Is Nigeria a failed state?

By Ebele Orakpo

The homeward journey this Thursday evening was quite interesting as the parliamentarians gave a good account of themselves, discussing very serious national issues interlaced with humour, thus making the otherwise stressful journey an interesting one. A commuter, Ike, opened the floor when he described the statement credited to IBB to the effect that nothing will stop him from contesting as president, as an affront and insult to Nigerians.

“That shows he is desperate. But what did he forget in Aso Rock?” he asked rhetorically.

“He said he wants to take the country back to the path of greatness,” answered Angela.

“After pauperising us, right? He wants to right the wrongs but I don’t think we need him anymore. Enough is enough!” noted Uche.

Said Mark:  “The truth is that Nigeria is a failed state and does not need failed leaders to resuscitate her. She needs dynamic, intelligent, proactive, visionary, God-fearing leaders with integrity.”

“QED, Bros. You have said it all. I weep for my country. I was in Dubai for eight months and in those eight months, electricity supply never blinked for a second. I didn’t see soldiers on the road and the only policemen you see on the road are the patrol men.

Once you get into the United Arab Emirates and buy a phone, it is registered with your passport so if you commit any crime, you are easily traced.

Here, kidnappers will use phones to transact their ungodly business, yet they can’t be traced. MTN and Etisalat operate in other countries and in those places, as soon as you buy their SIM, it is registered; so why didn’t they apply the same system here? It is because they met a failed state where anything goes. The worst are the religious leaders who have refused to tell the people the truth. They keep deceiving them and collecting money from them, getting fatter while their followers get leaner”.

“What do you mean they don’t tell them the truth?” asked Kemi.

“They have turned our society to a miracle-seeking society where people believe that if you can attend services constantly, pray and fast, you will become rich. But you and I know it is not true. You see a clerk in an office who has no intention of improving himself academically or otherwise, believing that by constant prayer and fasting and sowing seeds, he will one day become the managing director of the company.

You see a man who earns N10,000 a month with a family, being told that he can live as well as one who earns N100,000 a month. Is that not a lie? Tell the people to improve themselves. Today, I am a master’s degree holder but I started out as a bus conductor.

But I had a vision and I worked towards it and God helped me. Miracles happen when a prepared mind meets an opportunity and takes advantage of it. It is a different ball game with miracle seekers who expect God to come down and do everything for them. Look at the schools, how many of their members can afford the fees?”

“But those schools are not for just anyone. Not everybody is supposed to afford it, even government-owned schools,” said Shade.

“I beg your pardon! Those poor people contributed to the building of those schools, not just money but time and sweat and now they are not qualified to attend the schools because of high fees. Is that fair? Would Jesus have done that?” Tunji asked.

“These leaders should teach and help the followers to improve themselves so as to get out of poverty,” stated Uche.