EPILOGUE: THE PROCLAMATION

I write all the time, and have been doing so since I was old enough to hold a pencil. However, when I had to write something that I intended to be meaningful, inspiring and relevant, I faced the biggest challenge of my life. I realized that the act of putting words to paper, or in this case, screen, can actually be exceedingly difficult.

The difficulty arose in writing 'The Nigerian Proclamation'. My goal was to give myself and others a way to express their disappointment and frustrations over the recent Nigerian electoral process and the state of Nigerian affairs, in general. The 'Proclamation' was to be short and concise, yet inspirational. Being short and concise was not necessarily the problem. Although Nigeria is a large and complex nation, it is possible to address its issues in a condensed fashion. But to make one's writing relevant to others and inspirational enough to influence - that was the incredible challenge.

Although I have posted the 'Proclamation', I must admit that I feel that it is far from finished. The reasons for this are complex. First, even though I can condense my post, writing on Nigeria is still a difficult task, so figuring out which issues to focus on is arduous. I spent a lot of time being confused about what to discuss and feel that there are many other things that should have been mentioned.

Second, I wanted others to be able to use the 'Proclamation' to express symbolic protest against the recent electoral process and various failings exhibited by Nigeria. I thus visualized a profound document, a 'manifesto' of sorts. Unfortunately, the posted document still has a way to go before it ever achieves that status.

These are just a few of the issues I faced in writing 'The Nigerian Proclamation'. Despite the fact that I feel that the posted document is far from complete, I still believe that it is relevant as a symbolic response to my country's shortcomings. I thus can comfortably declare that the 'Proclamation' is a document I worked on tirelessly and consider it a work in progress. I hope to improve it and if you see room for constructive criticism, please feel free to share.

I also ask anyone reading this post to take the time to think of Nigeria and its people, particularly the disadvantaged. Local and International election observers have declared our democratic process a sham. If there is any truth to this, then it means that Nigerians were denied their democratic right to vote. If you are disappointed by that, and want Nigeria to improve, then please post the 'Proclamation' at your blog, MySpace page, Facebook page or any other place where you and your friends, regardless of their nationality, congregate. Feel free to also share the document via email with as many people you know. The goal is to ensure that we voice our disappointment and encourage improvement. The 'Proclamation' is simply a means to do so without resorting to other less desirable ways. The 'Proclamation' might not achieve immediate change, but it gives us all an opportunity to 'do something' and not just watch from the sidelines.

So scroll down to the next post and get your copy of The Nigerian Proclamation. But, before you do so, remind yourself of your duty to Nigeria by reading our nation's pledge.

The Nigerian Pledge

I pledge to Nigeria my country.
To be faithful, loyal, and honest.
To serve Nigeria with all my strength.
To defend her unity.
And uphold her honor and glory.
So help me God.


Related articles:
- The Nigerian Proclamation
- Epilogue: The Proclamation
- The Nigerian Proclamation: Making A Statement
- Nigerian Proclamation on BBC
- The Nigerian Proclamation: One Year
- 2 Years Later: Nigerian Proclamation