The Stunted Bright Light

The giant of Africa, the giant of Africa we are. First on the west, fastest in the west. A blessing for us, strategically positioned by nature in the corner, a corner filled with deposits. Deposits of overly abundant black gold, enough to feed us all ten times over with much more left but that gold is only one of our numerous assets, we have cocoa in the west, oil palm in the east and groundnut in the north. In other parts of the country, we have other resources scattered over; tin, coal, limestone, cassava, rice, lead, gold, marble, zinc, these are only a few. All these being present at the beginning, it seemed to be a nice bedrock, the perfect launching platform for development. It looked too good to be true, the future of Nigeria was not only bright, it was glowing.

Wait!! Wait!!... We are presently in that supposed future, aren’t we? Choi!!..... Or are we dreaming? It’s some 50 years after, and the environment doesn’t quite represent the possession of these endowments. Surely, we are awake. Something must have gone wrong along the line, something went wrong. It was from the beginning, it was not the colonialists, imperialists, Portuguese, English, Whiteman, Oyinbo, Onye Ocha or whatever name we may like to call them, they are not to blame, they passed the baton, it was our founding fathers, “the successors”, our first “ogas at the top” that have put Nigeria in this state of developmental thalidomide. But then, “it got spoilt” doesn’t mean “it can’t be fixed”, “it got spoilt” only means “it must be fixed” and presently, it hasn’t been fixed. Nigeria’s mates who also had similar potentials have harnessed theirs and are now living fine. Their founding fathers must have been so good to them.

Not really, they also had their hitches and hiccups, but they fixed them. Our problem in Nigeria is a simple problem,,,,, maybe not a simple problem, a bacteria-like problem. The number one anti-development agent; Corruption!!

Corruption is everywhere but it looks as though it achieved its full potential here in Nigeria. We, Nigerians are very hospitable, so we accepted it, took it in, harnessed it, revolutionized it, evolved with it and made it our part and parcel. Wait!! Wait!!... A “bacteria-like” problem, has it got so much that it can now be found in our genes? It’s starting to seem even our babies are born with it. Choi!!..... But let’s face the situation at hand, it wouldn’t be much of a loony thought to think 

Nigeria is a time-bomb waiting to explode. 

What do you think? 

Well it’s a logical thought, but I wouldn’t be too affirmative with it. 

As fateful as the country’s situation looks, I still believe in Nigeria, I am a part of it, so are you, so is the 23^rd richest man in the world, so is that passionate teacher who wants the best for her students, so is Danladi, the enthusiastic cobbler who wants to mend every bad sole, and Mama Risi who makes the best Jollof rice and every other beautiful 165 million Nigerians. We can all be comfortable, it is possible, “One day, e go better”.

To every success story, there is a turning point. The turning point which is now, a point in time with an abundance of both natural and human resources. I would like to believe that this generation can be responsible for making that purported brightly glowing future a reality. This generation, full of bright young minds that create bright ideas, possessing the tenacity to pursue their bright dreams. The hope I seem to have lost, I have regained. I believe in this generation and I challenge every one of us to ensure that the next generation and the one after that do not get to write on these same issues, but instead write about the prosperity that this great country will have achieved.

Thassall!!

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This piece was part of an original series hosted on talesbycecile.wordpress.com It was a 30 day series that involved 30 different young writers writing about our motherland Nigeria. This particular one was #22, you could read it directly on the blog by clicking here There are 29 other interesting write-ups like this one, take a time out, endeavour to read all the other posts. Thank you