Look, let me be upfront with y'all. I am a coward and I know it. I am a typical middle class Yoruba boy. Ajebutter is my middle name. So what is this all about?
I was just reading about the impeachment of yet another governor and something that one of my uncles said struck me. He said that I should not sit on the sidelines and complain about leadership and leaders in Naija (which I do often and vociferously. Will have to watch the old blood pressure when we move to Naija) if I was not prepared to join in the war.
This was based on my complaining about the lack of depth in most of the people we have "elected" into public office. I remember in the early days of our democracy reading about people that had actually forged school\college certificates. I am not saying that getting a degree from an Ivy league school (or any school for that matter) is the end all and be all, but to have no further education and then lie about it surely weakens the very moral fibre meant to hold up a leader (moral fibre? in naija? this bobo is really a dreamer).
Another point my uncle made is that we middle class Yorubas like to make a lot of noise about this injustice, that and the other but when it comes to it we never step up to the plate. How can you complain about these "area boy" governors when you are not prepared to make the necessary scarifices up to and including giving your life?". Life keh? No be me oh.
A typical person like me going to tell their family that I want to run for "office" will be met with "Olorun maje" (God forbid). Oh you should have been there when my uncle informed my grandparents he was planning to join the Police force some thirty years ago because he wanted to make a change and felt he had something to offer. They were like "egba mi oo". Hen, after all your education (university degree)? Oti o, etc etc. Time to call inthe alfas for some prayers because obviously he must be troubled.
In their minds this career path was not for someone of his ilk i.e. educated. Nevertheless he stuck to his guns (pardon the pun) and actually used his education and intelligence to rise through the ranks and ultimately did make a change. Since then other members of the family have also followed suit.
The point of all this is that I went out to dinner with Iyawo last night in our neck of the woods and she was saying how much she was going to miss our little burb, the whole vibe -peaceful, calm etc. It then occurred to me that in all developed democracies lots of people had made a lot of sacrifices, the benefits of which we are currenly enjoying. What would have happened for example if at the first sighting of the red Indians the British had turned back from America. "I say, I don't like the look of those people. Let's get back home to blighty and a cup of Earl Grey, shall we old boy?"
I think of all those who have died in order for the black person (or person of colour) to be able to walk the streets freely on the streets of the US - Martin Luther King, Malcolm X , JFK etc. Whilst the US \ UK is now viewed as a mecca (check out the queues at the embassies) what would have happened if both Martin, Malcolm et al had limited their visions to just their congregations and not used it for a wider purpose?
What about Dele Giwa, Ken Saro Wiwa, Fela? (just occurred to me that two of them are Yoruba so maybe I am being too hard on us). Are these the change engineers of our democracy. Do we recognise them as such? I give kudos to my Aunty, Mrs Jade Akande, for organising the Mother's march in Lagos demanding action when we had the plane crashes last year.
And then I wonder who of my generation is prepared to lay their lives down in Nigeria today so that future generations can benefit. I take a long hard look at myself in the mirror and wonder if I can make a change. What can I do? What can I change? What can I contribute to this young democracy to help it grow up healthy and strong? Am I prepared to make sacrifices - family, money, health and maybe even life so that my children enjoy a better Nigeria?.
I want to believe I can. And you?
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7 comments:
I would agree. We Naija’s are too prone to accepting the status quo. We say “it is fate” and “what will be will be”. I don’t agree with that pessimistic attitude, after all isn’t man supposed to be the architect of his own fate?
Take for example the current spate of impeachment of state governors, 5 at the last count. Now, I’m not condoning what these governors have done, if they have been guilty of corrupt practices then let them be dealt with according to the due processes of the constitution but when you have a situation, as in the impeachment of Dariye, the Plateau State governor where 6 legislators out of an assembly of 24 can get together and impeach the governor when the constitutions clearly states that you need a 2/3rd majority to do so then something doesn’t smell right.
And what do the people of the state or indeed the country do about it? Nothing…it is fate, what will be will be …..
I've long been convinced that in most cases, its the ajebutters of the world who drive change. Think of Marx, think of Bertie Russell, think of today's George Monbiot - silver spoons the lot. The working class revolutionary figure is overrated - its difficult to be revolutionary when you're hungry. But the energy of the masses should never be ignored. It takes some clever judo energy-shifting to tap into the frustrated energies of the many and shape into a laser beam of intent..
That said, one of the problems in Nigeria is social connectivity. There are not enough fora or public spaces for like-minds to congregate and freely-associate. One thing you can do immediately the suitcases are opened is to think about being part of setting up such fora. Lack of trust is the greatest enemy between people in Nigeria. Creating fora for common interests (business, leisure, local neighbourhood issues, environmental issues, helping local unemployed youth etc etc) is one valuable way for you to direct some excess energy.
I'm really looking forward to you being here and kicking some ass.
I'm so happy that I came across your blog. You articulate my very thoughts in everything that you have written so far - thanks, thanks and thanks again!
Being half Nigerian and born in Nigeria, my love for the country knows no bounds - sometimes, I know, to the amazement of some members of my family.
Anyway, there's no doubt that we still have a long way to go - change must happen before The New Dawn.
I too would like to believe that I can make the sacrifice for a better Nigeria.
April
Thanks for your kind comments. I feel like I have sickness. I just love the place so much. Having lived in the US and Uk for more than a quarter century you would think I would have outgrown it but there is just this passion I have for the place..
Don't be too hard on yourself; self preservation is the first rule in Naija, sacrificing one's self for a cause is what those people in the middle east do.
but seriously like folu said our people have been conditioned to accept the status quo, our traditions tend to play a strong part. The Yorubas for instance are very particular about respect, so i'm not 'allowed' to tell our so called "yoruba elders" that they are a bunch of idiots. Older people are not 'expected' to apologise if they are wrong and so on.
The traditional beliefs reinforce the whole status quo and people are not expected to challenge it. That’s why the government of the day always appeals to the traditional rulers whenever there is a crisis.
It seems with all the chatter in the blog world etc, the die has been cast; there's no putting the genie back in the bottle BUT who shall bell the cat? Interesting times lie ahead.
Well IMO by simply being there either you will change the system or the system will change you.
I keep saying that if enough people go back with the right mindset our presence alone will contribute towards changing the system, so this stands as a challenge to all of Diaspora, find a way to get back
As for dying for Nigeria, moving your family there is a risk in itself, many people prefer to leave their family abroad (especially when they have kids) while they take the 1st tentative steps, by going for the big bang me thinks you are laying it all on the line, so I can but conclude that you are a believer.
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