Why Are We Killing Nigeria? -By Ahmed Dodo

Every day I woke up to seeing and hearing the various latest socioeconomic and political developments going on in many nations across the world. Inspiring human endeavors in technology and scientifically propelled projects that have helped change their hitherto poor or disadvantaged setting and galvanized them into prosperous nations with flourishing people.

Sadly my dear country Nigeria is out of this thriving radar. It has through various manmade impediments failed to be part of these nations I see, hear and read about everyday under the sun. You might not like my submission, but like they say in our popular Nigerian parlance, ’’Na you sabi’’. You should know what I mean if you are a true Nigerian. So l leaves you with my submission and also leaves you with your conscience to be your judge. So here is my submission.

I consider in all honesty that we are killing our country and harming ourselves; me, you and every other man and woman who identifies with this rich black nation. Why are we killing Nigeria? Why have we allowed corruption, cheating, exploitation, and retrogression to take over our sense of brotherhood and humanity? Why do we exploit and cheat each other at our markets, our schools, our workplace, our banks, and even at our hospitals including our worship centers? Why is everything in this country all about money? Why have we monetized almost everything in our settings? Why does an average Nigerian trader or business man or woman derive joy making exorbitant profits from his fellow citizens and others? Why do our school teachers, lecturers and professors enjoy making money and divulging their lust over their students? Why can’t our banks be like other banks in other nations with a sense of trust and empathy? Why have our hospitals been turned into money points where doctors and nurses exploit patients for cash and carry without compassion? Come, why are we killing this hitherto refined nation? Even our churches and mosques are now centres for raising and sharing money amongst the inner caucus. Not forgetting how we cheat and exploit each other during funerals.

Why are we killing Nigeria? Why do we see nothing wrong with our shambled roads, schools, hospitals and inept government ministries and agencies? Why do we keep fighting over cheap space and land when our neighbours are busy expanding and progressively developing their space and land? Why are we constantly fighting over positions and gains when everything at the end turns to nothing but dust and sand? Why have we sold our brotherhood for cheap cowries and porridge and become timid to the criminal activities going on across our fatherland despite our size and strength? Why have we failed to unite as one people and one nation under the sun and chase away the bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, terrorists and other cheap criminal elements that now give us sleepless nights across our homes? Why are we killing Nigeria with despicable tribal and religious segregation? Why have we myopically divided our schools, ministries and homes on tribal and religious lines when we still go to the same markets and spend the same currency? Why do we derive happiness and fulfillment whenever we profit from our fellow citizens in times of hardship? Why do we greedily increase the prices of our goods and services in our markets habitually and love seeing our fellow kinsmen and women, including other citizens complain in pain at our markets, shops and filling stations?

Why don’t anything that works easily and smoothly in other nations work in Nigeria? Why is anything that goes up in Nigeria never comes down? Why are our banks always in crisis? Why is electricity scarce in Nigeria despite the trillions of money channeled towards energy over the decades? Why can’t most states and cities, including rural areas, have clean drinking water all the time? Why is our political system not working? And why are both our executive and legislative arms filled with mediocrity? Why is our judiciary retrogressing instead of progressing boldly ahead? Why are jobs and positions in our courts filled with family and friends? Why are our lawyers not so bold again? Why are our prisons houses out of horror instead of a place of reform? Why is a chicken thief sent to prison and a corrupt politician made to pledge a bargain? Come why are we killing Nigeria with lies and falsehood? Why are Nigerians exploited, disgraced and embarrassed in public hospitals because of hospital bills? Why do young Nigerian doctors and other health workers pack their bags and Japa to other countries without empathy for their fellow citizens facing various medical challenges? Why have various Nigerian professionals also jetted out of the country abandoning their villages and towns to decay while they work vigorously to develop other nations they now called homes?. Why are our citizens and leaders thrilled to travel abroad and come back home barefaced to compare the good life they experienced there with their abandoned country?

Why are we killing this vast rich country with our selfishness? Why don’t we see the shame when we politicize almost every government policy? What has good roads, an effective healthcare system, well funded and organised educational system and constant electricity got to do with politics? Why must we keep bringing in tribal, religion and politics when sighting a project somewhere? Why should we continue to break down the system with blatant certificate discrimination and segregation? Why the contemptible segregation between the HND and Bsc holders? Why the divisive promotion and ranking in our military, police, air force, navy, civil defense and other security agencies? Why the favoritism and nepotism in our civil service and other government agencies? Why are our political deliberations all about money? Why do both our states and national legislators always battle over money in their yearly budgets? Why do we allow our thieving local government chairmen, states governors and legislators to keep hiding timidly and shamelessly under immunity? Why are we still left behind despite the huge natural resources in our backyards? Why is petrol expensive in Nigeria? Why can’t its citizens enjoy kerosene? Why is cooking gas expensive? Why are our youths not productive? Why do our leaders worship exported ideas and products? Why do we downgrade our own? Why countless why my fellow country men and women? Why are we really killing this country? Are you one of us?, part of these ‘Innumerable ‘why?

But all these actions and habits are crystal clear in the eyes of a truthful mind and dirty as mud in the eyes of a hypocrite. This country called Nigeria no doubt has been subjected to some of the worst atrocities committed by humans on earth; from ritual killings, slavery, civil war, ethnic and religious battles , religious extremes , banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and massive lootings. So why are we killing Nigeria?