The Nigerian Dream

(Reflections of a Troubled Nigerian Youth)

To you, what is the Nigerian Dream?

photo from unknown source

When my father’s father was young. He had the opportunity to acquire primary education from one of the schools brought in by the then missionaries. In school, as he always recapitulated, he was taught that we are the leaders of tomorrow

My grandfather died at a fairly old age. He was about 72 years old when he died. He had a great interest in politics but never got the opportunity to exercise his interest because the rulers at the Federal Level, State Level, and even the Grass-Root Level held onto power as though they were born with it and must die with it. The big problem was that they hardly died early enough!

My father grew into a proper man, started to raise children, and still, these leaders are still our leaders. We need to understand what the phrase Leaders of Tomorrow translate. I am now forced to believe that tomorrow is tomorrow because their tomorrow might be their today.

Our White Overlords should take half the blame! They were intentional about everything they taught us. Not because they liked us as a nation but because they felt that the struggle for our independence was unnecessary. Why? They knew we were not ready!

I often ask myself questions like:

1. Is Nigeria mature enough to be an independent state?
2. Can we ever have rulers that will lead us forward and not backwards?
3. Will development become the interest of Nigerians someday?
4. If 60 is retirement age, will Nigeria (the real owners of Nigeria) plan on retiring soon?

If these questions can be fairly answered, then, there’s progress for us. I know we are all mad! It is nature and that is simply how it is. Hold on! Maybe their madness is worst than ours. Give us a chance to prove ourselves. If we are no better, give some other people the chance to power. Power should be dynamic and never static!

📷 @capturedbyadesuwa

These experiences and much more, force our minds into brainstorming on what the Nigeria Dream is.

As an average Nigerian, the Nigerian Dream cuts across even the most minute aspect of governance. From dreaming that one day, we can easily access social amenities to dreaming that Nigeria will become the hub of the world.

The Nigerian Dream differs as we are not in the same social strata. And so, the below are dreams harboured by many Nigerians.

1. As a young underprivileged Nigerian, the dream is to leave Nigeria to some other country, study there and maybe, decide never to return. Why? Because Nigeria is a failed State!
2. To many Nigerians, the Dream is when “Up NEPA” ceases from our lips simply because we enjoy constant power supply.
3. The Dream is the time we would never beg our leaders to provide us with accessible social amenities. This being said; when that time comes, our leaders will never embarrass us with manifestos that include “I will make clean water run through the state”. This should be unquestionable and not be given to us as a privilege.
4. The Dream is the time when the “Nigeria Passport” becomes as relevant as the US passport.
5. The Dream is that time Boko Haram stops wasting the lives of many Nigerians in the Northern Region.
6. The Dream is when Fulani men can graze freely without planning to take over, or fueling any banditry crisis.
7. The Dream is when Obiageli brings Ahmed home as the man she wants to marry and her family cheerfully accepts.
8. The Dream is the time when Tolu will freely acquire properties in Awka, Arinze acquire properties in Abeokuta and Shehu acquires in Benin, without the fear that one day, these properties will be taken from them simply because they are not indigenes.
9. To many, the Dream is when our children will no longer acquire formal education from the same outdated universities we attended and the time when the Curriculum will be put together by well-grounded Educationists and not Policy Makers that may have never taught a thing or two in their entire lives
10. The Dream is the time when “State of Origin” or “Religion” will not be requested before certain opportunities are given.
11. The Dream is the time when people will no longer leave their cars at home because fuel prices have gone terribly high. Today, it might be N165 per liter. Boom! Before nightfall, the government might announce some increment with sweet-sounding reasons that led to it.
12. The Dream is the time when merit supersedes favoritism.
13. The Dream is the time when hard work becomes the inevitable reward for success in Nigeria.
14. The Dream is the time our leaders will stop the endless circle of borrowing money from better nations when we have recovered funds that we can hardly account for. When will this madness end?
15. The Dream is the time our leaders will say no to looting money and stashing in foreign countries whereas, Nigerians die of hunger and starvation. They need to understand that this is blatant stupidity!

The list goes on…

📷 @manyan__arewa

Do we still dream? Will our dreams ever come to reality?

How long will we continue to run from home?

This is my Nigeria. This is your Nigeria. This is our Nigeria. Even with our last breath, let us make Nigeria a better place!!!

#LongLiveNigeria #Nigeria@60 #NigeriaIndependence #GodBlessNigeria