CULTURAL CHANGE II

We need to channel our energies as individuals and as a nation to raise the standard of living of the average person in this country. This would critically require our re-thinking the ideas and norms that form the bedrock of our culture. There is too much suffering around here for us to be self-centered in our prayers, thinking, and plans. If you have a
dream, dream big. Let the dream be big enough to be a blessing to others in our society.

Let us take responsibility for our nation and ultimately, this continent. What is the essence of studying Law in the university if you will not stand up to defend the cause of the oppressed? In a country where a lot of people are kept in ignorance deliberately by the leadership, then there is a serious need for a change in direction.

The African culture has been change-resistant in some areas. Now we have to turn our focus to those areas and eradicate every area of our cultural thinking that impedes development. In Africa, it is part of our culture to feel a lack of control over the future because of our concept of predestination. We believe that whatever happens, whether good or bad; it is God’s will. I strongly believe that God has a wonderful plan for everyone.

So, when people believe that some have been predestined to be rich and some others poor, they do not try to exert any measure of control over their future. They do not want to plan because they believe there is no point in planning for a future that has already been decided. They feel, “If you are going to be rich, you are going to be rich anyway; and if you are going to be poor, you are going to be poor.” This is not true.

There is a sense in which we believe too, that the countries in the developed world are where they are because they have been predestined to be developed and our part of the world has been predestined to be ‘under-developed. There is a dire need to enlighten and educate our people the more. Information is potential power. It liberates. This issue of education cannot be over-emphasized.

We need to focus a great deal on our educational development. In the last JAMB University Matriculation Examination, over one million students sat for the examination and it is said that all the Universities in Nigeria can’t take more than 150,000 students. The question then is, “What happens to the remaining 850,000? Where should they go?”

They are a time bomb for this country if we don’t program them for success in adult life. We need to emphasize the pre-eminence of the education of our people and we need to modify the content of the curricula in our present academic system. The present form-work is too static for a nation like ours. It is not producing the kind of people we
need. Our school system needs to mold people with an entrepreneurial spirit; job creators and not job seekers.

We need to teach people time management and good maintenance culture. More importantly, we need to ensure that our women are educated because our previous generations found a very good opportunity to keep women in ignorance. It has been discovered that any nation that refuses to educate its women tends to be poor. It is a common characteristic of under-developed countries around the world.

They tend to subdue their women and not allow the full expression of their potentials. And it is common to all developed countries in the developed world that they allow their women to have equal access to education as their men. The starting point of change is you and I – change must begin with you and it must begin with me. Nobody will come to help us build our nation. Americans developed America.

Britons developed Britain, and Nigerians are the ones saddled with the responsibility to build Nigeria. Your success in life is up to you and God. Responsibility is the price for greatness. When you have done what you can do, God will do what you cannot do. Same for our country, change is not up to God alone. You and I must co-operate with
God to build the country of our dreams. I believe it is high time we stood up for what is right and beneficial to our well-being as a nation.

Wherever you are – in your office, school, and home – stand up for what is right. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach t any people.” (Proverbs 14:34). We have failed long enough; it’s time for us to succeed. You may be tagged a rebel initially, but somewhere along the line, I believe that those of us who have decided to stand up for what is right would be able to influence the larger society to join us in this crusade.
Think Nigeria. Dream Nigeria. Believe in Nigeria.

Nigeria will Succeed!