Changing the name “Nigeria”, will be preposterous, laughable and insane.

The National flag designed by Pa Micheal Akinkumi who is now leaving in the forgotten corner of this country.

Recently a group that classify themselves as one of “The Scio-cultural Groups” in Nigeria took a majestic ride to the Villa, with the aim of submitting to the presidency, a proposal to rename Nigeria. For them, the right name for Nigerians to bear shouldn’t be anything away from “The Peoples Republic of Africa”. Part of their reasons for the name change according to them, is that we as a people are still enslaved by those who colonized us if we continue bearing the name “Nigeria”. In their thoughts, they also felt that the reason why the people of Nigeria pass through difficulties and stagnation of processes and developments is for the simple reason that no one can move forward when holding on to wrong and negative memories as well as accepting to bear a name that saw him/her through hardship and deceit.

I couldn’t agree more with them when they say something is wrong with Nigeria, but in totality, that thing that is wrong with Nigeria isn’t the “name”; it isn’t the situation (location) of Nigeria but the failure of leadership. In fact, it is a shame and huge disappoint that today’s mind will fashion their thoughts in this line.

Of what benefit will the change of name get Nigerians? Will it provide jobs much more than the population that seeks it? Will it stabilize power supply in the country? Will it boost mobile networks in the country or compel network operators to either work or pack up and go? Will it make any government officials that steal public funds go to jail? Will it force the government to fix damaged roads within the country or provide more alternative routes for rural dwellers? Will it boost agricultural production in the country to increase export of other products and reduce our dependence on crude oil? The answer to these questions is a big NO. I think they are looking for cheap publicity, that’s all and nothing more.

It will be insane and very myopic for anyone or group whatsoever to align whatever Nigeria is going through to the name we bear as a country, and for the record, it doesn’t matter who names a country, whether an individual or the country’s citizenry, what matters is what the leaders of that country gets out of it through their leadership. Take Ghana for instance, before now, everyone talks about the steady power supply that Ghana as a West African nation has managed to maintain, they even celebrated a very long year of uninterruptible power supply in the country, but what is the state of affairs in Ghana, most especially in electricity? Let me tell you if you do not know, Ghana right now, suffers from epileptic power supply, in fact, in more recent time, they barely have light even for 30 minutes in a day. That is the resultant effect of bad leadership, it is a failure of leadership, John Dramani Mahama has failed the people of Ghana. And just because they are now experiencing different things in their country, is it enough for them to say they want to change their name to something else when they know the source of their problem?

Any leader, of a nation, who cannot go to the mountain top alone to see for himself, the farmers land, and assure his people that they will get to the promised land, even if it means getting their without him, is a failed leader, is an incapable leader and one who will for live, be deemed unfit to hold any position in life.

The name Nigeria has no attachment to whatever it is we are experiencing, our problem is bad leadership, and we have corrupt leaders, one who are willing to do anything as long as their pockets are safe and sound, so if this un-named group wants to help, they should start from changing how they, not even the leaders, thinks. That’s my opinion.