2022 is a year that is very important to us as a nation. For one, it is the prelude to 2023 – the year of decision. It is the year that will prepare us into the elections and who becomes President of the Federal Republic of NIgeria in the year 2023.
As the saying goes; “If you fail to prepare well, you already prepared for failure”. As a blessed nation and a people destined for greatness, we cannot afford the same errors and mistakes of the past. We must avoid the pitfalls of; rice, beans, money for votes and the usual propaganda of the power mongers.
Nigerians have been through traumatic experience in the past; hunger, job loss, 33.5% unemployment rate, kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, and the latest version is unknown gunmen. All as a result of poor leadership, squandering of riches and plundering of resources. We cannot afford to continue living in denials, the die is cast and genuine change is inevitable.
Nigeria, a country blessed with both human and material resources gradually but steadily, her currency, the naira continue to depreciate, disrespected and scorned. The naira has lost its real and potential value. Sad realities of our beloved country Nigeria
Growing up, young people aspired to be millionaires. The more ambitious ones dreamt of being multi millionaires. Today every young person wants to be a billionaire overnight. All at the expenses of building a decent society.
Interestingly, even in a country that struggles to pay #30,000.00 thirty thousand naira as minimum wage, many youths aim to lock down at least a billion naira in their accounts before attaining the age of 25-35.
The average comedian charges atleast a million naira for a table at their shows. Most of the entertainers and musicians charge between twenty to fifty million naira for a show .
Recently, Davido, my kid brother announced he made twelve billion in 2021. So did many others. Yet the present political gladiators proudly gave out ten thousand naira to traders saying it will help take them out of the unending circle of poverty afflicting majority of our citizens. Remember, a billion naira is less than two million dollars. So unfortunately, it was spearheaded by personality who is a respected academia and clergy.
To reiterate, 2022 is the prelude to who becomes President in 2023. Hence, every new day in the new year of the ‘3R’s’ is an opportunity to re-act, reactivate, redress, readjust, re-animate, re-arm, re-arrange, re-assemble, re-born, re-calculate, re-claim, re-collect, reconcile, reconfigure, reconstitute, reconstruct, recount, recover, recreate, redeem, redress, reform, re-insure, relax, relieve, remake, remove, reminisce and turn our lives around.
As a nation in dire need of total and complete overhaul, it is a good time for genuine change and honest appraisal. It is time for us to make the right choice on who will, can take us out of this mess? Nigeria needs a visionary leader and strategist, who is tested and fit for purpose.
Let me conclude the new year article, with a scripture in my mind; Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot”.
This is the time of sacrifice for us as a nation. Nigerians must brace up for the Challenges ahead. We can no longer entrust our collective destiny and resources in the hands of visionless leaders. Capital NO! No more wastage and plundering of resources.
ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS.
Happy New Year…….. good people and blessed nation Nigeria. The world is waiting for us.
Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.
