I recently traveled to Nigeria after many years. My heart sank at what I saw. The situation in terms of infrastructure has not changed much, however there seem to be many more people looking hungry and deprived. ‘Poverty’ could be seen on the faces of many young and middle aged persons.
My heart bled upon the knowledge that there were innumerable stories of embezzlement of billions of the Nigerian currency by elected Government officers. Why but why I ask myself? Why steal so much for yourself at the detriment of the under-privileged masses? By every standard, politicians generally in Nigeria are not poor. They enjoy on every aspect and every level of life; yet they seem to suffer with the disease of poverty. Unlike the masses, the symptoms are though not obvious on their faces, but it is evident in their choices and attitudes. Otherwise how else do you explain this greedy nature? A Government run by a majority of persons who are not moved by the suffering of the population at large?
No content human will dare to steal so much in a society like that where children and old alike are in such great lack of very basic necessities of life (clean water supply; food; health care; shelter and clothing) How monstrous of these Nigerian politicians? how very monstrous of them. Another peculiar observation was the good number of mentally unwell persons parading the streets of three major cities I visited in the Western and Southern part of the country; but these so called politicians drive through these towns and see these ‘needs’ on a daily basis. What a choice to make in not allowing their hearts to be touched! If your heart is hardened that you are not touched by the needs of a population then you have no business being in government of such a population period!
A willingness to serve in a government should be borne out of an overwhelming desire to bring about a positive change to the people.
A healthy mind (by my definition, not diseased with poverty) is that which is moved with compassion and a willingness to help! Any mind that is not moved with such genuineness is diseased with poverty in my opinion.
How can people be so spineless? I wonder.
People die in numbers from water borne diseases and all that is heard is promises in words and no practical attempt at finding lasting solution to these problems. Corruption runs right through the Government officials, public servants to the common man on the streets. What way is there to go?
It is a well established fact that God has blessed that country with resources (natural and intellectual). Why then can we not make the right choice to do what is right and humane? There is a need for CHANGE.
Where do we start and how can this happen, I ask myself?
Every individual needs to awake to this huge need for a change. At the level of the individual, our attitudes and mind set need to embrace the fact there is a problem and we have a personal responsibility to address this.
The ‘disease of poverty’ mentality needs to be replaced by that of contentment at every level.
This is a call to every Nigerian. The Bible states that godliness with contentment is great gain. How true indeed! Greed as you would agree with me cannot be seen as anything else but a characteristic symptom of a state of poverty deeply rooted in the mind.
I share your pain. At almost 50 years of independence,
progress has been dreadful. There’s lots of brains being used incorrectly and not for all the right reasons..
I had the same experience when i went to Nigeria. The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ was so wide that it makes you wonder what the leaders are doing with the country’s oil money.
Even though the country is rich in both natural and human resources, everybody seems to have formed a new class of the ‘have-to-haves’ that they’ll anything to make money instead making the country better and taking care of its citizens.
It is just a shame that the giant of Africa is not behaving like one.