In1965 precisely when the Union Jack flag was pulled down just to get the Green-white-green flag of Nigeria hoisted to fly for ever over our lands, our founding fathers who strutted and fretted for the liberation of our dear country, of course had a dream – a dream for a, then budding, nation whose seed was planted on a naturally-tilled rich lands where her future children were supposed to live in peace and harmony amidst all anticipated indices of development.

We started on a good note with our founding fathers at the helms of affairs driving the nation to great heights through dedicated, selfless, pragmatic and prudent management of our country and its then scarce resources. Politics was played without bitterness, religions were practiced devoid of sentiments and ethnicism or tribalism was religious beliefs were promoted without any show or domination of supremacy. Nigeria was then an epitome of a melting-pot state; And even without the so much dependent on crude oil our country was an envy of other nations. Education and civil service was a thing of pride But here we are today living in a world that could be best described as a distorted dream of those who fought for the evolution of our today. A derailment of Leadership; a corruption of values, a bankruptcy of morality and a total demoralization of patriotism and chauvinism. Its really sad.

The President of the Federal republic of Nigerian Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said during the 46th Nigerian independence anniversary celebration broadcast that it was quite unfortunate that Nigeria and Nigerians did not get it right early enough; for if we had, we would have been better off. He noted with a deep sense of nostalgia that if Nigeria had really gotten it right we would not have been looking up to one time blinking countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and the rest. But today these countries are doing better politically, economically and developmentally. Though the president had said that the bane of our existence today was because Nigerian leaders, perhaps the contemporary ones, had not been able to plan and orchestrate properly for its development, I still beg to disagree with the generic judgment of the President because immediately after the Independence, Nigeria was blessed with leaders who got it right and life was said to be very good for all. We are today been entertained with stories of how agriculture was the main stay of our economy and things were fine to all. Those leaders actually got it right then; if they could out of the proceeds of agriculture alone be able to offer a relatively free education and college and university graduates were sure of getting employed, own houses and even own cars. We heard stories of people living in peace with one another; we heard good stories of how our naira was valuable and so on, as against what is obtainable today. Nigerians of today are living poor in the mist of plenty. at present we are not only blessed with rich agricultural lands which if well harnessed will even sustain the economy but we are now one of the leading crude-oil producing nations in the world. But amidst all these, we still have over 70 percent of our graduates are that unemployed; over fifty percent of Nigerians are said to be living below poverty line, a situation which analysts said accounted for the wanton killings in communal clashes, religious crisis, crimes and corruption that is fast smearing the name of the country. It is not that there isn’t enough to cater for all, if so, politicians will not be spending much to get elected only to turn around to line their pockets with the tax payers dues. The country has become so endangered with politicians who are supposed to be the custodians of our hard earned democracy and promoters of good governance and cohesion amongst the multi-ethnicity now being the ones fanning the embers of discord, promoters of corruption and advocates of politics with bitterness. We have so much derailed and decayed that one begins to wonder if in the next years to come we will still be existing as one great, united, harmonious and prosperous country; because from all indications we have all sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God that was bestowed upon our founding fathers who led this country well and whose relics we still make reference point today.

This strong sense of nostalgia for our good old days had compelled me to see our contemporary leaders and even we the led as not living up to the God-giving status as advanced animals on earth. It is unfortunate to note that even though we, the God image on earth, are blessed with the best and the most sophisticated thinking faculty we still think lowly even worse than the lowest beasts. And I feel strongly too that for us to get it right and be on the right path to peace, unity, prosperity and development we should at least visit the Ants Colony. One may be compelled to ask; why ants? There is an old saying that if one wants wisdom, he should visit the city of the ants. Ant is the common name for members of a family of about 11,000 species of insects that live in highly organized societies called colonies. Ant colonies have elaborate social structures in which the various activities necessary for the feeding, shelter, and reproduction of the colony are divided among specially adapted individuals. According to Microsoft Encarta Premium 2006; “Ants belong to an order of insects called the Hymenoptera, a group that also includes bees, wasps, and sawflies. Some species of wasps and bees resemble ants in that they live in colonies and are therefore said to be social, but ants are the only hymenopterans in which every species is social”. Apart from other organic creatures, ants could be said to be one of the tiniest creatures of nature on the face of earth. Comparing man with ants could be some how paradoxical but the irony of the facts is that the latter seemed to possess and making good use of the endowments of the former. It is pertinent to note that in the ants’ colony there is that high rate of discipline, organization and cooperation. Their interactions, though inaudible to man, often if - not always - yield positive results towards achieving a defined and even complex objectives which are even beyond achieving in the human world where technology and other machines that make life easy are excessively used. The ants possess that equal ability to accomplish every task they set out for themselves to achieve; and in doing this they appreciate individual or group ability where as they continue to work to provide food and other means that enhances their existence. The weaker or younger ones among the ant are observed to have been assisted by the big and stronger comrades. Devoid of all kinds of segregation, Classism, ethnicity, or religious inclination the ant colony govern itself using no constitution or decree but the simplicity of socialism and civilization. Though there are appointed leaders or representatives who champion the affairs and causes of the colony, responsibility in colony are attained in the order of hierarchy and graduation. Every one is a responsible and patriotic member of the colony; every one is protected by the ruling authority and every one enjoys the dividends of their collective hard labor equally. The ant does all sorts of works in its early life until it attains maturity where it is allowed to choose specialty and joins the relevant team. No ill-feelings, no animosity, no struggle for power, no embezzlement of public treasury and no partiality or favoritism. It is a melting pot - a diffused society where the appointed ruler does not place any importance or distinction between his or her own child and that of the ruled. It is a colony of equality, fairness and wisdom. Albeit such a minute and vulnerable creature, the astuteness of the ant actually challenge that of the superior and more advanced man, yet in their miniature form the ants still live peacefully in harmony and cohesion; they never as humans appreciate war or crisis as obtained amongst the human race.

It is for this that I strongly advised that if we must kill one another just for us to get in power, we must learn from the ants; if we must hoard all that belongs to the public in order to make our selves and family members more comfortable, then we must learn from the ant hills; if religion, tribe culture and ethnicity are things that will make us to live in war as enemies then we have a study-course to take in the ant colony.

If our leaders will continue to boil the broth of discord on the burner of selfishness; if our leaders will seek power from the poor masses only to abandon them in the endless sea of expectation; if those entrusted with the public treasury will continue to line their pockets until the country is broke; if our so-called leaders will go derailed in their responsibility and watch our educational institutions decay, our future endangered, then they deserve automatic admission into the ants colony for a serious tuition.

I strongly believe that if we all stoop low, low down to the earth and take a lesson from this miniature mortal and imbibe all that make them remarkably unique we will be living a world that is dreamt about by our founding fathers. If we can all learn – learn from these little things that we trampled on daily, we will live an egalitarian society, where every one will be safe to express his social, political, religious and even cultural view. If we can look inwards with a view to getting it right, our schools and educational values will be reinstated; undergraduates will at least be gingered with the new hope that at the send of the four or five years course there is a job waiting to be taken up. If we can get it right, the sanctity of the ballot box will be reinstalled and our despaired electorates will for the first time walk gallantly with smiles of renewed hope to vote for leaders - not looters - that will, according to elder statesman, Shettima Ali Monguno, “serve the people as their servant and leave office poor but with honours and dignity and good name”. If and only if we can all learn from the ants, this country called Nigeria shall be great – not in crime and vices - but in good name and pride. “A nation bound in freedom, peace and unity”. So I say; to the ant-colonies, oh comrades.