The first blame which exonerates no one is the lack of value for the human life. After so much contemplating done by me, I came to the conclusion that the cheapest commodity in Nigeria is the human life. Many Nigerians have been forced to their early graves because of human activities deliberately done by insensitive individuals or because of errors caused by lack of adequate capacity in important sectors of the society. The preference for mineral and material resources over the huge advantages human resources has been the bane of our development. When Nigerians talk about the blessings of nature which abound they never think in terms of humans as having the richest of all resources.
It is pertinent to discuss how we all contributed to what Nigeria has become.
Fathers;
The first person a child learns the rudimentary lessons of leadership from is the father. He is the first role-model cum hero-like figure that a child first encounters in the world. The values passed by the father to the child serves as foundation that other agents of socialization build upon. He is to protect, teach, guide and protect the child during the formative years. But, the fathers have been plagued with viruses known as 'absentisim', run-awayism, moral-bankruptness and irresponsiblity. Fathers have taught their wards to lie to unwanted visitors, fathers have broken traffic laws in the presence of their children, fathers have gone absent without leave (AWOL) in the lives of their children. Fatherhood goes beyond siring a child, it is a duty which lasts a lifetime. Robbers, looters, corrupt legislators, kidnappers, evil civil servants all have men who sired them but lacked fathers to build an enduring foundation in their lives. Some fathers buy questions for their children.
Mothers;
A mother by default has a relationship bond which can't be exhaustively defined with her child. A child lives in the mother for the first nine moths of existence and at delivery, even after the umbilical cord has been detached, there is still an attachment. Motherhood goes beyond the process of carrying pregnancy and the eventual delivery, motherhood involves a woman taking care of her child with utmost care and love. Every child needs the love of a mother, it is deep. But, mothers now want the place of fathers, many do not understand that their roles are different and unique. Many mothers teach their children against their husbands as weapons when there are marital issues. Some mothers do not discipline their children, thinking that this is the best way to show love to their children. They do not understand the term 'tough love' which simply means doing the right thing for the child even if it hurts.
Teachers;
There was a time when teachers were seen as sacred because of the roles they played in the society. Children took everything their teachers taught them as 'authority' , which couldn't be questioned, the teaching profession was seen as a calling and not a job. Teachers were revered and seen as light for the society. They were termed 'noblemen'. Teachers were believed to have special rewards in heaven, they were seen as heroes. Teachers produced great minds, helped continue the building of the life of children from the 'foundation' level where the parents started from. But today, teachers defile children from their pre-teens, help students cheat during WAEC examinations, sleep with their students, force students to pay for marks. If these heroes have failed, who else hasn't failed!
Religious Leaders;
According to Karl Marx, 'Religion is the opium of the masses'. Religion is a veritable tool if properly channeled, but in Nigeria, it has been a source of religious violence, aiding and abetting of treasury looters, pursuance of wealth by all means. Religious leaders have so much influence on people, yet evil and corruption pervades the land. An unverified poll has it that 90% of Nigerians are either Christians or Muslims, yet all sorts of evil is recorded across the country. Some, have canvassed for the use of local deities during the swearing in of public officials so as to discourage them from looting the treasury. Religious leaders have schools that many of their members can't attend due to poverty, they private jets while their members hardly have an international passport, they have mansions while their members squat with family or friends, they dine in the Aso Villa while their members are bought over during elections with 'stomach infrastructure'. Many of them have failed their members, even maybe God.
Politicians;
They happen to be the 'scape goat' of all the other groups I have written about. Every Nigerian blames the politicians, even though we know that the society produced them. Politics is like Amoeba which can take any shape. Many see politics as being 'dirty', but fail to realize that politics takes the shape of those who practice. Politics have the capacity to change the lives of many people by just one command of the politician at the helms of affairs. Politicians have taken advantage of the desires of the people. I believe strongly that material poverty is not the real problem of Africa, rather it is 'poverty of the mind' that has plagued Nigeria for so long. Politicians are like chameleon, they can only destroy you to the degree that the society has allowed them.
Youths;
The youths want a better country, but are too laid back to vigorously chat the course of their destinies through politics. The moment the youths decide to be in charge, Nigeria will CHANGE!
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