A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, fellow Country men and women I congratulate you toward this step we have taken together. A step necessary towards redemption for our great nation. A step we are all hopeful leads towards restitution, what many refer to the common sense or ballot revolution.
Over these past few weeks I have read humungous commentaries and analysis on what our dear President Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari should do, and shouldn’t , the saints he should carry along and the sinners he should annihilate from his government. What he must do in his first hundred days, what policies he should make, how to do this or that, the inference to draw is simple: expectations are high, in the face of enormous challenges this am well aware he knows.
Similarly our sociopolitical sphere has been proliferated with rather variant definitions of change; I am delighted however that the APC knows fully well that change is relative and not absolute. At least this was well detailed in one of their very popular campaign commercial where they showed us that what change means to “Ebuka” is very different from what it translates to “Tayo” .
In the midst of all of this very few writers, analysts and commentators have hammered on followership, as we all know there is no effective leadership without good followership.
Change has to begin with me and you, bourgeoisie or proletariat , and I can assure you that it is already a phenomenon we are witnessing; we have been the sleeping giant of Africa, and the Election in march might just prove to the world that we are waking up from slumber. Who would have thought just twenty four months ago before the emergence of the APC we would have been able to vote out an incumbent government?
#Changeishere because of the power of our collective will!
#Changeishere because political awareness and citizenry participation is at an all time high!
#Changeishere because our votes counted!
In the middle of this euphoria: for change to stay, we must first of all align our thinking with Ghandi when he said “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” And remember the words of Maya Angelo as she said “Nothing will work unless you do”.
As a people we must continue to demonstrate that away from the ethno religious and sentimental line drawn to divide us that we want to move our nation toward prosperity. Although, we have begun to demonstrate this attitude gradually, we must understand that this is not the only step toward the right direction; as citizens we must understand our obligations pertaining diligent followership at all times.
For the New Nigeria we all seek, we must be ready not to cut corners, to be straight forward, to avoid cheating, not to beat traffic lights or litter the streets, to see stealing as corruption.
We must respect the rule of law at all time and plunge our society free from impunity.
Change will not come unless we change our modus operandi, we must ask for accountability from official who serves us, we must demonstrate that it is the people first before self. We cannot be docile any more, we must show that the era of “sii don and look” is over, we must continue strive for a better Nigeria, understanding that governance begins with everyone of us.
No nation has gotten it right at first like some programmed auto machine, and we are no different. Our political history might be ridden with the chaos from the first republic, the civil war, electoral misappropriation, and many more that is why as a people together: We must urge the new administration to develop other sectors of our economy, to diversify: to really think outside the box thereon build new model of a changed nation other countries can emulate. It is true the APC manifesto coves this, it is however our responsibility to remind them.
For things to really change the incoming government must demonstrate the willingness to listen to her people at all times: Develop alternatives in all situations, try to develop, encourage and appreciate our own indigenous knowledge and problem solving abilities.
Change would be invention for us to solve our domestic problems first and then export for economic advancement; in the manner Italy’s pasta and china’s Wheel barrow are globally adopted today.
Our curriculum too must change our children need to educate properly, we have to rediscover ourselves, remember our history and its relevance. We Must Inspire and initiate patriotism, build sense of believe and trust again so we wouldn’t be casualties of hope like we have been these past 6 years; the narrative has to change from” sai baba” to something that revolves around a united Nigeria.
Let the things we read about Singapore, Malaysia. Indonesia and others become peculiar to our sphere; let the headlines change from insecurity and unemployment to stability and actual growth of our economy.
Change is similar to Darwin’s law of natural selection. Organisms that refuse to adapt would not survive; History is pregnant with tales of resistance to change; Japan was reluctant in the 1980s to change and their economy never surpassed that of the USA as predicted by economists.
President Buhari must continue to inspire change, for although he seems not to have anything to lose, this is however an incredible opportunity to cement his name on the scrolls of history as the Father of a New Nigeria.
Change is more than just a mantra; it is the universal empirical order Mother Nature survives upon.
We anticipate seeing a changed nation
God bless Nigeria
Alhassan Ismail Mustapha is a trained archaeologist and a freelance writer.
@The_mustyhassan on twitter
Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates
