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State of The Nation: We are going into a Hia By Okoronkwo Hillary A recent eye opening visit to Ghana and Nigeria made it necessary for us to take this position. In a way this position amounts to a 'siddon look' attitude coined by the late Cicero of Esa Oke, Chief Bola Ige. What we found on the ground in Nigeria and our previous way of addressing the injustices being visited on our peoples and the rape of our resources, were at complete odds with each other.
No amount of criticisms, we have
ascertained, will make any meaningful impact to help reverse the trend
of the decay. Those raping our resources have both no vision
and conscience, a fatal combination, but they are determined and
somewhat organized. Not being able to participate in the rape is the
definition of injustice to many 'dislocated' former rapists! The society
at large, the great majority of our people does not have a say in their
own affairs, confused and have resigned their fate in the hands of
Almighty. The churches, both mega and small are contributing in no small
way to the decay, and promising a greater things and rewards in the next
life!
Individuals young and old have mastered
the act of deception, it is now a way of life. Conservatively speaking,
unemployment has to be around 50 percent. The policy makers ( we found
mischief makers) must have either cheated their way through school or
completely read the wrong books for the 'right' selfish reasons and
hence the situation that we are in. There is a huge vacuum in the in the
quality of leadership cadre. Logically speaking, nothing makes sense in
Nigeria but above all else the people without any other viable or
practical option appears to be very happy!
An "Okada' (commercial motorcycle
transporter) operative, a father, uncle and a husband ran into a naval
officer's car in a traffic in Lagos causing some damages to the car. The
naval officer came out of his car, ordered the 'okada' man to kneel down
and open his mouth. He pulled out a gun at very close range with the gun
in his mouth, shot the 'okada' man to death. 'And the man died! The
executive 'progressive' governor of Lagos state threatened to ban the 'okada'
operatives who were 'rioting'. To the best of our knowledge, nothing,
absolutely nothing has come out if. Only in Nigeria.
State of the nation met with Jerry
Rawlings, the former president of Ghana. After spending two minutes or
less with him, we saw in him a principled and practical man. A leader
who leads by example. His humble abode and lifestyle spoke eloquently
about this man who may be passing unrecognized and unappreciated in our
eyes. We congratulate the Ghanaian people on what they have going for
them. We saw a foundation laid and a great future for the people of
Ghana. The only danger to all of these progress remains the alarming
rate at which Nigerians are moving into the country.
Five days by all means may indeed not be
enough to obtain a true assessment of a country of 22 plus million
people for the kind of declaration we are about to make. But we are
tempted to say that Ghana is ready for foreign investment and we have
assumed the position of unpaid spokesmen for Ghana and their nascent
democracy which appears to be holding quite well. It is very noteworthy
to mention that two of former President Jerry Rawlings' lieutenants that
we met and spent some time with are living ordinary, stress free and
simple lives. Lives very unbefitting of former government executives by
Nigerian standard!
In summary we concur with Chinua Achebe
that things in Nigeria have really fallen apart and the center (Aso Rock
nor any of the state capitals) cannot hold! We will participate in
meaningful discourse(s) that seeks urgent and practical solution to
Nigeria's hydra headed problems. Occasionally we will make appearances
in your in-box for entertainment purposes only but for now, we are going
about this in a quiet way and some day (maybe) we will be back to report
out to you.
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