LAST month, October 1, our country marked its 52nd Independence Anniversary. Less than one week after, many horrible, deplorable and awful things happened to fellow Nigerians in various parts of the nation – from the floods in Adamawa, Kogi, Anambra etc, to the killing of students in Mubi, to the barbaric jungle justice meted to four undergraduates of University of Port Harcourt. Some of these problems were caused by natural disasters and the others were man-made disasters!
Now, the question I would like to ask is, “who is responsible?” Who is responsible for all this mayhem, lawlessness and anarchy in our country? Who is responsible for where we have found ourselves as a people? Who is responsible for the flood of corruption, depravity and decadence in the land? Who is responsible for the quicksand of violence, evil and wickedness that we have found ourselves neck deep in? How the heck did we get into this black hole of helplessness, fear, uncertainty and despair? How? Are we not all guilty as charged?
Some of us may be quick to say, “Well, I am not one of those who have contributed to Nigeria’s problems and challenges, neither have I given her a bad name by any of my actions. Some of us may also add “Well I am not the one killing, maiming and murdering fellow Nigerians. How in the world can you say I am guilty of where we are as a nation? How can you? “
These excuses are not tenable! These excuses are not justifiable! These excuses do not solve any problem or change anything for the better. These excuses do not proffer solutions! These excuses cannot create the positive social change we desire in our nation! These excuses are only convenient for those who do not want to exercise leadership and take up responsibility. From what I can see in Nigeria, it seems to me that we are definitely all guilty as charged!
However, if you are still saying that you are not guilty of causing any of Nigeria’s problems or tarnishing her image, what have you done to change the status quo? What have you done to show that you are a patriot? What have you done to encourage and empower fellow Nigerians? What have you done asides from grumble, gripe, complain and bellyache about the way things are going in Nigeria? What have you done? Be honest with yourself, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
How have you challenged the situation in order to change it? What have you done to give Nigeria a positive image? What have you done to take responsibility for our nation and the destiny of our children? What little changes are you making that will cause the bigger change in Nigeria? What little thing can you do now that will have a rippling effect and create positive change in other areas of our national development? What have you done in your own sphere of influence to change things for good? It is a well known fact that evil is contagious but did you also know that GOOD is also contagious?
It’s interesting to note that, societies fall into a state of decadence not as a result of the strength of evil but as a direct result of the weakness of GOOD! Men of ill-will seem to be more passionate in the vile ways and the way they perpetuate their evil deeds in the society (e.g. Adolf Hitler of Germany and Idi Amin of Uganda) when compared with the way men of goodwill go about sowing seeds of GOOD DEEDS, TRUTH and JUSTICE in the society. Adolf Hitler once said “It is not the neutrals or the lukewarm who make history.” And that is so true! The men and women of goodwill in Nigeria need to develop a sense of urgency.
As a Nigerian citizen what have you done to help create a NEW NIGERIA? If you have not done anything, then you are definitely part of the problem. You are just as much the problem as the people who caused it in the first place because you kept quiet, watched and did nothing to stop the decadence. You are guilty as charged!
It is all too easy to pass the buck and blame others; it seemingly relieves us of any sense of responsibility towards the destiny of our nation. It also helps to reduce the probability of any significant change and growth in Nigeria. It also shuts down our brains, preventing us from thinking and coming up with solutions and answers to our nation’s numerous problems and challenges.
We keep blaming the colonialist, the West, the military, the elite, past and present governments, the ruling class, politicians, our leaders, etc., but the truth of the matter is that we are all guilty of where we are; we are all guilty of where we find ourselves as a country – either by commission or omission. We are all guilty as charged!
If we want better leaders, we must become better citizens! If we want good leaders, we must become good citizens! If we want great leaders, we must become great citizens! Everything produces after its own kind. This is a natural and spiritual law. Can we sow pepper and expect to reap tomatoes? Can we? Can we plant beans and expect to harvest rice? Can we? Can we place orange seeds in the ground and expect that at harvest time the orange tree will produce lemons? Can we? Certainly not! Over the years we have sown pepper and we are reaping pepper and we are wondering why. Isn’t that absurd, bizarre and ridiculous? Can we now see that we are all guilty as charged!
John Stuart Mill once said, “The worth of a state is the worth of the individuals composing it.” We can see that in our society the Nigerian government is a reflection of the Nigerian people, so we are all responsible for the way Nigeria is. We are all responsible for the destiny of our nation.
My position on the business of taking responsibility is somewhat peculiar. First of all, I believe that if you have done nothing to change the status quo in Nigeria, you definitely share the guilt of where we are as a nation.
Secondly, if you are doing something to change the status quo (no matter how small or how big it may be), despite that, you are still, unfortunately, also guilty for our present state.
Thirdly, if you are doing something to change the status quo and you are empowering others to do something, that is really great and I have a high regard and respect for those of you that fall into this category. However, you too, are still guilty of the decadence in the society. It is unfortunately the hard truth!
You may ask: How can I come to that kind of conclusion?
You see, whichever way you look at it, we are all guilty for where we are as a nation.
We will continue to be guilty until enough of us do enough in enough places – and empower enough people – thereby creating a critical mass for positive social change.
You may ask, “What is enough, numerically speaking?” I honestly don’t know but until Nigeria is obviously a GREAT and POWERFUL nation, we will all remain guilty as charged!
• Simoyan is a patriot, author and leadership architect