If the nation is bleeding, the system is not working, and the condition of the citizens is nothing to write home about, many of us look up to politicians and talk about what they have not done and how they are lagging in their responsibilities. But the question is: is there anybody who wanted to become a leader and wanted citizens to curse them? Well, I believe that about 70 percent of people who occupy leadership positions want to do something meaningful that they can be remembered for.
I want to say that our problem as Africans, and particularly the experience in this part of the country, does not rest solely on our political office holders. There are leaders at the helm of affairs in every sector who are not necessarily politicians. We know that many of them have the influence of politicians before emerging into positions such as permanent secretaries and commissioners in different sectors. Then, we also have other levels of leadership beneath them.
What can one person do? Although we know that the President has a say, and a lot of things can change if he insists and takes a firm stand on issues like this, the responsibility does not rest on him alone.
Many of us are guilty of not doing our jobs as they are supposed to be done. Some come to their places of work late, some take bribes, and some take and destroy government property. We behave as if these things are not our responsibility. We do things shabbily and still expect good results.
If we really want a change and improvement in our nation, we need to start doing the right things. We need to focus on developing ourselves and ensure that we all contribute our quota to the development of this great nation.
The government also has a role to play. It should create an enabling environment where entrepreneurs and businesses can thrive. When there is a good road network, an efficient transportation system, and opportunities for small businesses to grow without having to deal with unnecessary government interference at every turn, the country will be better for it.
I was telling someone a couple of days ago that if they moved everybody living in Nigeria to the USA and moved everyone from the USA here, we would see that the problem is not really Nigeria as a country but the people living in it. We do not love ourselves enough, and we often focus only on what we can gain before considering the condition in which we render services to others.