My Letter to Nigerians By Idegu Ojonugwa Shadrach

 

With wholly of heart, it is a great thing to be among the livelihoods. Nigerians are best described as that despite many things is seriously running-through us without having mercy of time to stop. But, our core duty is to make contributions anywhere we find ourselves. To this regards, we are to ensure things get better to make living comfortable. The irregularitiesencompassed in this country have made citizens work differently to keep the nation out of the jumbles. I am so certain those contributions are working. I am therefore using this medium to call on others to make theirs.

I am actively involved in art of activism through my articles and books. Contents of my works major on all categories of activism and I take chief enchantment in the political spheres. These in all ways have inspired my articles published on some Nigeria’s foremost newspapers and international journals, to be highly political than most of my books. Discussing, analyzing and suggesting strategies to take a high lead in shaping and reshaping our governance towards the desire of all citizens are the major discourses and hypotheses on based context. And this is the surest reason; I am always enjoining Nigerians to make time for the contents. I have to make transferal to physically organized activism more to the writing in this time. I charge all to keep the light as well. This in great length would help our dear nation.

If we are so heedful under the present administration, it is pertinent to ask so many questions in all sectors of economy. The multifarious misappropriation of national funds, misinterpretation of democracy, mismanagement of international dialogue, illegal and nebulous dealings on the human rights activists, historical dictatorial rules and the host of similar natures, must attract open inquisitorial and countering, only if we don’t have him as a dictator (the president), as all indications and occasions have proven right. Should we continue to endure what we can’t understand, and it is taking much from us? That kind of ignorance does not have way in this generation where knowledge is available to people of all ages. In fact, how can we categorize such ignorance? This has to be taken seriously as it appears to be. My much concern take on an account that, in as much as he is better in his military blood in conveying things in this democratic era, why shouldn’t he, president MuhammaduBuhari, uses that on the insurgencies. Though, I become more fearful as his hometown is severally attacked severely by the terrorists; but that has reasons beyond the politics we have the knowledge in the nation. We no longer have jokes of failure in the administration as nothing is promising. Therefore, waiting to see better changes within the remaining months of his led-administration must be a thing of big joke.

In my knowledge, it is better we take the course of our governance a collective thing. We shouldn’t take criticism against Buhari led-administration final as I do know; his ignorance towards the submissions is the prime reason behind the decline of true nature of governance and democracy we think we have. To that, I think, better thing to take on is, the focus to produce better person through better ways and indeed, better platform. To do these well, youths must be distanced from the ill-hearted politicians, the uneducated citizens must be educated on the electoral features and processes, we must reject unadulterated gifts of all kinds and we must be intrepid to monitor our votes until it is declared rightly. These are major things to polish. How can this get cheaply achieved? Go inquire from the elites, especially those in political strategies for economic boast. To me, I would say, youths should refuse to be used as fighting-tools, ignorant citizens be enlighten on how to vote on their own and exemplary things to select and vote for good people, we must reject any monetary agent that can’t satisfy us for next four years at time of election and citizens establish platforms results can be screenshot and uploaded online from every units so that international communities can help us follow up. I think this can resuscitate a thing.

Another thing I am so worried about in this nation is the level of inhumanity incurred against one another for what can’t be successfully defined. What could I point here, the level of betrayal against one another, majority of the citizens only criticize and not to accompany corrections or suggestions to the criticisms, we tackle as many that correct, we mostly don’t accept corrections and mistakes rather an argument, we love talking on the past and in the process forget the future as the present is wasted on useless discussions, no one is better enough to be trusted in power as they may get corrupted by colleagues upon assuming offices and the host alike, are the major flaws the nation is currently made up. These are to be corrected to facilitate the progresses we ever aspire for.

Let me quickly use the case study of Lagos State, if you walk down streets of mainland and highland, you can see clearly the gap between the poor and rich. This will make you get the bridge of inequality in the nation. And the continuous enduranceto this is becoming communal treaty. My sole fear on this, if youths don’t wake up to defend the universal and legal rights of the citizens, our political leaders would continue to make oppression a normal and regular activity. Note, Lagos is used as it happened to be the largest city in the nation. I dare you try other states, you understand this more. Hausas are known as paramount political leaders in the nation and in their large numbers in positions; we see how Hausas are equally benefiting the heavy weight of poverty in the country. For that, I think everything about our governance is in booboo.

All these years of my experience in the nation, I haven’t seen politicians, terms with commoners. Is that not a true nature of dictatorship? Though, by words, we have democracy, whereas, dictatorship is in run-through. And I am very sure, youths, the founders of nation’s destinies, once their dreams are dictated, the nation’s blessings and glory walk closely into complete pandemonium. Youths before this generation, in this country, were not involved in politics or in making government policies to safeguard their beings. As many that we can recall their political involvement, military medium used, was of dictatorship. Democracy is what youths need to indulge on. to make this and to keep this, we have to oblige to one another. If by any means, we can’t find ourselves among these old and yet some ill-hearted politicians, with their continuous course of maltreatments, then, by all means, we continue to embrace advanced slavery in the mere hands of our own parents who needed to give us freedom freely and happily. 

Definitely, keying to how the above submissions could be seen and experience in our mist, is going to do us more favours to the previous. And with that, posterity shall do us well.

Idegu Ojonugwa Shadrach is a Nigerian Author and Activist.