Tricia Iwuoha
In spite of all that Nigeria has been experiencing presently, the truth is that it does not change our nationality as Nigerians. In Nigeria, ideas have no place; it is all about money; by whatever means it is achieved is nobody’s business. The Nigerian dream is all about coming up with principles that will give hope to all Nigerians. What will make every Nigerian want to die serving his country, a Nigeria that cares for all, a Nigeria that provides hope for all, a land of equal opportunity for every Nigerian citizen, a country where no citizen will be treated as a stranger in any part; a country where any of its citizens can aspire to become the president through hard work; a country that celebrates excellence not mediocrity. Nigeria needs process that will come up with logical ideals that will create an egalitarian society. That will be a dream every Nigerian will be proud of. In this edition, Nigerians speak on what the Nigerian dream should be.
Nigeria has not worked since it adopted the unitary system of government instead of the federal system. No country develops by sharing revenue. Restructuring is inevitable or the underdevelopment and everything associated with it will multiply. There is no living dream. Nigeria no matter who wins the presidential election requires serious systemic surgical procedures. The practice of exclusion, ethnicity, religious bigotry, favouritism is well pronounced. This regime is said to be fighting corruption. I stand to be corrected, but the level of corruption now is unimaginable to the extent that shipload of crude oil has been reported to be missing. Can you imagine that? No matter who wins the next presidential election, Nigerians must brace themselves up for more suffering.
Sir Temple Ogueri Onyeukwu FCA, Lagos
Nigeria at 62: All hopes are not lost. The founding Fathers of Nigeria laid a solid foundation for the socio-political and economic growth of the nation. Basic infrastructural facilities were put in place, while the existing institutions were very strong and stable during the first Republic. Basic amenities including water and electricity were very reliable in supply where they were on ground. The Civil and Public services performed optimally even as corruption, nepotism, insecurity and bad governance were at the barest minimum. Unfortunately, the present crop of leaders in Nigeria appears not to have learnt anything from the founding fathers. They have not built much on the footprints of the past political, religious and traditional leaders.
Part of the problem however, is the Civil War which interrupted the political growth of the country as well as the military interventions which brought a draconian leadership that disjointed and destroyed the democratic fabrics of Nigeria. The truth is that we can still get it right, and restore the lost dignity of the nation. We need to restrategise, and fashion out a democratic system of government that will take cognisance of the culture, religion, tradition and the tribes of the masses. We need to stop copying verbatim the parliamentary and presidential system of government. What worked well in America and Britain may not work well in Nigeria. There is also need for re-orientation and social rearmament. Nigerians must be made to restore their absolute belief in peace and unity of the Country. They should have confidence in the country as their mother-land. Nigerians must be resolute in ensuring that “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”. Emphasis should be on re-orientating the middle aged class who will be a veritable replacement for the present political leaders in no distant time. For us to achieve the expected changes, the nation’s leaders must have the interest of the electorate at heart and ensure equitable distribution of the dividends of democracy. All hands must be on deck for us to recover the country. The people must not shy away from their civic obligations including payment of taxes, rates and being patriotic. Both the government and the governed must resolve to serve in synergy for things to work well in the country. Restructuring, devolution of power and conveying a national conference are possible panacea to the continued existence of a democratic Nigeria for the benefit of all and sundry.
Fidel Onyeneke, Owerri
Well, there will be hope the moment we the Nigerian people start doing things right. There are things we have not done right as a people, for Nigeria to achieve her dreams, we need to shun corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and all kinds of sentiment and start electing leaders and not rulers. We need to have strong institutions not strong politicians who think they are bigger than the law. Human rights need to be protected.
Nwosu Davidson (Odumodu), Owerri
There is hope for the Nigeria dream with the right leadership. The right leadership will inspire hope. With hope, Nigerians (home and abroad) will start investing again in their country. Investment will create jobs, and business opportunities. The crime rate will drop and with that, more investments. A lot of other broken systems (health, education and infrastructure) will start fixing themselves.
Chidi Efobi, Saudi Arabia
I think there should be a new dream for Nigeria. The younger generation of Nigerians should jettison the old “dream” being propagated by the older generation. That old dream does not hold any hope for Nigeria. There should arise a new enthusiasm, an energetic inspiration, a new dream and a new hope engendered by the young spirit of the younger generation. The dream that should mark a sharp departure from the old ways of doing things, a patriotic zeal devoid of the sentiments of clannishness, egocentrism, tribalism, ethnicity and religion. Young people should lead the change for a contemporary Nigeria that places meritocracy above mediocrity; service above corruption; Nationalism above region. There should be a “decolonisation” of the psyche of the Nigerian youth population. That way, hope will return to Nigeria.
Ezeala Ferdinand Akano, Lagos
I think there’s actually a renewed hope within Nigerians (especially young Nigerians) with the Peter Obi/Yusuf Datti candidacy. Nigerians have witnessed the utter failure of the ‘status quo politicians in the 2 major political parties – the PDP and APC respectively, and most (myself included) have decided to look for alternative parties which the Labour Party represents with Peter Obi running on their platform. The massively-growing OBidients movement is evidence to this. This is the first time in recent memory that a political movement has broken into mainstream politics in Nigeria and seems poised to clinch political power.
Osinachi Emmanuel Ohadomere, Lagos
Yes, there is still hope. Where there is life there is hope. If Nigerians get things right, standardising most positions and school entrances. Remove bad leaders to end corruption. Corruption is eating deep and deep in the society. It is a collective one and all hands must be on deck.
Dr Chikaodi Ijeoma Ogwudire, Owerri
Of course there is hope. With the rate the OBIDATTI Movement is gathering momentum, it means Nigerians have definitely woken up from their slumber and now ever ready to take back their country. God’s willing come 2023 with Peter Obi on the saddle of the affairs of the country, things will definitely begin to turn around for good for all and sundry, especially for the common man in our country Nigeria. It won’t be too easy, but it’s achievable. All hands will definitely be on deck. May God help his people. Amen
Ugo Nwosu, Owerri
Of course there is still hope for the Nigerian dream, and the time has come with Peter Obi and Yusuf emerging as a Team. Nigeria has never had it this good. The recent rallies all over the country shows that Nigerian youth have realised that hope has come and are ready to go all out to secure their future. However, it is crucial that every person who has participated in these rallies acquires their registered PVC and also make sure they participate in the upcoming presidential election by voting rightly. Labour Party is where our hope is for now. As long as there is free and fair elections in 2023, there will be a new Nigeria.
Ugoagha Chukwumerije, USA
The Revolution is here. I remember as an SS1 student I was always telling whoever cared to listen that the only way forward for Nigeria was for a revolution to happen, we often used the French Revolution to back up our claims, later on our West African neighbours, Ghana had an internal revolution which was carried out by Jerry Rawlings, who was the Military head of State and later on the President. In both the French and Ghana situations, blood was spilled and so each time we talk of Revolution in Nigeria, many people disagreed because according to popular belief, no one is willing to die in order to achieve the revolution and so for many years we held on to this narrative. In 2020 the masses who have been pressed to the wall beyond their elastic limit dared the Establishment with a sort of revolution ” The ENDSARS PROTEST” and truth to the narrative that has been held for years, the Government cracked down to the masses, killing hundreds in the process and the revolution died. 2022 saw the emergence of a politician or technocrat who connected with the majority of the Nigerian masses through speaking verifiable truth to power, who spoke the exact mind set of all the oppressed people of Nigeria, a man with verifiable track record, a man whose time has come and behold a movement was born and the
revolution quickly reassembled but this time under a political structure leaving no room for the Government to attack them, although they did a litmus test using Dave Umahi by throwing teargas and attacking Obidients, the Western world quickly gave a warning to Buhari that such won’t be accepted. At this point Peter Obi is President in waiting.
Obiorah Okafor, Ireland
I have ZERO hope for Nigeria. The state of the economy is abysmal. Even if
Peter Obi is elected; he will only serve as a temporary wedge to a falling nation.
Chidozie, UK
Very much yes, my view is basically due to the new hope that Nigerian youths have finally come to terms with the colossal damage done on our dear nation by the political class who has over the years deceived, deprived and destroyed our collective patrimony but now at 62 years of existence we have decided to take full control of the process of electing the right people into leadership. The youths all over the country have intentionally taken the stand against corrupt government and its agents thereby creating massive awareness for the general public to follow suit. The youths also have painstakingly searched the records of present and past leaders and accepted a very credible, innovative, visionary and young leader in the person of His Excellency, PETER OBI to take over the ship of our dear nation and restore back its lost glory. Nigeria dream in his control is realiseable and desirable. May God have his way. Amen
Missionary Chike Wence Lemeh
At 62, any human being is not only a super adult, but also a father or mother with children and grandchildren and have either retired or preparing to retire from civil service. When Nigeria had its independence in 1960, the nation’s economy was very stable. The country was a choice destination for all races. Things worked effortlessly. Telegrams were received and delivered in good time. The railway was functional and public power supply was stable, even as we know that it did not cover all communities. Agriculture remained the mainstay of the nation’s economy. We cannot easily forget the groundnut pyramid, the Cocoa House in Ibadan and the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, which was built from the proceeds of palm oil. All these have since become history, courtesy of the vultures that have held sway in the country.
Nigeria, the way it is today, is in a very sorry state. Nothing appears to be working and the Muhammadu Buhari administration is simply overwhelmed with the ugly situation.
The nation’s universities have remained under lock and key, since February this year. From all indications, it is clear that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is not asking for the moon, but the leadership is demanding for the implementation of the agreement the government freely entered into with the Union. Millions of university students have been out of school for close to eight months! Again, the end of the ASUU strike is not in sight.
I still remember that in 1980, I paid N4,800 for my brand new Toyota Corolla car. A Peugeot 504 car went for N6,150. Today, a prospective buyer will need to cough out millions of Naira to get a new car.The Peugeot Assembly Plant in Kaduna, the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company, ANAMMCO, Enugu, which rolls out Mercedes Benz vehicles from its production lines, the Volkswagen plant in Lagos and Leyland plant in Bauchi, have all collapsed and the workers forced back into the unemployment market.
Today, civil servants are treated like tissue paper. Pensioners hardly receive their entitlements before their death. Life expectancy in Nigeria is next to nothing. Hospitals have become mere consulting rooms and the best medical brains keep leaving the country. Medical tourism thrives and public office holders appear reluctant to improve medical facilities in the country. Corruption, squandamania, flamboyant display of ill-gotten wealth by those in authority, has since become our culture. Nobody cares.
Insecurity in the land has become palpable. Criminals now operate as if it is their right to do so. Police stations have been attacked and sacked. Security checkpoints and those manning them have transformed such places as toll gates and their superiors feign ignorance of the stupid things happening in those places. It has since become, who will police the security personnel.
It is now very fashionable for government spokesmen to reel out fat lies in respect of their action or inaction. Why, for instance, is the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, no longer sitting in Owerri? Why would the NICN make a valid order on an issue and a state court gives a counter over the same issue, long after the earlier one was pronounced?
There is so much to say but I would like to stop here.
Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri
Yes, I think there are still hope for every Nigerian youth if only we will shine our eye very well and vote the for the right candidate which is Peter Obi, then our dream of a new Nigeria will come true.
Divine Wilson, Owerri
What’s the Nigerian dream? Who dreamed it and what was the envisioned timeline to achieve it? Today we’re more of an establishment where tribal and religious sentiments are allowed to explore, maybe to test its maximum elasticity. We can still have a dream though and achieve it, but we must dream first.
Ukpabi Nwafor Agu, Umuahia
