Insecurity, is definitely not our biggest problem in Nigeria. The biggest problem with Nigeria are Nigerians themselves! Should Nigerians get a little more responsible in their ways, all the insecurity and every other national problem we currently suffer shall disappear into thin air! Insecurity is more of a political tool as it is playing out, currently in Nigeria. Our politicians seem to have everything all planned out and we are simply playing out their scripts which should stop as soon as possible! Most Nigerians are ignorant of how a democracy should work so they blame all the problems of the country on the Federal Government. Unfortunately, it's like those running the Federal Government too are very much as ignorant as the people. I mean all the insecurity challenges we currently face are matters that can be easily handled at the local government level!
Basically, the main duty of the government at any level is to secure the lives and properties of the citizens. What this means is that government, be it the Local, State or the Federal are in place to secure the lives and properties of the people.So, when insecurity becomes a problem, it shouldn't be left to only one tier of government alone, the blame should be shared by all three tiers of government. But, unfortunately, virtually all Nigerians are blaming the Federal Government for the spate of insecurity in the country!
Insecurity is Best Tackled at the Local Level!
Boko Haram began as a local insecurity challenge. But, since there is virtually no governance happening at the local government level (Local Government Councils have been strangled to death in most parts of the country by the State Governments), Boko Haram thrived and grew bigger, bolder and more confidently at the local level, so, it wasn't long that it became a national threat as, of course, the state governments nationwide continue to complain of not being in charge of the Police and the Armed Forces that are actively engaged in tackling the now flourishing insecurity challenge.
The Nigerian civil war was fought and decided within just three years of engagement. But, unfortunately, the issue of insecurity as regards to the Boko Haram has been on for more than a decade now! The funny thing about the fight is that even as of today, Boko Haram still remains a local problem! Boko Haram is mainly operating within the North East region and their mode of operation is the guerrilla mode of operation. This is the type of operation that's employed by a much smaller group against a far much bigger enemy. What this simply means is that the insecurity challenge as posed by the insurgents of Boko Haram can be easily overcome if the Local residents are actively involved in the security business of their communities. You can't do this effectively without the Local Government (LG).
The LG Chairman, in collaboration with the Rural fathers within his jurisdiction can gather the much needed intelligence through informants! An intelligence unit can be created and organized by the LG chairman through the Rural Leaders. He can as well create a vigilante group or two to help arrest local offenders before they grow out of control. They would be arrested and handed over to the Police who shall charge them to court as soon as possible. Every Local Government Council has its own legal department that will do a follow up on every case to ensure that every criminal is duly charged to court and justice is served! State Governments (SGs) can't do this, yet, they have successfully incapacitated the Local Governments by sitting on their monthly allocations and interfering in their internal democracy! Now, the problem is that most Nigerians are unaware of this cloak and dagger approaches of the SGs on the LGs right under their noses. They're too busy scolding the faraway Federal Government (FG)!
Security is Everyone's Business NOT only the FG's!
Even as at the time of making this post, Southern Nigeria is by far more secured than the Northern Nigeria. The reason is not far fetched. People in the Southern part of Nigeria got involved in tackling the insecurity challenges and they don't spare their political leaders in their struggle for peace and stability. An average politician from Southern Nigeria knows that his chances of doing well during elections has a lot to do with his performance in office. This is not the case up North where the winner is most often than not decided by power brokers! This is why you'll see the Southern Political leaders getting creative in securing their territories as against the non-chalant attitudes of their counterparts from the North who largely fold their arms insisting on STATE POLICE establishment!
The South West, in addition to the OPC, now have established yet another security outfit by law known as AMOTEKUN! Despite the Opposition of the Federal Government to this, Amotekun is doing a very good job in securing the South West! That's not to forget how youths in a town went all the way to uproot a kidnapping kingpin from his fortress in a forest within their locality. They captured him and handed him over to the Police! All these are happening within the South and North Central regions (areas that are bordering the South)! My point is that if Nigerians are serious about it, all the insecurity challenges can be easily overcome!
Let Nigerians show more interest in the Local and State Governments that are closer to them than they are in the Federal Government. Untill we start to hold the State governments and Local Governments to account just as we do with the FG, nothing's going to change for the better. Lagos state is a typical example of what can happen when the State governments are held accountable. From a report made available to me, Lagos state alone is richer than most countries in Africa. As a matter of fact, if Lagos were to be a country on its own, it would be the 5th richest country in Africa! Now, that's a state that is NOT an oil producing state! Just imagine what can happen if the oil producing states would wake up and do the needful, imagine what can happen if every state would stop looking on to the Federal Government as the MAIN source of revenue, what will happen if they would only look inwards to harness their human and agricultural potentials to the fullest?! Some even have very incredible Tourism potentials too!!!
Poverty is the Parent of Revolution and Crime!
Now those are not my words, they're the words of the Great Philosopher Aristotle! I think that's simple enough! In Aristotle's opinion, no one would be talking about a revolution or engaging in crime if they're doing well financially!
So, all the calls for restructuring, resource control, the #revolutionnow campaign among several other crazy campaigns and demands made in very recent past in Nigeria were all as a result of the widespread poverty among the people! All the Kidnappings, Rape cases, banditry and the insurgency are also as a result of Poverty! All of them are products of Poverty!!!
Are we that poor, are Nigerians so poor that the only way we deem fit to get out of poverty is by engaging in protests, revolution campaigns and crime...are we that poor??? Well, unfortunately we Nigerians are, but Nigeria isn't!
Nigeria is Definitely One of The Richest Countries in the World!
Nigeria is very, very rich, it is us NIGERIANS that are VERY,VERY POOR! Just before the oil boom, Nigeria was one the biggest exporters of Agricultural products in the World. But, ever since the EASY MONEY era, we slipped down the ladder. We stopped producing and increased our consumption. As a result, our economy started the journey downwards. Up till now, we, unfortunately haven't stopped the downward movement. Why? Because, we haven't learnt our lessons properly! We are still consuming without Producing!!!
Everyone's looking out for what they can get from Nigeria and not what they can do for Nigeria. Nigerians have been very, very, selfish indeed! This is very evident during election seasons when people get to trade votes! In preparation for the elections, politicians go to the banks to secure multi-million to multi-billion Naira loans. What do they do with such monies? Every Nigerian knows but don't care! Ordinarily, you'll expect such over ambitious politicians loose, but, in reality, they're the ones that win! There was this political party that had their primary elections but gave the ticket NOT to the winner of the Primaries but to one of the contestants that had money to throw around! Nigerians are so poor that they'll gladly and willingly sell their birthrights (their votes) for peanuts!
IGNORANCE is Nigeria's Biggest Challenge!!!
This is why I said that the Biggest problem of Nigeria are Nigerians! We are so,so, ignorant - we Nigerians! Many developed countries would LOVE to switch places with us considering the vast wealth of Natural resources that are found underneath our soil. When it comes the Human Resources too, we have the BEST worldwide! Some say that we have it all and that the Problem have always been leadership problem. I disagree because, we practice democracy in Nigeria, today, NO ONE can emerge a leader without going through the Electoral process. During Election periods, it's all about the number of votes that you have. If the wrong person wins, that's because WE CHOSE THE WRONG PERSON!
Nigerians don't appreciate Nigeria, you don't have to look far to see this, just go to facebook and twitter, you'll see what I mean. On daily basis, Nigerians post very bad stuff about Nigeria. No, they don't limit it on the people in government, they also go ahead to downgrade Nigeria right there on the World Wide Web! Yet, they wonder why foreign investments aren't coming into Nigeria, isn't that funny?!
Only ignorant people go about telling the whole world about the ills of their country. Wise people skip the ills and speak much more about the good part of their country. In this way, they make people wanting to visit their country and probably invest and settle there! Ignorant people hurt themselves without even knowing it....that's what Nigerians IGNORANTLY do on social media everyday!
Nigerians are always looking to TAKE from Nigeria and NEVER GIVE BACK to Nigeria. Ask an average Nigerian what he would do with a million Dollar should he be gifted with it? Most would, without hesitation, tell you that they'll first and foremost leave the country to settle else where! This is why the economy ain't growing. Most are not looking out to settle in Nigeria...they don't see Nigeria as their own, so, theyre not thinking of how to make it great, rather, they're all out to find a means to get out! How can such a country grow, how can such country be secured?
Security can only be assured if the people are doing well financially. A person that's only thinking about himself alone, a person whose ultimate goal is to leave the country will never think of giving back to the society. Unless the successful few gives back to give others a chance, poverty would flourish, hence, insecurity would grow steadily unhindered! Forget about the government, I'm talking of Nigerians giving back to other Nigerians! I'm talking about millionaires and billionaires organizing and funding youths to schools, providing grants to young entrepreneurs and patronizing local producers DELIBERATELY!
We run a MIXED ECONOMY, hence, contrary to the popular belief in Nigeria, the Private sector has a duty of making the Economy work! Governments are supposed to complement the efforts of the Private sector and not to be the MAIN runner of the Economy! Nigerians don't understand this, hence, can't demand for them! Our economy is supposed to be run by the Private sector with the Government only providing a helping hand in making such basic utilities and facilities such as Education, Power, Potable Water and Transportation systems available at very cheap and affordable rates for all.
EDUCATION IS KEY TO DEVELOPMENT!!!
Of course, the solution to the Problem of ignorance is education. Education is key to development. If Nigeria must develop, Nigerians must be well educated and by that, I'm not referring to textbook knowledge, I think we have that in abundance already! What I'm talking about here is the provision of PRACTICAL AND SOLUTION DRIVEN EDUCATION!
The fact that our youths have to resort to learning a craft or the other AFTER THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION speaks volumes about the uselessness of the supposed education they have received in the University! I STRONGLY recommend that the the 6-3-3-4 system of education along with all the peripherals be re-installed. This would help bring sanity back to our education system.
I mean, when a child begins his primary education at the RIPE age of 6 years (ANY child that's younger, no matter how brilliant shouldn't be granted admission) and finishes his Junior Secondary schooling at the age of 15 years, he'll be able to decide whether to further or not. If he chooses to leave the academics, he goes for the Technical school to learn a trade or craft and starts to earn from his acquired skills. Very few people will opt in for the Tertiary education as most shall drop out latest after their WASCE! This is how it ought to be!!!
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Finally, it's important to note that Nigerians, no doubt are in need of CIVIC EDUCATION! This is the kind of ignorance that have greatly affected us as a people! People need to learn that no country is great today without countless sacrifices and contributions of their citizens. Hence, if Nigeria must be great, NIGERIANS must take full responsibility for her and do all they can to see her grow from strength to strength! This is what this blog is all about. To cap it all, I have this little...should I call poem? Here it is, I hope you'll like it!
FRIEND OR FOE?
Waking up every day to curse Nigeria
Working hard every day to pull down Nigeria
A country from which you earn to fill your purse
You and whine and dine in peace why the curse
What are you a friend or foe
A patriot or a rebel why stoop so low
Still wonder why nothing good comes from Nigeria
Ever you done anything good for Nigeria
You want her serve and fill your purse
Expecting profits from a country you hate and curse
Americans say God bless America
Taking responsibilities and working for America
You go to the internet chanting End Nigeria
Hence you are nothing but a liability to Nigeria
If all you can offer back to Nigeria is war
You are an ingrate and a monger of war
You were born and bred in Nigeria so damn you
You schooled and work in Nigeria I hate you
Hypocrites like you I cannot stand
Condemning everything without a helping hand
Nigeria needs patriots not idiots like you
Who will build not but destroy like you
You are an abomination so get out of our land
Or we hit hard with a force you cannot withstand
Leave Nigeria you are such an ingrate
You can’t make it in a country you don’t appreciate
We love Nigeria coz we are patriots
Patriots are all we need not a bunch of idiots
Nigeria is not working coz Nigerians ain’t working
The economy will improve when we start working
Tell book Haram and bandits to down tools
We will take revenge sparing not even stools
Nigeria is here to stay so no shaking
No secession no matter what we ain’t kidding
Nigeria will work coz patriots are emerging
They shall clean up the mess you keep watching
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Thank you!
God bless Nigeria
God bless we NIGERIANS!!!
