Will Ibrahim Magu Tame This Beast? -By Ajakaiye Olanrewaju

Ajakaiye Olanrewaju

The birth of the beast of our flagitious generation has culminated into a sententious believe in our society that has permeated into all sphere of our national economy is calling for outright execution, but the question is, who will extinguish this beast? Can this honourable gentle man, Magu tame this beast?

Over the years, the loopholes that have caused social degradation in Nigeria’s development as a nation are linked to this beast, an exterminating visible enemy, yet treated as an invisible friend, what a wonderful world we live in!

The dream of our founding fathers was to see Love, Peace, Unity and Progress radiate our existence and create a free world for all to dream and fulfill destiny, but the case nowadays is the reverse of this dream. Is there hope? Someone may ask, of course there is, if we stop our attitude of not being pro-active in the things that affect us as a people. It is so painful that, we as a people are not pragmatic enough in our hilarious efficacy in the lean-tos enigma of our time. We accept whatever our edacious leaders dish out to us. Nigerians, when are we going to change the status quo? Arise oh compatriots! Nigeria’s calling please obey, one may also ask, which call are we going to obey? When our leaders continually engage in self-seeking glamorous life style, when there are no basic amenities that can sustain us as a people, yield to what call? When the number of the unemployed is as high as the summit of Everest, when we pay heavily for darkness, when we live below one dollar per day, when our votes do not count, when one is not sure if he goes out in the morning, he will return safe, due to lack of security in the land and when the wishes of the people do not prevail, the list is endless yet we claim we are practicing a democratic system of government, oh please! This is just a hullabaloo, kindly excuse my language.

I am proudly a Nigerian specie like you, but I believe in the true Nigerian dream of our founding fathers because there is no other country anywhere in the world, (no matter how rich or technologically advanced that country might be) I can call my own. Comrades, I am proud to be a Nigerian. The truth must be told, as the truth is the only cure for evil of our time as a nation that is why we are far behind expectations, these calls for the reawakening of the spirit of patriotism amongst our people, no matter the rough and inhumane experiences we have witnessed in time past.

Nigeria was described by one of our eminent Professors, as a nation that thrives in confusion, a nation that is not organized but always in a hurry to get things done. Do I agree with him? Yes, I do. The assumption by many that, there are no good policies to drive a sustainable social and economic system for meaningful development is a faithful falsehood, because the real problem are the Nigerian people who do not follow stipulated policies meant to police the existence of the nation. The challenge with our government is not lack of good policy formulations but lack of implementation, monitoring and effective accountability backed with good moral standard and honest character.

This beast is everywhere in our society, it is the reason why people can no longer afford to buy Garri (a food once for the poor), it is the reason Ponmo is scare in the market, (Ponmo a food once for the poor), it is the reason why people are calling for every of our system to be automated to reduce its infectious bites on daily businesses, it is the reason why people who have not gone through the four walls of any institution of learning are at the helm of affairs. This is a country where ignoramus control the means of production and still live a big slap on the face of those who have the technical know-how, will Magu Tame this beast that has been set loose to destroy our identity as a people?

When we rejected colonialism and military rule we know what we did, why can’t we do the same against this beast that has been set loose? There is a saying that a fool at 40 is a fool forever, in this current dispensation, a fool at 20 can never be wise. If Nigeria at 57 cannot be proactive enough to change her corrupt system that has given us the image we possess among the comity of nations, what is the hope of the leaders of tomorrow? The question is, where do we start from? Start from where you are. The almighty God will never come down to think for us because he gave us heads, so that we can give him rest. In whatever you do, make integrity, accountability and the fear of God your watchword, you also need to be consistent with this, because being consistent leads to excellence.

Lastly, good is the opposite of evil, the more we keep doing well, the more we will suffocate the evil beast of corruption from existing amongst us. This is not automatic, but it is a progressive means to a better end. Imagine a Nigeria where everyone is sincere and truthful in their dealings, a nation where the leaders are accountable to their people and the wish of the people is respected, the evil which feeds on corruption would have been starved till eternity from existence. God bless Nigeria.

Ajakaiye Olanrewaju
(A Media Practitioner, Lives in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria). +2348062172600