Nigeria is a country which boast itself as being the "giant of Africa", a country with so many natural resources and human capability, a country that no doubt has all the potential to become "the next China" of the world but the truth is that "wishful thinking" of Nigeria being the next China is different from actually achieving such dreams and aspiration "on the ground".
Most developed nations on earth are nations that appreciates and welcomes diversity; they believe that diversity is a strong key to general development of a nation because each individual has a unique gift that can be explored for the development of the nation but in Nigeria, such feeling of "diversity being a blessing" is almost non-existence, many feel that diversity of the nation is a curse rather than a blessing but one thing we fail to realize that when we truly feel deep down inside of us that diversity is a curse, then we slowly begin to "program our mind" to hate diversity and detest those things that make us diverse in nature.
Every country in the world have their challenges as a nation, but in other to know a country that truly wants to overcome her own challenges, one needs to observe the way both the government and people of the nation behave.
Nigerians claim that they are tired of all the challenges embedding the nation, they claim that they truly want and are desperately yawning for things to change for the best but the reality on the ground is that most Nigerians are not sincerely ready for that massive development they hypocritically claim they want- for it is all a figment of their own imagination.
This brings us to the point where we truly need to borrow "a leaf" from some African countries specifically Kenyans in the way they think and interact with one another.
On 21 december, 2015, 10 armed Al shabab terrorist group ambushed a bus in Kenya filled with over 100 Kenyan citizens, the group singled out Christians in the bus and wanted to kill them but a group of Kenyan Muslims in the bus shielded the Christian passengers and told the attackers they were ready to die together with the Christians.
The Muslim women in the bus removed their "hijab" and gave to the Christian women telling Al Shabab: "If you want to kill us, then kill us all".
That single act of courage by this Kenyan Muslims was one that restored much needed hope in humanity and rekindled the dwindling love among Kenyans.
On 28 January, 2016, Kenyan President, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta shared on his FB page that the Nigerian president was in Kenya for talks on how Kenya and Nigeria can co operate on several aspect.
I was not following Mr Kenyatta on Facebook, but a friend of mine who was following the Kenyan president on Facebook shared the status, that was how I came across it.
I decided to go through the comment section and see opinions of Kenyans; with all sincerity, I was hoping to see Kenyans insulting their President just like "some" Nigerians do and also making unnecessary and stupid comments that makes no impact but what I saw made me admire Kenyans more.
Unlike some Nigerians that do not hesitate to insult their President when any news is reported, whether good or bad, Kenyans were the opposite.
On that particular post, most of the comments were making suggestions on how Mr Kenyatta should improve ties with Nigeria, some comments were important open letter to Mr Kenyatta and other were suggesting some economic co operation Kenya and Nigeria can have to help one another.
An "outside observer" cannot help but admire the co ordination and maturity this Kenyans display even on a public platform like Facebook- such was no doubt, one of the highest form of civilisation in a world which is constantly re-defining what civilisation is.
I went on to go through other post on Mr Kenyatta's Facebook page, and in all the post, I could not find insults to the President or religious and tribal hate speeches by Kenyans, all I saw was advice to the President-such common sense that most Nigerians find hard to exhibit on public platform or social media, such common sense that is almost a crime to have in Nigeria of today.
All what "some" Nigerians are good at is insulting one another's tribe, religion or making fierce criticisms and comments that makes no sense or impact in their lives or that of others.
As the President of Nigeria, if you hope to go through the comment section of your personal Facebook page to see what suggestions and advice you could consider from a citizen and implement, then you would be forced to stop reading the comment section because you will realize that all they do is insult one another or insult you- totally going away from intellectual discussions that can be helpful to the nation.
You will simply see comments like: "Mr brainless", "No certificate", "Aboki President", and this will force the supporters of the President to also insult those insulting the President and at that juncture, you will simply realise that nothing positive would come out of such futile talks.
When an outside observer compares between Kenyans and Nigerians, they will no doubt see that Kenyans sincerely seek changes, they sincerely seek development and they have the moral right to seek it because they have displayed a highest form of maturity and civilisation compared to their Nigerian counter parts whom lacks the "moral right" to seek positive change when they, themselves lack positivity.
"A morally bankrupt individual has no moral right to seek change from another".
Nigerians should change their ways if they sincerely seek positive change, they should learn to talk more sense and less insult because in the end, insults does not change anything on the ground but it only makes things worse.
Nigeria is our country and we should all do things that can only benefit us and not things that has no impact.
As Nigerians, we claim to be more developed and educated than most black African nations in Africa but what we fail to realize is that development of a nation goes far beyond infrastructure capability while education goes beyond acquiring conventional form of education; it encompasses the moral aspect and common way of reasoning and interacting with one another and our leaders.
Eedris Ngene
29/1/16
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