If Nigeria Must Develop, the Youths Must Wake Up!

Nigeria's bad economy is due to lack of an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. But, like seriously, is that the main hindrance to the economic development of Nigeria? I beg to disagree based on the following reasons:

For Any Country to Thrive, the Youths Must Actively Be Involved
When you say this, fingers are quickly pointed at the government, especially the Federal Government. Most guys are lying fallow today, if you ask them as to why, they'll tell you how much they are ready to work should they be provided with a job today. Now, if you go further to ask as to who is to provide jobs, they won't think before they tell you that it is the Government. If you try to convince them on setting up a small business for themselves, they are quick at referring to the unavailability of capital, lack of basic infrastructure, inconsistent government policies and high interest rates on the grossly inadequate supply of loans for business. I don't know, but, while they see problems, I see business opportunities!
I used to tell my friends that capital is never a problem but a good business package. If you have a beautiful business package, getting capital will never be a problem. I'm talking from experience. The Problem with those that complain of capital is that they wish to start their business from a very high point. They are not ready to start with the basics, you know, start small and gradually grow the business to success. They want to start big and earn big right from the inception of the business. It doesn't work like that; this they learn the hard way!
Most of those that managed to get the exorbitant capital enter into the business with very little knowledge of the pits and falls of the business, so they loose out mainly due to lack of adequate knowledge and guidance. After the loss, they would blame their failure on the sorry state of the economy. This is why they complain of lack of an enabling environment.

Nigeria is Full of Opportunities Because It's Not Developed
Businesses are created to solve problems. Therefore, Nigeria with its so many problems offer so many business opportunities. So, it's not a matter of lack of business opportunities, we have so many. It's not lack of capital because I know, from experience that people are willing to entrust others with their money so long you can assure them of the safety of their investment in you. Thus, it's actually a matter of your technical know-how on your chosen line of business.
Pick on a problem, find a solution to it and perfect your skills in solving that problem. Then, you may seek for capital. 

Starting Up With A Bank Loan is Suicidal
You enter into a thrift or a cooperative where you may save a portion of your daily, weekly or monthly income from work long enough to start you off with the basic minimum. Then, you can grow gradually from their until you have stabilized. Then, you may seek for more capital from family and friends who would gladly invest as they can see how much progress you have made all by yourself. In fact, they would count themselves very lucky for the opportunity. This is my own recommended line of funding that I recommend for everyone.
Bank loans, as it stands today in Nigeria, is double digit in nature. The Federal government happens to be the one with special packaged single digit interest based loans. Even at that, I'll still not recommend them for business...if not for any other reason, for the religious reason and of course, for the consequences of not meeting up with payment.

As a Nigerian, You Must Learn To Think Out Of The Box
Most would tell you how hopeless the Nigerian situation is because they're thinking within the box. They're hoping to solve Nigeria's problems the Orthodox way. That's where they get it all wrong. The Nigerian problem is beyond repairs when you think the orthodox way, but when you are able to think outside the box, Nigeria's problems are easily solved.
Take for instance, power is one of the greatest hindrances to national development and the provision of employment. The Orthodox way to solve this problem is to wait on the government to invest in the power sector. But when you think the unorthodox way, you'll notice that we can generate enough electricity for both industrial and domestic uses as individuals. This is how all the Masts of Telecommunication companies work in Nigeria. Dangote, generates more power than he needs in some parts of Nigeria where he has companies and as a matter of fact supplies his immediate communities with the excess power generated. This is not to look down on the Solar Power that's being harnessed in certain parts of the North to power whole communities 24/7.

You Can't See Business Opportunities If You Can't See Beyond The Problems
Among the Entrepreneurs, the Poor see problems, while the Rich see opportunities to make a lot of money from solving the problems. Virtually all Nigerians have been raised consciously or unconsciously to scorn at Nigeria our father land. We've also been raised to heap all the blames on the government. In some quarters, it's so bad that some Nigerians are beginning to see their being born Nigerians a curse!
The Simple truth about this unfortunate line of thought is that, the majority with this kind of poisonous and contagious thought would no longer bother to try solve the multiple problems of Nigeria. The only thing they'll be thinking about is how to escape from Nigeria. No wonder, we see hundreds of Nigerians being so desperate to leave Nigeria that they'll raise huge chunks of money like N500 000 (i.e. Half a Million Naira which is about $150 000 to leave Nigerian through the hottest desert of the World, the Sahara desert!) just to leave Nigeria. Whereas, you can reach Los Angeles in the US with just N252 000 via the airplane!
The Bottomline, here is that, for as long as you think Nigeria is a shit hole you need to escape from, you can't benefit from the numerous opportunities she has to offer. Dangote is the Richest in Africa and he made the bulk of his money from Nigeria! That same Nigeria you see as a shithole!!!  

The Greatest Problem of Nigeria Today is Food Security!
A Yoruba adage has it that "Bi ebi ba Kuro ninu ise, ise buse". It literally means that the greatest problem with poverty is hunger.
This means that all the protests and clamoring for pay rise by the Nigerian Labour Congress, the NLC is a futile exercise. The real problem to the seasonal suffering of civil servants and Nigerians in general, is not the small take home but that of scarcity of food. If Nigeria becomes self sufficient in food production today, workers' savings would increase as the Naira would appreciate thereby increasing the purchasing power of the workers!

In as much as I would join the majority in asking the government to do more, I'll at the same recommend that we the people should play our part by taking advantage of the laxity of the government to make ourselves some fortune! You'll have to go register with the 'Naira Farm' for more in depth analysis, tips and tricks on how to make a fortune from the Nigerian Economy today. There's just a one time fee of hundred Naira involved. (Yes! It's Just N100). Click here to register now!
You shall receive free monthly Newsletter updates on how to make the Nigerian Economy work for you. I'll stop at that for today. Don't forget, keep thinking Nigeria.
God Bless Naija! 

How to Make Nigeria Great Again

Just a few moments ago, I saw one of the posts of a friend on facebook that celebrated the lifetime of a Nigerian gem that died in the Ethiopia crash. His name was Pius Adesanmi.
 My friend posted one of the deceased Professor's conversation with Professor Pat Utomi where they were discussing how great Nigeria was and how miserable we are today. While Professor Utomi complained about how well we were grounded economically in the past, Professor Pius pointed out how our Parliament is the most expensive in the world. After a moment of pondering on the matter the gentlemen were discussing, I decided to blog about the solution which is 'Making Nigeria great again.'

Where Did We Get It All Wrong?
In the submission of Prof Utomi, one of our greatest undoing is the creation of unproductive states that have become a huge burden on our economy. Well, in my opinion, it's not the creation of the many states per se that is the problem. The Problem, in my opinion is the sheer lack of responsibility of Nigerians to the Nigerian state.
I don't have to be a Professor to know the damaging effect of this very bad attitude of we Nigerians. We don't care how Nigeria makes money, all we care about is how much we benefit from the 'National Cake' as most of us like to put it. With this attitude of ours, Nigeria will not grow! In fact, it is a miracle that Nigeria is still existing today when you considering how many TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS that have been stolen from her both by her citizens and foreigners...as individuals and as countries! Chai! Nigeria don suffer!!!

Nigeria Lack Patriots!
Ask every Dick and Harry in town what they would do should they be granted $1 Million today? I can confidently assure you that most of them would be thinking of getting out of the country and settling abroad in an exotic apartment. Everyone wants to get out the 'Hell' Nigeria and would do all in their capacity to ensure that...even if it has to be through very dangerous means as traveling across the hottest desert in the world (The Sahara Desert)!
Nigerians of today, do not appreciate Nigeria, most think it is a curse to be a Nigerian...some would even go as far blaspheming against God. They question why God made them Nigerians and not a European or better still an American! Now, tell me, how can such a country grow, how can it ever develop???

Nigerians Must Appreciate Nigeria
There's no country in the world that became great from a hate attitude from her citizenry...NONE! If Nigeria must be great, Nigerians must learn to love and appreciate Nigeria. Americans would say 'America First'. Nigerians must be ready to say 'Nigeria First' if Nigeria must develop.
Nigeria was great then because Nigeria had passionate and patriotic leaders in power. This was made possible simply because, most Nigerians then were patriots and optimistic about their country and they would never trade the loyalty to their country for anything in life. They were ready to sacrifice personal interest for that of the country. But, today, can we say that about us the present generation whose main objective is how to get out of the 'shit hole' we find ourselves today? I don't think so!

We Must Be Ready To Put Nigeria First!
You see, sometimes, I get to hear people talk of how Nigeria would never rise again. Some even say it is already a failed state and that we should come together to divide the booties and go our separate ways. This usually come to me as a very expensive joke that shouldn't be repeated as often as it is. I wonder if we have ever stopped and reflect on how selfish we are?
Most well to do Nigerians as a result of this have adopted the dual citizenship allowance granted them by the constitution (I still wonder why this rather funny law is enshrined in our constitution in the first place?). The funny part is that these well to do 'half loyal Nigerians' are the one at the helms of affairs in Nigeria. Now, tell me, how can a country that's ruled by people with divided loyalty is going to develop?
As citizens, we must learn to put Nigeria first,you can't do that with dual citizenship. Putting Nigeria first is possible only with a singular citizenship. If you haven't adopted the dual citizenship,please,don't do, it won't help us as a country, it would only worsen our case! 

Nigeria Can Only Be Great If We Are Willing
Look, let's stop the blame game, it's never gonna work, it never did! The only thing that can work for Nigeria is that Nigerians should step up their game for Nigeria. This applies mostly to the youths out there who are always complaining about the bad shape of the economy.
The youths must stop complaining about lack of employment, lack of capital for business or lack of an enabling environment. We must be ready to create the employment, the enabling environment and generate the capital for business.
'If you want to do something, you'll would find a way, but if don't want to, you'll find an excuse'.  - Jim Rohn
'Ask not what your country can do for you but what your country can do for you' John F. Kennedy

       

If You Do Not Vote Today,You Are Very Wrong!

If you have your PVC in tact and still refuse to go out to vote, today at the guber and state houses of assembly, you are wrong, VERY wrong. Here are a few reasons why?

It is a Civic Duty
When I say a duty, I mean an obligation you MUST do as a citizen of Nigeria.Your failure to vote is a big show of irresponsibility which is quite unfortunate. We have been complaining of bad government policies and nonchalant attitude of people in government to the welfare of the people. Today, your are presented a golden opportunity....a one in 4 years opportunity to kick out the bad guys and bring in a better replacement, you throw away the opportunity, isn't that foolish???
Should the same tyrant team come back to power, know that you are the one that have put them back to power with your failure to go out there to vote them out.

The Governor Has More Influence Over You Than The President
It's a good thing that we came out enmass during the presidential elections. But the blunt truth is that the guber elections is more important than the Presidential because, the state government is closer to you than the Federal Government. If the federal intends to dish out the dividends of democracy, the governor has the power to block it from reaching you in so many ways.
A typical example is in the case of the bail out that the Buhari regime has been dishing out to the state government so that they may be able to pay off the state civil servant salaries. What happened, was the money delivered? The answer is a big fat NO!
In some states such as Kogi and Kwara, the money was diverted to other uses outside the intended purpose of offsetting the debts accrued from salaries owed. Despite the outrage and outcry, nothing was  paid, instead, people got punished for crying foul. It's going close to 3 years of non payment of salaries in Kogi, for instance, yet, workers are expected to work even harder if they must keep their jobs. That's after some actually lost their jobs and others blocked from the payroll of the government illegally. The governors are covered by immunity, they can't be tried while in power...they are above the law!
So, I think you can see how much of a mistake it is to stay back home during today's elections. Lagos is a shiny example of what can happen when you have a highly functional state government in power. Lagos no longer wait for the federal allocation to execute projects or pay salaries...Lagos is more like a country of it's own as it stands today. In fact, it has been reported that Lagos state is currently richer than 5 African countries put together!

If Your State's Economy Flourishes,You Will Forget The FG
I'll have to refer to Lagos again. During Obasanjo's regime, Lagos state was denied her allocation for more than 2 years, yet, it didn't crash, how manage???
The answer is not far fetched. The then governor, Ahmed Tinubu dared to be different...he established an Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) mechanism. This was the turning point for Lagos and ever since, she (Lagos) didn't look back again. Although, we have copy cat effects here and there, none is as effective as that of Lagos. Lagosians are in the world of their own now, they have created an independent economy from that of the FG.Stuffs that come from the Fg today are like bonuses to the Lagos state government. Like I said, Lagos is like a country in a country!
Your state too can be like that if you are responsible enough to cast your vote for a patriotic citizen and team of honorable to man the positions in the state house assembly.But, unfortunately, you can't do that now, you just missed! You'll have to wait till 2023 to do that!

You Have Failed To Help Keep Your Political Leaders On Their Toes
This is what you can't take away from Oyo state who by records have not voted in a governor for a second term except in the case of the present Governor Ajumobi. What does this do? It keeps the politicians on their toes...even if they would want to act funny, the fear of loosing elections would grip and put them in check. Most states in Nigeria are under performing simply because their citizens care less about the activities of government. Very few question their authorities which according to the constitution you can strip them of with a simple majority through your state house of assembly members.
Let assume that you had left them to do as they wish for the whole term, your refusal to vote today have actually boosted their confidence to do more in terms of tyranny, coz, you are neither asking questions nor making the move to punish them via elections. The unfortunate thing is that you stayed back at home when you had the chance to kick them out and would probably be complaining for the next 4 years if things get worse.
So, my guy, you really messed up for not showing up today. Make una no do that again fa! It's VERY Wrong! If you'll excuse me, I'll like to go to my booth to witness the counting of the votes cast today! Catch ya later!