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The Nigeria of my Dreams
By Chido Onumah
Newsdiaryonline Fri July 22,2011
Not too long ago, a young man called me to arrange a meeting. He
had a project he wanted to share with me. I listened to him talk
passionately about his project titled “My Dream Nigeria”. He was
planning to write a book of one million pages and he wanted me
to contribute a 500-word essay on “My Dream Nigeria”. His grand
idea was that if he could find one million Nigerians to dream
about a united and prosperous Nigeria, and live their dreams,
then perhaps there is a chance that our nation could begin the
long and arduous journey of national rebirth. I was impressed
for a number of reasons.
In the weeks since the April 2011 elections, I have had the
difficult task of relating with a lot of young Nigerians who
passionately believe that nothing can be done to make Nigeria
work.
I have found myself “defending” Nigeria at great discomfort. For
these young, idealistic, and I must add, patriotic Nigerians,
the solution to all our problems lies in carving up Nigeria into
several countries.
I have been wondering how we got here. As a youth in the 80s, my
comrades and I in the students’ movement believed we had a duty
to enthrone an egalitarian and humane society. Whether it was
against the school authorities or the different military
regimes, we never wavered in our quest. We made sacrifices that
threatened not only our future but our lives. We were buoyed by
the laudable efforts and rich tradition of those before us and
those before them.
I have been told not to blame the current generation; that
Nigerian youth have never had it so bad; that when my generation
marched against military dictatorship, we went to school for
free, we had three square meals in school, and many of us had
jobs when we graduated.
I empathize with our youth. Their feeling of frustration and
alienation is justified. They have been duped and betrayed, not
only by the Nigerian State, but by an opportunistic generation.
It is enough to be cynical about Nigeria when a lot of those who
some years back were in the forefront in the struggle for a
better Nigeria, for a society of social justice and the rule of
law have given up the struggle. For them, democracy has become
an end in itself! I can understand, therefore, why our youth
have given up hope. Add to this feeling of hopelessness the
excruciating material conditions in the country. Everywhere they
turn, there are roadblocks, literally, that prevent them from
living their dreams and fulfilling their potentials. After
spending years acquiring a degree, for those privileged to get
higher education, our youth are made to roam the streets
endlessly in search of not existent jobs. It is difficult to
dream under such harsh conditions.
But as a product of the progressive movement of the 80s, I dare
to dream. I dream of a Nigeria where our lawmakers will make
laws in the best interest of the public. I dream of a Nigeria
where our best and brightest will not spend their most
productive years building other countries; a Nigeria where the
police will indeed be your friend; a Nigeria where you go to
court for justice not thinking there is a malevolent judge
somewhere willing to pervert justice for a little fee. I dream
of a Nigeria where the value of citizens is not in the amount of
money they have or number of cars and houses they posses, but
their integrity and contribution to society.
There is a video (http://www.gbooza.com/forum/topics/jungle-justice-nigerian-boy-bu#axzz1R2Qptiml)
that has gone viral in the last few weeks. It shows a young
Nigerian who was beaten to death and burnt alive in broad
daylight by his contemporaries, with onlookers clapping and
jeering, allegedly for stealing
a piece of jewelry.
I dream of a Nigeria where human life is worth something,
where
human rights are respected, where good governance, right to
life, security, and environmental safety are the norm rather
than the exception.
I dream of a Nigeria where our graduate will be worthy of their
degrees, not recipients of “sexually transmitted degrees”, in
the words of Okey Ndibe. I dream of a country that will be a
global contender, a country where our God-given resources will
be a blessing and not a curse.
Let’s go back to basics. President Goodluck Jonathan has talked
about a transformation agenda. Recently, during the retreat for
new ministers and senior government officials, he threatened
that he and the vice-president would not protect any minster
whose integrity is called to question. Mr. President boasts as
one of his achievements the enthronement of a freedom of
information regime, yet two months after he was sworn in, and
amidst deafening calls by civil society groups, he has yet to
declare his assets. Talk about transformation by example!
Four years ago, after much pressure, then vice-president
Goodluck Jonathan put out some figures as his net worth. Since
then, he has done no other job apart from being vice-president,
acting president, and president. How difficult can it possibly
be to add what he has earned in this period to his asset
declaration of 2007?
I have always been fascinated by Chinua Achebe’s position that
“the
trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of
leadership”.
Achebe was again at his erudite best when he wrote in the New
York Times shortly before the April elections that “there has to
be the development of a new patriotic consciousness, not one
simply based on the well-worn notions of the ‘Unity of Nigeria’
or ‘Faith in Nigeria’ (and I would add ‘we are not going to
condone corruption’) often touted by our corrupt leaders; but
one based on an awareness of the responsibility of leaders to
the led”.
I truly believe that we can redeem Nigeria. There is nothing we
are going through as a nation that great nations did not go
through. The only difference is that while they worked to make
progress we have resigned ourselves to fate. But no nation in
human history has developed without vision and sacrifice or on
empty talk.
Seth Oyinloye, this piece is dedicated to you and the millions
of young Nigerians who are justifiably angry, but who dare to
dream of a New Nigeria. I believe it is possible.
conumah@hotmail.com
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