Salvaging our nascent democracy: 2023 – Ideal time for breath of fresh air (2)

In the first part of my writing on captioned subject, I carefully took an overview of the Nigerian struggle, her democracy, her leaders and the people. It was clear from that piece that the Nigerian nation is suffocating in the midst of heterogenous assemblage of politicians who have been lost in the political space; appear not to have a clear understanding of why they are where they are and not knowing anything more to do than what they have done before. This is sad and has not been helped by the fact that pockets of well-meaning public office holders have been put in the same basket of ineptitude because, “when the oil smears a finger, it extends to all other fingers involuntarily.”


It was a Nigerian musician – SUNNY OKOSUNS, of the blessed memory who asked in a song – “Which way Nigeria” In the lyrics of that song he noted:
“many years after independence we still find it hard to start, for how long shall we be patient to get to the promised land? Let’s save Nigeria, so Nigeria won’t die…”


This song was described as a smash in its time! Sang by the Late Sunny Okosun who died in 2008, “Which way Nigeria” addresses the issues that plagued Nigerians and her teeming youths. The empty promises made by the leaders and the dashed hopes of the children who were always told they were leaders of tomorrow but never got a chance.


The song asked the relevant question – How long shall we be patient before we reach the Promised Land? Decades after independence, a lot seems to go unchanged. Late Sunny Okosun was one of the leading Nigerian musicians from the late 1970s to mid ’80s and was a man who dared to question the ills perpetrated by the powers that be.


We have pointed out the snag posed by Military interventions in our democracy, yet we are still to get it all correct after several years of democratic rule. There is one thing that is common knowledge, Nigeria at both Federal and State levels have consistently suffered inconsistency in developmental projects and programs in successive governments. We see so much of abandoned projects because of the quest by a new administration to start her own projects and/or programs that will be wholly ascribed to its credit. The implication has been that so much financial and economic wastages arise from this. It is a clear misunderstanding of governance as service to the people.


I have dared to seek out a Nigerian leader who scored so high in carrying on with the projects and/or programs started by his predecessors and ONLY one person comes to mind. He is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He did it across Local Government, State, and Federal levels. By providence and divine mandate, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan found himself severally taking over leadership rolls albeit accidentally and while exhibiting a rare spirit of humility continued with legacies of the previous leader while finetuning and recalibrating others for more beneficial results.


Nigeria, this is the time to think. This is the time to eschew tribalism, nepotism, class, creed and religion. This time calls for sober reflections. As a country, we must appreciate Allah’s special love for Nigeria which explains why we have survived all these years despite the odds. It is however high time we embraced the truth and seek out the experienced achiever who can take us to that long-awaited promised land. What Nigeria needs now is a NIGERIAN PRESIDENT not PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA. We need to get out of the suffocation of today. We need a breath of fresh air. Yes, a breath of fresh air!


This is the Nigeria of my dream. A Nigeria where the citizens would not be drawn to increasing waive of criminal activities arising from hunger, starvation, unemployment and increasing poverty level. I have a dream of that Nigeria where our youths would not be drawn to gullibility of “get rich quick syndrome” but would embrace entrepreneurial ventures in a viable and conducive business environment. It would gladden my heart to see a Nigeria where the quest to run out of our country for greener pastures would be reversed even as we properly harness our God-given natural and human resources to its optimum capacity for a sustainable economy. This has to be truly home-grown leadership encapsulated with extensive international exposure and recognition.


Nigerians abound with credentials to give us the Nigeria of our dream. However, there must be someone on the driving seat to be supported by eminently qualified and experienced technocrats and coaches. I reckon this is the time to prevail on Dr. G.E. Jonathan to return and give direction to the Nigerian ship. He has done it before; he may have failed in some areas, but we must know he is today an International consultant of sought in Leadership and peaceful co-existence. Nigeria today could be rightly be described as needing peace stabilizing reagent even as drums of war sounds from all the nooks and crannies of the country typical of a rudderless ship.


Take a peep into the post-election GEJ. Since his concession in 2015, the former president is experiencing something of a renaissance as a senior statesman, at least in certain circles. He has been honored with international awards and invited to deliver keynote remarks at global conferences on everything from peace-building to improving educational opportunities. He is particularly sought-after as a champion of democracy, and recently led international election observation teams for the National Democratic Institute in Liberia and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in South Africa. His solemn tweets on respect for the rule of law in Ethiopia are covered in the press.


We must move beyond political inclinations and agree that there is still so much to tap from Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR. It is not fashionable anymore to ignore wise advice nor look away from a positive finding. It is not America nor China that will take us to that promised land. We are to take our destinies in our hands and put our best foot forward to achieve our desire.


While we prepare for 2023 elections, all Nigerians within and outside Nigeria must keep supporting the government of the day in the quest to keeping one indivisible nation. We should support the President and Commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and have him and indeed Nigeria in our prayers. I have no doubt he means well for Nigeria even as he may have been overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges of today which has not been help by a retinue of self-serving lieutenants that have continued to embarrass the government.


I have no doubt in my mind that as we push the Nigerian ship through to 2023, that a new template for a new and better Nigeria incensed with a fresh breath would emerge.


To end this writing, may I encourage us with the song by another Nigerian – VENO MARIOGHAE titled NIGERIA GO SURVIVE!


If dem thief our oil oo
Nigeria go survive,
I say if dem burn the oil oo
Nigeria go survive.
I say if dem drink the oil oo
Nigeria go survive.


Our roots them strong for ground oo
Nigeria go survive,
Ancestors no go gree oo
Nigeria go survive.


The god of thunder and lightning
Nigeria go survive.


United shield Nigeria,
Nigeria go survive.


Nigeria go survive
Africa go survive
My people go survive o
Nigeria go survive.


Andrew no checkout o!
“say what? “
Stay and build your country
Nigeria go survive.
Na who go die for you oo
Nigeria go survive.


Blood is thicker than water
Nigeria go survive.


If Andrew do hin work oo
Nigeria go survive,
And me I do my own oo
Nigeria go survive.


If our leaders do dem best oo
Nigeria go survive,
Andrew go stay to help oo
Nigeria go survive.


Nigeria go survive
Africa go survive
My people go survive o
Nigeria go survive.
Cocoa dey for West oo
Nigeria go survive,
Rubber boku for Bendel
Nigeria go survive.,
Palm oil dey for East oo
Nigeria go survive,
Timber dey for Sapele oh
Nigeria go survive.


Groundnut e dry for North oo
Nigeria go survive.
Rice e dey for Benue
Nigeria go survive.
Hide and skin e dey oo
Nigeria go survive
Cotton dey for North oo
Nigeria go survive.


Nigeria go survive
Africa go survive
My people go survive oo
Nigeria go survive!


I call on all Nigerians to be hopeful and positive that NIGERIA WILL SURVIVE, however, we need to work and walk on the path to making this a reality by choosing wisely who leads us in the next dispensation.

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