NIGERIA – “THE HOUSE MUST NOT FALL”

As a Septuagenarian, I cannot help but show concern for the way our dear nation Nigeria is going.

In my first few years leaving in the country, Nigeria, I saw a great nation I was so proud of as my motherland. Before I graduated from the University of Lagos in 1972, just about finishing my final exams, and even before my results came out, I already have six job offers in which I was left with the one to choose from after graduation.

In Nigeria then, all the big companies and government institutions would have interviewed and offered jobs to qualified final year students from all the universities in Nigeria existing at that time. So out of the six companies that offer me a job, I chose to work for Total Oil Nigeria Limited as an account manager in training. All these occurs when I was only in my 20s and that was how my story started.

Presently, it’s sad and disheartened that graduates from the Universities and Polytechnics are roaming around the nook and crane unemployed. Even after working so hard in school to be a responsible career-oriented being in the country, still no jobs for them.

Just imagine the frustration and disappointment such Nigerians are facing after having high hopes and aspirations in their country.

This has brought about Insecurity, Kidnapping, Robbery, etc. looking for quick ways of making money all because of the poor governance in our country. At my young age, we had all the luxury of sleeping comfortably without any cause of panic, but not during this time again. Insurgencies and Insecurities have grown spontaneously in our nation that only a few can brag about sleeping comfortably in present Nigeria.

Of recent, it was published that the General Medical Council responsible for licensing and maintaining the official register of medical practitioners in the United Kingdom licensed at least 200 Nigerian doctors between April and May 2021 increasing the number of Nigerian doctors in the UK to over 8,000.

This is a disappointing development in the country but a good one for the Doctors. Because they tend to go to where they will be appreciated, work and get paid well, have good infrastructure and social amenities, and good insurance security, compare to our dear nation, Nigeria.

As a concerned citizen, I want to share the following as my humble contributions toward reducing the current state of insecurity and drawbacks in our nation.

1. The Federal and State Governments should please call for an immediate three-day prayer and fasting session for our nation so that the Great Architect of the Universe can take control. The way things have escalated in the recent past should be a pointer to us that man is no longer in control of the situation in Nigeria. The Owner and Creator of heaven and earth is the only one we can call upon for an escape route at a time like this. We require a spiritual solution to our challenges or else we might be heading towards a state of war and collapse of the nation (which is not the wish of Nigerians for our nation).
2. I want to appeal in the name of God and the interest of peace to all those who are busy propagating the disintegration of our nation to please look at how we can solve our problems as a nation instead of breaking away from a country that we have all built together. God has given us a good brand in Nigeria, the onus is on us to protect the brand and pray for the leadership that will get us to where we should be. In my humble opinion, disintegration is not the answer. Coming together to look for a solution that will make us a greater nation is the way to go.
3. It is now very urgent more than ever before for Mr. President to please convene an immediate meeting of the National Council of State where past leaders of this nation and other members can support him to offer solutions to the many problems confronting us.
4. The Federal and State leaders should please boost the morale of members of our security agencies because they have been losing a lot of lives in the recent past. There is a need to encourage them to fight and protect our motherland. If at all, we require support from other leading world nations in terms of security, it should be in an advisory capacity to train and re-orientate men and women of our security agencies. We need to also support them with adequate ammunition and resources to face our adversaries. Our forces in the past have always excelled in both local and international engagements, I do not buy into the idea that they are not capable to tackle our insecurity problems. There is a need for us to support, encourage, and provide them with the adequate tools needed to protect the nation.
5. My concern is that some people are probably benefiting from this insecurity of our land by diverting the resources required by our security agencies to face the enemy of the nation. Let me warn such people and all those who are stealing the resources of this country that if they escape the judgment of this world, they will not escape the judgment of the Great Architect of the Universe.
6. Nigerians should stop speaking evil about our country and show love in all ramifications to our motherland. There is a lot of strength in our tongues. We should not speak negatively about our nation because we are the ones that will feel the results in the long run. We cannot speak in negativity and expect positivity in return.

I am a strong believer in the NIGERIA PROJECT. God has endowed us with all that we need to be a first-class nation like the United State of America, the United Kingdom, etc., what we need is the leadership that will propel our growth and development. Nigeria is gifted with a lot of wonderful and highly cerebral and competent people and Mr. President should help us to the Promised Land because I know that he can do it.

I appeal to all our leaders to govern the country with LOVE, FAIRNESS, JUSTICE, FEAR OF GOD, and COMMITMENT to our nation.

THE HOUSE MUST NOT FALL.

HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY.

Asiwaju (Dr.) Michael Olawale-Cole, CON, MFR, FNIM, CNIM