Fixing The Deficit The Nation Generously Bestows Us
I shake my head when I see friends compare our infrastructure, salaries, government, politicians, technology and universities with that of better run countries. I see the anger on their face and the sadness in their voice. I even feel sorry for them despite the fact that we are all in this together. They stare down the aisle of frustration and that is what makes me shake my head for them. I try to steer their gaze away and save us both moments of agony.
The biggest lottery in the world is birth lottery. It is no longer enough to be born into a proper family, not as an unwanted child of a sex worker, the national identity you inherit can be just as disastrous. Think about the children born in Aleppo during the ongoing Syrian civil war. Then think about our own unending leadership dearth that is threatening to destroy both our present and our future.
Every child born in Nigeria has better come with a fighting spirit ’cause his battles are unfairly numerous. From the very health system that welcomes him to earth, only the strong survives, to the educational system where only the lucky genius can come out undamaged. There is a deficit the nation bestows its citizens that will take plenty extra labour on the part of anyone seeking even an averagely good life to fix.
But what I find most painful is when I see the very people who have emerged victorious from these battles do nothing to save the oncoming generations from such needless struggles. They become experts at comparisons and rather than building the infrastructure that is lacking, becoming a better politician, creating the technologies we lack and go back to fix the educational system. In fact, some go into a relapse and start becoming the very people who make Nigeria not work for everyone.
Every educated Nigeria owe it to the coming generations to ensure that they are a good role model. You should not let your education be only a university degree and some white collar job. You have to be a beacon of light, be a vaccine to the popular stupidity that runs like river Niger and river Benue through the entire nation, and be a resistance to the rogues in government.
We have to reduce the deficits newborns face in the country. And most importantly, we have to get used to working extra hard to get those average looking things we see others get easily in other countries. We have to stop comparing in a negative way. We should use those countries as guideposts to guide our journey to Canaan land and not as a source of discouragement and regret.
As we move into the new year, be more positive. Contribute your own consistent bucket of water, as we water our own grass right here. Nigeria has to be greener than we met it.
Originally published at www.olafusimichael.com.
