I was having a conversation with a friend some weeks ago concerning politics, well, usually I do not do politics but it has gotten to a point where almost every Nigerian youth has found a political aspirant whose ideology they align with and my friend kept on repeating how his candidate would bring about the change we need in Nigeria. I did not have an issue with it but what kept on ringing in my head was if any candidate truly has what it takes to change the affairs of the nation, and I would tell you why.
I reside in Maraba axis in Nasarawa state and one thing people in that area face daily is heavy traffic, it has been that way for years and I doubt it would change in the next two years except the government does something about it. What appalls me each day is the number of commuters that take the wrong way (the incoming lane), and they know that it is wrong, these same people blame the government for all of their woes but find it difficult to do the right thing except they are forced.
I remember when the army had to get involved in ensuring these cars turn back when they get to the Barracks bridge, commuters would lament that the soldiers are being wicked and that Nigeria is a democratic nation, but do they learn? No.
Sometimes we see uniformed citizens breaking the law they swore to uphold and then we claim that we want a change, is that not an irony?
Just some few weeks ago, a group of fraudsters “yahoo boys” and their girlfriends decided to do a protest against the EFCC asking them to leave them alone and go after the politicians embezzling funds, guess the alarming situation, some Nigerians agreed with them and blamed the present government for the lack of jobs to employ these youths.
I am not in any way saying the government is not partially at fault for the situation of things in the country, but that the government came from amongst the people and if we do not change our mindset as a people, how then do we expect to have a change in government. Imagine how the future would be, if a fraudster finds his/her way into the government but this is possibility in our future if we are not careful.
We cannot continue to fault the government for our present predicament while shying away from our responsibilities as a people, if we cannot chastise ourselves when we do wrong and allow the law run its course then we are not ready for the change we claim we so claim to desire. Remember that the President alone cannot change a nation; he needs everyone in every sector to work with him in changing things. If we do not work on ourselves as a people, we would only spending the next 8 years complaining about the same thing.
Think about it.
: Can We Put An End To Double Standards?
