May Nigeria Be Delivered From Us!

Yesterday, Nigeria turned 60 years as an independent nation. But for weeks on end before the D-Day, it’s been a free-for-all Nigeria-bashing fest.

I have read in some forums where people have suggested that Nigeria at 60 is due for retirement and therefore should be retired so we can all start afresh.

Others have suggested that we sell Nigeria to the highest bidder out there and share the proceeds.

Of course, all these are supposedly said in jest. But let no one deceive you, they’re all undeniable evidence of the unreserved scorn which many of us have continued project towards this country.

For the past few weeks, in the build up to Nigeria’s Diamond Jubilee, everyone seems to think that the country needs to be kicked down the curb and what hard kicks they have all been dishing out.

A few days ago, an opinion article by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria trended with the headline, ‘Me celebrate Nigeria at 60? Sorry, no!!!’

The almost 2000 worded article told us everything we all already know is wrong with Nigeria.

But it didn’t tell us what was wrong with us as a people.

Most especially, it didn’t tell us anything that was wrong with the author of the article himself, who himself is a Nigeria, living and making a living from Nigeria.

This same very perfect human living in this very imperfect Nigeria is one of the richest and flamboyant lawyers this country has ever produced.

In a country where lawyers earn as little as N50,000 monthly, this our ‘innocent’ lawyer, who has never done any wrong to Nigeria once admitted to collecting N75m in legal fees from a governor facing corruption allegations.

He also once represented a former attorney-general of the Federation who was involved in a messy oil deal that saw Nigeria holding the short end of the stick to the tune of millions of dollars.

The former attorney general was accused of collecting N300m bribe at the expense of Nigeria and yet, our saintly SAN was the one defending him, against Nigeria.

We can go on and on, but clearly you must have got the drift.

On each independence anniversary, they see yet another opportunity to tell us how this country from which they have been feeding fat is barren and useless and therefore, not worth anybody’s love and sacrifice

You see I have absolutely nothing against the SAN but he is an epitome your haughty, blame trading and hypocritical Nigerian of today.

Himself and his ilk are a major reason this country is where it is today.

Like vultures, they gather at every opportunity they get to rape and devour Nigeria without mercy.

They don’t even wait to remove the traces of their ill-gotten meat from their teeth before coming outside to pontificate about how the country is not worth celebrating.

On each independence anniversary, they see yet another opportunity to tell us how this country from which they have been feeding fat is barren and useless and therefore, not worth anybody’s love and sacrifice.

Look round today at the faces of all those accusing Nigeria of worthlessness and you will see that they have all either been in government one time or they were always connected to those at the seat of power.

But that is just one half of the story.

The other part has to do with the so called masses, who are supposedly innocent and helpless.

But there are no innocents here and there have never been because the hyenas and vultures devouring this country can’t succeed alone.

The so-called helpless innocents are ever willing to collude with the hyenas to dispossess Nigeria of everything that could have made her great.

Now, everyone is showing Nigeria’s pothole ridden roads. We’re are all talking about the hospitals without beds and drugs, and our classrooms without roofs and chairs.

But where are the ones who signed the cheques for the contracts that would have ensured that Nigeria isn’t in such a sorry state today?

Who are the people who were awarded contracts but failed to execute them, even after collecting money?

Where are those who should have monitored and ensured that such contracts were satisfactorily executed?

What about those who connived with contractors to ensure that the contracts were inflated just for a slice of the pie?
Even you ‘pitiable’ minimum wage earning civil servants are culpable in this matter.

Make no mistake about it, the next election cycle will still present us with another set of rotten palm fruits and broken mortar to choose from

Let’s not also forget the unconscionable praise singers and all those who over years have elevated the art of looking the other way into a virtue.

Let each Nigerian mocking this country today locate where they belong in this dreary picture and accept that we’re all guilty.

Were Nigeria an individual, she should have sued us all for gross neglect and malicious incompetence.

But you see, whether or not, we accept it, the consequences of our individual and collective crimes against this country are already here at our doorsteps and we must drink of it to the last drop.

That’s why even as 2023 approaches and people are getting excited over the prospect of a change in government, thinking that then all their problems would end, I can only shake my head in pity.

What change exactly are we expecting when we have refused to change and become better behaved guests of this beautiful country, we have been graciously granted as an earthly abode in this earth life?

Make no mistake about it, the next election cycle will still present us with another set of rotten palm fruits and broken mortar to choose from. Yes, we will have options, but the outcome of any the choice won’t be any different from the other.

It is what it is.

Until we stop holding Nigeria responsible for our woes, and rather blame ourselves for all of Nigeria’s afflictions, as well as take concrete steps towards becoming better people, the beginning of the end of our troubles will remain far.

May Nigeria be delivered from us!