Does this topic reflect the true picture of Nigerians? You tell me.
The former Minister of information and communications late Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili during her Rebranding Nigeria Project rightly said “Nigeria Great people, Great Nation”. In order to erase the negative perception and the stereotype syndrome Nigerians are painted by international community, late Prof. Dora believed that if her concept was accepted at heart, Nigerians will not be different from people that have beautiful minds for Nation building. But the reverse is the case; we are now becoming shallow minded people focusing on our individual needs and desire, and by so doing we forget about our National pledge and become oblivious of the detrimental activities and viruses confronting the nation.
Late Prof. Dora did not leave us with this concept for us to fold our arms and do nothing, rather she expected us to ponder on it and bear it pragmatically and standout with the name – Great People, Great Nation; and if you are a great person, then your Nation is great! A wise man once said “for a better world – it is not all about wealth, it’s more about greatness”. Why have we become selfish, narrow minded and greedy instead of being patriotic and beautiful minded in building our Nation.
Nigeria is a big Nation, and the bigger a Nation is, the easier the Nation can command anything in international community. Besides the abundant mineral resources, flamboyant cultures in our numerous ethnic groups and tribes for tourism, gifted entertainers and talented Artist, Actors and Actresses that encourages investment in the country, let alone, our men of God, Pastors, Bishops, Prophets, and Imams who have proven us worthy with miraculous signs and wonders and other countless reasons that could motivate our unity. The word ‘Great Nation’ was not merely conceived by Late Prof Dora, it’s the words that truly depict Nigeria, but little did we understand or know that this is what we are.
Unfortunate, some political fathers are paving ways for themselves and their families. Some leaders that should be shouldering all are comforting only but a few. Political and social thinkers like Adam Smith in 17th Century propounded a theory that said, “The best result comes in a group when everyone is doing what is best for himself”. Was his concept of individualism right? That is exactly what Nigerians are practicing – doing only what will benefit their individual immediate needs. Another noble man: John Nash in 18th century postulated another social theory, which proved Adam Smith’s theory wrong and incomplete. He said, that “the best result will come when everyone in the group is doing what is best for himself and for his group”.
John Nash gave the complete theory that reduces societal loss. This is the only solution to Nigeria’s problem if adopted. If everyone is doing what is best for himself – selfishness, but if everyone is doing what is best for himself and for the group – he or she is building a Nation. (Your interest and the interest of others) this should be the first concept, which our leaders should put in their hearts while governing the country. The theory teaches all to consider what is best for the people before making decision and executing them; the concept of socio-centrism.
In a socio-centric democracy, the citizens are first considered – According to Henry David Thoreau in the 18th Century, in one of his epistles said, “there will never be a really free and enlightened state until the state comes to recognise the individual as a higher and independence power from which all its power and authority are derived”. If the citizens are not recognized and considered, then the nation is not free and it is doomed to fail. Former President of America, Abraham Lincoln said “until everyone is free we are all slaves”.
Until the citizens in a nation feel the egalitarian impact of that Nation before we could say the nation is enlightened. These are theories we should look upon in order to build Nigeria to be a famous, renowned and a true Democratic country. The form of government, where the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. It encompasses social, religious, cultural, ethnic, justice and liberty. Can we say we are really practicing democracy, where there is no tribal difference among the citizens or religion serving as a yardstick for acceptance into the political system?
A great man once said, “What we do, we do not for ourselves, not for one man, but for the good of all mankind”. Are you a senator, are you a governor, are you a representative, are you a chairman or a councillor put this in your mind, ponder on it, let it be that your beautiful mind is for nation building. You can be a beautiful mind, and a Nation builder. What you wish yourself that is what you wish your country; you cannot be wishing yourself prosperity and be wishing your country something else.
If you are not great, your Nation is not, and if your mind is ugly so does your Nation. So why not be the light that others will see and path they will follow. Late Prof. Akunyili had shown us the light and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala – Federal Minister of Finance is leading the way. Beautiful mind – Late Prof. Dora; Nation builder - Dr. Ngozi Okonjo, where can we place you? Few people cannot build the nation alone, it takes all to get the work done; you should not build for yourself only but for everyone.
Prof. Chinua Achebe was not wrong when he said, “things fall apart when centre cannot hold”; he also said, it is an insane thing for an hunter to go to hunt for animal with his dog, instead of his dog chasing the animal, the dog turned around and start cashing it’s owner – what an insurgency! We are more than this; we should be bigger than this. Just as Artist Chinna sang, “if you are governor, govern us well, if police, police us well, if you are a senator, senate us well, and if president, president us well, don’t let this Nation fall inside well”, because we want to build this Nation and if you refuse to do what you are appointed or elected for, then we the citizens will adopt what is called ‘Civil Disobedience’, and when civil disobedience is exercised, power will now be in the hand of the citizens – you know what havoc that will cause. I pray it wouldn’t come to that because change is on the way and the change is you. The only change you need is you!
Now, let us put the concept of late Prof. Dora into practice and walk in the steps of the prudential philosophy of Dr. Okonjo Iweala and adopt all the positive theories of the likes of John Nash, Abraham Lincoln (freedom for all nations), Chinua Achebe, David Henry Thoreau and lots of others. We have known our disease, and a disease known is half cured. Thank God Prof. John Nash has given us the cure. It is left for us to apply it and make it shine and be a patriotic Nigerian, a beautiful mind and a Nation builder for the greatness of all Nigerians. God bless you, One Love!
By Oche Micheal Odeh
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