BRING BACK THE NIGERIA OF OUR DREAMS: REFLECTIONS AND INTROSPECTIONS ON OUR INDEPENDENCE

We celebrate and rejoice with every Nigerian citizens home and abroad as our great nation clocks 54 since her independence in 1960. Together we have been through a lot of roughs and tumbles, but by some miracles, we still remain an entity. A second look at our great country, we understand that there are a lot to be done. As the leaders are set to work, the followers also need to roll up their sleeves. From the education sector, through the aviation sector, to every nooks and crannies of our national life, whether young or old, we still have much work to be done.
Before we can BRING BACK THE NIGERIA OF OUR DREAMS, first of all, we all must exercise our right to vote wisely.
With our valid votes, we bring in credible leaders. As we brace up for the 2015 general elections, there is a compelling imperative to discard leaders that keep promising without fulfilling. Millions of promises will never fill a basket. From the federal level to the grassroots level, there are myriads of avenues our government (all levels) can improve our standard of living and create job opportunities.

Learning in progress?

Most of our government schools, from the primary level to the tertiary level lack the essential facilities to compete or hold their heads high in the illustrious bracket of their international contemporaries. Several factors seem to be militating against the upgrade of our schools; political interference, religious bias and ethnic sentiments. We need to see beyond all these factors. If someone is fit for the job, let him or her be granted the opportunity while he cast away all these parochial sentiments.
Nigeria, widely regarded as ‘Giant of Africa’ is without an operational national airline. This is a sad epitaph for our reputation. To add salt to injury, most all our political and religious bigwigs own private jet. Ethiopia owns and runs Ethiopian Airlines, which plies several routes in Africa and beyond. Several other African countries can boast of their airlines: South Africa, Kenya, Egypt etc. We once had a national pride known as Nigeria Airways, but sadly today, it is nowhere to be found. What is left of the Nigerian airway is just a bunch of scrap away from the hangar. Please BRING BACK OUR NIGERIA AIRWAYS.

Grounded Nigeria Airways

Our Textile Industries was once the biggest in Africa, and one of the largest employers in the country. The industry collapsed years ago and the abandoned factories are decaying. These are one of the ways to boost employment in the country. Please BRING BACK OUR TEXTILE INDUSTRIES.
All focus is now on oil money. Our hitherto robust refineries are in a total mess. We still import PMS, Kerosene and Diesel for general consumption. There is a lot to be brought back.
We can go on and on, naming several areas of our economy desperately and dangerously needing redemption in order for our Leaders to bring back the Nigeria of our dreams, but as followers and proud citizens, we also need orientation so that when all of these changes and developments arrive, we all will be able to manage and make good use of them for our children’s future.  For example, let’s assume that the residents of Ajegunle are transferred into Victoria Garden City (VGC), and residents of VGC also move to Ajegunle, after a month or two, there will be visible changes on both sides. VGC would have become Ajegunle and Ajegunle would have transformed into a new VGC. It’s all about orientation.
The general election is around the corner once again, this time you and I need to exercise our right to vote. No more dulling and no more saying ‘awon lo n se nnkan won.’  As our leaders are getting set to work, we the followers and proud citizens also need to roll up our sleeves as well. So we can bring back the Nigeria of our dreams together.

God bless Nigeria

From all of us here at BackYardstudio, we wish our great nation and the good people of Nigeria a happy 54^th independence celebration and prosperous years ahead. Cheers.