IS NIGERIA REALLY READY FOR CHANGE?

The thought of my heart as I left home around 6am this morning to go to work. I drove on a very slippery snow, windy storm that is more than close to zero visibility to work. As I was driving, these songs just busted out from my mouth “ajo o le dabi ile………etc” meaning “a foreign land cannot be compared to my fatherland”. As I drove through this zero visibility weather, I saw policemen & women and fire trucks with very bright light and ambulances. The police woman asked me “sir, are you okay? Do you really need to drive today?” I answered “yes mam, I need to be physically present on the unit before 7:30am because I will need to relieve my colleagues to go home and rest after 12 hours shift”” She went into her cruiser and led me with siren until I get to the front of the hospital. I got out of my car and said “thank you mam for today” she replied “Ok sir, quickly go up and save lives, have a nice day sir” What is change? In my definition, change means a complete turnaround from the old ways. For example if you are going north, change demand from you to turn towards South and forcefully walk on that path without turning back. As a citizen of one of the greatest nation in West Africa, until we get to the point in our personal and official lives of performing our duties with integrity, selflessly, honor and pride, we cannot talk about change or change is far from reach. We must also be able to demand from our leaders and politicians the appropriate duties required of them, even if it will take our last breath. Think about many policemen and women that still demanded for egunje (Bribe) after showing them your driver license and car documents. Think of how many teachers and lecturers that have collected money from their students to pass exams. Some even called some WAEC, NECO or GCE centres “special centres” where all the invigilators and examiners are been paid to allow students to cheat or even help them to get the cheating materials. Think of how many times you’ve connected NEPA wires to get electricity when you have not pay your electric bills. Think of many times you’ve been paid salaries when you are not working at all. Think of many contracts that have been awarded to companies or individuals and NOTHING was done of those projects, but just to bribe people that signed the contract or enforcement officials and judges to keep quiet about the contracts. Hmmmmhh….. Are we really ready for change or we are just in the normal gyration that happen every four years? I read some Nigeria newspapers online and I asked myself “As a Nigerian, are we really gathering together for wisdom and real change or we are gathering together to create another FOOLISH four years? Why will Nigeria be constantly fooled into believing or voting political parties that never provide any tangible solutions to her problems into power? You’ve seen joblessness, irregular electricity and Water, no employment for youths, Very bad roads, constantly importing foods from overseas, broken political, social, security, education and law enforcement infrastructures under PDP and APC leadership. You may check all the track record of your APC and PDP governors, APC and PDP Senators and REPS and PDP presidents. What solution have they provided, enforced and duly perform for you? And yet you still believe they have something good for you? Is it because they picked someone from your religion to be their running mate or they knelt down before your priest for prayers before the election? Do not be fooled! We have Captain of millions, thousands, hundred and tens, no one can perform any duty that is not empowered to do. Preparation begin from the closet of every individual. Most of the people we have been voting for or that you are planning to vote for are not capable of ruling their spirit and soul talk less of ruling a country (The presidential candidates and not the vice presidential candidate). I thought about this deeply and concluded that “We are not ready for change, especially with this presidential election coming up on Feb. 14th”. How would you tell anyone you(Nigeria) are ready, when your road is nothing but 99.99% of pot holes. How would you tell anyone you(Nigeria) are ready, when many graduates of Polytechnic and Universities graduated without any hope of securing a job that will pay their bills, let aloneof living a middle class life. How would you tell anyone you(Nigeria) are ready, when at least three of your states are under state of emergency with Boko Haram militants’ claiming your boarders and more than 219 young girls are missing without any hope of knowing there where about. Until now you(Nigeria) are still struggling to have a stable electricity that will serve as a positive force to job creation. Instead you(Nigeria) favor importing all manners of generators and filled your air with noise and smoke. All these things would have caused the collapse of many local governments and states in any civil society without any blood shed or riot but JUST by A PEACEFUL PROTEST that was thought by Mohandas Ghandi. How many of you(Nigeria) have a voter card and how many of you are physically going to vote? Even if you vote, is it going to be counted as it’s suppose to be? We all behave as if we have only two political parties in Nigeria i.e PDP and APC. Someone in the newspaper was saying “I will rather vote for the best devil out of the devils contesting” Why do you have to vote for any devil at all when we have too much at stake. When we have real issues on ground to solve. WHY? Can’t you wake up from your sleep? Can’t you realize now that we need a leader/presidential candidate that come from ordinary Nigerians and not from any of your corrupt political parties; A candidate that is supported by ordinary Nigerian and not your Obas’, Obis’ Emirs’, Priests’ and Imams’; A candidate that is financed by ordinary Nigerian and not by nations, companies, former leaders and politicians that stole and still stealing resources from our fatherland. A candidate that will be driven to all corners of Nigeria for campaign by ordinary Nigerians and not thieves that will spend billions of dollars on campaign. Change will not just listen to a politician to say that “We will fix electricity” but will ask the question “How?” and will then vote for candidate that constructively and brilliantly explain how he/she will fix the electricity with a measurable agenda. This is what “CHANGE” will do; It will start from the grass-root. It will check all the political parties manifesto and what they’ve done and capable of doing. It will fully support the candidate that answer all her questions about security, employment, basic amenities, roads, and education. Change candidate must attend presidential debate in 6 key states of the federation from North, South, East and West. Change will never vote for a party because of who they pick as their vice presidential candidate, religion, culture and beliefs, but will vote for the main “MAN/WOMAN who is the presidential candidate due to his/her capacity and political manifesto. Change candidate must travel all around Nigeria and discuss how to solve Nigerian issues and not just driving around the country without telling us how to solve our problems. Change will get a voter card and vote for the best candidate. Change candidate will not use his money but will be supported by donations from everybody even from those that beg for alms on the street. Change will put her/his life on the line to defend her/his vote and count even after the election. This is when you will smell the aroma of “CHANGE” all around the nation, and our friends and foes alike throughout the world will smell it. That indeed, Nigeria is ready for change. Arise O Compatriots to Save Nigeria. Real Change 2019………………………and……………………………….beyond……………. Written by Olufemi A. Ijiwoye Jan 15, 2015