By Idris Usman
Nigeria is at a standstill and the way things are going Nigerians are becoming more and more uncertain about a hope for a better tomorrow with each passing day. The future of this country appears so bleak that the citizens are beginning to feel a sense of hopelessness even within the average ordinary family. President Buhari should realise that having been voted in as President of Nigeria at his age, the most essential thing he can give this country is good governance entrenched in true federalism; which is very important. The reason why corruption has thrived for this long is as a result of lack of belief in Nigeria, lack of belief in the oneness and unity of this country, lack of faith in the purpose of this country and there is no way you can eradicate corruption in four years.
Nigerians need to start believing in their country, they need to rekindle that flame of passion and turn it into a raging fire for their country. Nigerians need to get to that point where they don’t mind laying down their lives for their country. And until we get to that point in nation building, we will never be able to say we have completely eradicated corruption because Nigeria as a country is greatly divided along ethnic, social and religious lines and that is no way to boost nation building as it can only result in further division and segregation. Nigeria has been divided along these lines right from time immemorial. Even the little progress Nigeria made in the 1960’s following the Independence, was as a result of regional unity devoid of sectional bigotry. There was minimal corruption related issues facing us as a country.
Unfortunately, with the military takeover, we were faced with the beast of corruption again. So it is important for President Buhari to know that Nigeria will remember him for one thing and that one thing will be leading a one united nation. Nigerians may not remember him for his fight against corruption, because at this point in time, anti-corruption crusade is not what is needed to heal our country. Buhari needs to understand this and begin to work tirelessly in making efforts to leave this country a better, greater nation united in one purpose and vision. There is a Confab report pending, is the President seeing the conclusions on that report as unnecessary? Does he not see it as a way of bringing our issues to the fore and healing our wounds as a nation? He should call for a very moderate conference which to me may be duplication of something already done but notwithstanding where people can sit down and talk on issues. It doesn’t have to cost much, a conference whereby if a state is to send a delegate the state should sponsor their delegate down for the conference and let’s sit down and let’s heal our wounds and let’s move ahead as a country. Let’s once again build loyalty not by region but as a nation, that is when we can start talking of Nigeria and that is when we can start dealing with corruption and that is when anybody caught being corrupt can be dealt with irrespective of ethnicity, social class or religion.
Nigeria is at a standstill and the way things are going Nigerians are becoming more and more uncertain about a hope for a better tomorrow with each passing day. The future of this country appears so bleak that the citizens are beginning to feel a sense of hopelessness even within the average ordinary family. President Buhari should realise that having been voted in as President of Nigeria at his age, the most essential thing he can give this country is good governance entrenched in true federalism; which is very important. The reason why corruption has thrived for this long is as a result of lack of belief in Nigeria, lack of belief in the oneness and unity of this country, lack of faith in the purpose of this country and there is no way you can eradicate corruption in four years.
Nigerians need to start believing in their country, they need to rekindle that flame of passion and turn it into a raging fire for their country. Nigerians need to get to that point where they don’t mind laying down their lives for their country. And until we get to that point in nation building, we will never be able to say we have completely eradicated corruption because Nigeria as a country is greatly divided along ethnic, social and religious lines and that is no way to boost nation building as it can only result in further division and segregation. Nigeria has been divided along these lines right from time immemorial. Even the little progress Nigeria made in the 1960’s following the Independence, was as a result of regional unity devoid of sectional bigotry. There was minimal corruption related issues facing us as a country.
Unfortunately, with the military takeover, we were faced with the beast of corruption again. So it is important for President Buhari to know that Nigeria will remember him for one thing and that one thing will be leading a one united nation. Nigerians may not remember him for his fight against corruption, because at this point in time, anti-corruption crusade is not what is needed to heal our country. Buhari needs to understand this and begin to work tirelessly in making efforts to leave this country a better, greater nation united in one purpose and vision. There is a Confab report pending, is the President seeing the conclusions on that report as unnecessary? Does he not see it as a way of bringing our issues to the fore and healing our wounds as a nation? He should call for a very moderate conference which to me may be duplication of something already done but notwithstanding where people can sit down and talk on issues. It doesn’t have to cost much, a conference whereby if a state is to send a delegate the state should sponsor their delegate down for the conference and let’s sit down and let’s heal our wounds and let’s move ahead as a country. Let’s once again build loyalty not by region but as a nation, that is when we can start talking of Nigeria and that is when we can start dealing with corruption and that is when anybody caught being corrupt can be dealt with irrespective of ethnicity, social class or religion.
Idris Usman writes in from Abuja
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