"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear"
-George Orwell.
Look I’m going to go straight to the point, recent events have proven to me that there is no time to waste, no time to analyze fruitless statistics or engage in useless banter. Our Country, culture and way of life is on the chopping block and if we don’t act now we have no future.
Certain forces have continued to influence our country since its inception. These forces are responsible for the bloody coups, the outrageous corruption in government, the failing economy, widespread poverty and the stagnation we have experienced since 1960.
“Government is merely a reflection of the collective will of the people”
-Anonymous
For as long as I can remember I have heard people moan, complain and lament about the sorry state of the country, they blame government, colonialists, sectarianism and every other conceivable thing on the earth, they blame everyone but themselves. Over the years, I have come to realize something, most so called “adults” are no more than children in larger bodies, they exhibit a key attribute unique to children, they don’t take responsibility for their actions. If we subject our unfortunate situation to scrutiny we observe that our leaders and politicians did not fall from the sky, they are not foreigners neither were they raised in a vacuum, like the rest of us they are a product of the society. Therein lies the problem and the inherent solution.
Our society is broken, it is damaged, it bleeding and crying out for help, we can all agree on these facts, but who makes up the society? It is you and I. The power to transform our lives, to redirect the energy of the nation, to change our fate rests in our own hands. Unfortunately, personality quirks like self-centeredness and nepotistic tendencies continue to plague our country. That is why public parks quickly become dumpsites, infrastructure projects remain incomplete, high IQ individuals go abroad for a better life, and small business prospects remain bleak. A drop of water by itself may seem insignificant but a multitude of drops may form an ocean. We must look within and make the changes we wish to see in ourselves, together we are invincible, without this step we have no right to complain or expect any significant change. The national revolution must first be preceded by an individual heart-based revolution, a revolution of consciousness so to speak. It is imperative we re-orient ourselves and the younger generation, we must educate them on a proper way of life, we must strive to uphold basic ideals like honesty, integrity and compassion as these principles form the basis for civilization, without them we are nothing more than animals.
“Religion is the opium of the people”
-Karl Marx
Religion is a tool for social control and regulation and religious fanatics and adherents are its victims. Millions of Nigerians continue to sacrifice intellect on the alter of conformity and groupthink. They give their power to a group of conmen who claim to be the bridge between God and man and as such they become weak and easily controlled. These men, because of their self-centered nature and greed weaponize thousand-year-old books for their own benefit.
Every new year, I come across the same posters with a little change, 2016 My year of everlasting glory, 2017 my year of breakthrough, 2018 my year of “inset blessings here” I wonder if these people will continue to do this to themselves or open their eyes to see truth, that there are immovable, indelible principles that govern life on earth. In science, there is something called cause and effect, certain actions will always lead to certain consequences regardless of religious orientation. If you want to grow a plant you plant the seed, likewise if you want to get rich you apply yourself, work at it and you will be. No need for endless prayers. Take responsibility, reclaim your destiny, do not give your power to conmen and sky daddies.
