RESPONSE TO NILLA

After reading Nilla's Spin and the many comments elicited by her question, I have put to 'paper' my thoughts on how all Nigerians can contribute to making our motherland a better place for all Nigerians. Nilla noted,

"For every time another Nigerian becomes a citizen of
another country, we loose something[.] We empower those countries that we take refuge in…..we partly develop those countries. And our own????"

What follows are my thoughts on the issues raised in her blog.

EVERY ONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY -
Whether you live in Nigeria or are an expatriate abroad, each Nigerian has a unique and significant role in changing Nigeria for the better. It is obvious how Nigerians at home can make our country a better place and thus, I won't go into an extended discussion on that topic.

For expatriates, there are various ways that we can help effect change. For instance, Nigerians abroad can use their access to foreign currency to build or support institutions of education and health. The mere act of sending remittances home to parents and other family members has increasingly been recognized as a significant aspect of global economic growth. Nigeria is no different. Expatriates can also put their money behind political and economic leaders who have a proven record of non-corruption and who work hard to assist their constituents or customers.

WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFULLY INDEPENDENT OF THE STATUS QUO -

We must acknowledge that no matter how much we love Nigeria, there is an entrenched status quo that works to the detriment of the masses and the benefit of a select and corrupt few. Those who benefit from this equation have an interest in ensuring that nothing changes, even if that spells disaster and death for our children now and in the future.

A wise man recently made me understand that it will therefore be important to circumvent the status quo and establish structure, be it political, economic, cultural, or social, outside the realms of those who only care about themselves. Nigerians who crave change must separate themselves from those who benefit from and maintain the status quo. We must individually and collectively achieve success in whatever fields we chose to follow and become pinnacles in our fields. This success, regardless of whether you live in Nigeria or abroad, must not involve those who currently fleece Nigeria, its people and its resources.

By being independent of the status quo, we will not have to succumb to it in order to make the changes that we seek for Nigeria.

POSITIVE NIGERIANS MUST COMMUNICATE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT NIGERIA TO BE -
Nigerians, especially young Nigerians, must think very carefully about what sort of Nigeria they wish to be a part of. We can all do a lot of talking but if we cannot agree on what the future must look like, we will be bound to make the mistakes that have been made by those before us. We must acknowledge that there are basic things that MUST happen and then proceed from there. We must agree to disagree and obviously agree to agree. We cannot allow others to tell us our future. By others, I mean Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are solely interested in how green their bank accounts will be. Our generation must recognize that there will always be forces bent on dividing positive, like minded people and we must strive to succeed despite the negative influences.

Fixing Nigeria is akin to fighting cancer. There is no one medicine to heal the illness. A cocktail of treatments is necessary to attack cancer in many cases - toxic chemotherapy, medication, a healthy lifestyle and a positive outlook on the outcome. Consequently, I know that the suggestions above are not the superpill that will make Nigeria better, but I do believe that they are a fundamental part of the cure. It will take a cocktail of steps to help that country. Although there will be days when we don't think that we can continue with the harsh and toxic doses of our treatment, we must always remember that the Nigeria we want in the future is worth the 'sufferhead' we endure today. We will have to work extremely hard to find the pieces that will change our country. Once we've found them we will then have to put them together. That will take the hard work of each and every Nigerian, irregardless of where you lay your head.