Minister yourselve
It was Abraham Lincoln one of the greatest leaders in American history who said “ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”
Most times when I take this up with my fellow Nigerians, I am told Nigeria is not the kind of country you tow such lines with as it has failed her people especially in the provision of the basics as per social amenities, security and everything else. But I say do we throw away the baby with the bath water? Do we cut our noses to spite our faces? Absolutely NOT!
When Lincoln said this, America was not the best of them places to live; it was not the leading world economy or a super power, NO! It was just another country trying to find its feet yet it’s citizenry had enough faith in their leader at that time, they had enough faith in their country not to plunder it like we Nigerians do at the slightest given opportunity and defending our rot with all we’ve got… pathetic!
Even today, America is not all “rosy rosy” because if it was then there won’t be any homeless people over there, there won’t be any poor people over there but take a look my brother my sister and it will amaze you that New York the largest city in the United States, the home of the United Nations and the center of global finance, communications and business has a huge population of homeless people, the city has slums! Or call it ‘Ajegunle’ so you can appreciate what I am on about… Have you ever heard of Queens? It is a slum in New York or have you heard of the Bronx? That’s another low density area. Washington DC the capital city of the United States of America has the most homeless people and most of them are found in the parks right in front of the State House still these people believe in their dear country America. Let’s face it people, it’s not brain surgery but a choice!
Think it through for a bit, if we all loot and plunder our mother land Nigeria then what will be left of her to cater for generations yet unborn? You just can’t take, take and take and expect the purse to never run dry when you never put in it for once. Every Nigerian sees it an opportunity to “eat from the national cake” when availed with such an opening and I say it is madness! So what happens to the ones
Who never ever get such opportunities?
Do they take to terrorism to try and lay hands on the loot too?
It all becomes a vicious cycle if we do not take a moment to reorder our steps and direction… we are so headed for doom and the time to act is now, not tomorrow or even the next hour but NOW.
You mustn’t wait to be in that coveted position to effect the change; you can start right where you are in that little corner of yours and see what difference it will make.
Do not see public funds or property as “government property”. Whenever you make that snide comment; ask yourself who is the government? And the answer is simple, you are the government so if it is government property, it is your property!
How? Who elected the “elect”? YOU and even if they were “selected”, they cannot govern in a vacuum as they need you to be operational yes YOU! So without you, there is no government!
See whatever duty you are saddled with as what you do for your country, our dear country Nigeria and if you haven’t a job?
Don’t just sit there on your behind waiting for one but get busy. Organizing young boys such as yourself to go out and clean a gutter on the selected sanitation Saturdays could go a long way in curbing malaria in your area and that my dear brother would have done so much without your knowing it or organizing young girls such as you to fetch water or firewood for a poor widow living in your community will be all she needs to smile again…
Think! Think! Think! Dear brothers and sisters and let us be that change… let us be the one who puts Nigeria and indeed BENUE before ourselves.