The debate about the future of our dear country is at its peak right now. I made an independent survey to get opinions of twenty young people selected randomly between 18 to 30 years age bracket about what they foresee as the future of Nigeria. The result was pitiably astonishing. Whooping 14 of the 20 youths don’t believe this country has a future they can premise their own tomorrow upon; 4 of them were sceptically neutral while only 2 have strong arguments to project a brighter future for the country believed to be the most advantaged nation in the entire African continent.
As the debate goes on, I deliberately played down issues around the problems inhibiting Nigeria from achieving its full potentials to focus on solutions to our problems. “We need to change the way we think” is oft repeated more commonly than ever before. Who really need to change their thinking patterns? A school of thought believes leadership is the problem of our nation while the other believes that the negative impacts of poor leadership have eaten deep into the fabrics of an average citizen. They argue further that a good citizen will sure make a good leader when given opportunity to serve.
When I moved motion in the 7th Assembly for mandating the teaching of indigenous language in all primary and secondary schools in the state, my state of mind was deplorable given the rate at which we voluntarily jettison our language, obviously one of our greatest values as a people, for what is alien and foreign. It is confusing to know who is actually a bush man between one who uses fork to eat ‘amala’ at the local restaurant and the one that ate with his hands. When we began to label as error, primitive, unhelpful, local and secondary the use of our own indigenous language (the vernacular), then I knew we had approached moral turbulence and deliberate castration of our value system. Even an adult now ‘sags’ with pride; young girls walk almost naked with growing effrontery. Whither the hope of a people!
In the good olden days, the entire community is responsible for preventing a child from entering moral decadence. My own mother beat me to stupor for picking money on the road as a young pupil in the elementary school, in spite of my unbridled honesty to have told her the source of the money. It could be worse if my perceived indiscipline for reckless ‘road side pick’ was discovered before I could tell.
Following knowledge like a sinking star, we now prefer foreign clothing to local fabrics – the more reason our local currency will continue to humble against other foreign currencies.
The western way is good, but the local opens door for identity and originality. Hip-hop music only got better when domesticated by our talented youngsters.
Everyone needs identity, and a clear identity for that matter. You will never mistake a Chinese for an American. A little borrowed culture for the sake of globalisation and interdependence is not a bad idea, but killing indigenous values is as good as encouraging neo-colonialism. The people walk into slavery voluntarily by packing off their known ways of life for foreign habits they do not really understand.
We made our own language a prohibited means of communication in the place of learning. Embracing more foreign clothing than the local is perceived to be status definition in our eyes. Even, ‘foreignisation’ now affects our economy as local currency continues to suffer for indiscriminate patronage of foreign currencies.
All the countries that ever attain greatness in any ramification did so believing in their identity and sticking to it. Good examples of countries hitherto referred to as third world countries but who have moved up the ladder of highly industrialised nations are Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and more. Who is in doubt? We can make Aba our Alabama; our Oyingbo in Lagos can become an Oregon; the Totoro in Abeokuta can be developed to a Toronto. But our identity and intellectual freedom must be upheld first!
Renewing orientation about who we are can solve our entire problems; stealing was never part of us; and if we don’t steal, we won’t be talking about corruption. It is the character of a man that must first corrupt before his pocket does. We were never in the habit of celebrating criminals and men of the underworld until we have lost our values completely.
Who says we cannot do it again? We want to see a green-white- green that we will be proud of again. Everything about us used to be our pride; from good food to descent clothing; to our beautiful currency and hospitality; our hair do and lots more. If the labours of our strength will not be in vain, we need to go back to the basics.
In my opinion, our movie industry, the Nollywood, which is the 4thbiggest in the world and has potential of raking-in huge forex to support the nation’s revenue, has significant roles to play by projecting good all that is local. Our women are more beautiful in their traditional clothing and beautifully plated hairs. We can save the huge sum spent on buying artificial hair from Brazil for a whole lot of other important things. Let us take charge our destiny by shaping our attitudes for good.
We want to see a country stronger than its challenges; for a new brand Nigeria is possible. Personal and collective successes are only possible by making right and positive attitudes the bedrock of our vision. Begging, whether direct or corporate was a shameful act that consumes one’s pride like fire eats up a dry wood; when has begging become a thing of pride? How did we get here?
Like countries that have redefined their identities and used same as catalyst for moving up the ladder of great nations in the world, we can brace up and catch up with greatness. The implication of waiting further is a continent or a nation that struggles with the reality of its future. Our nation has produced heroes around the world; we can be proud of what is ours and challenge the world. Tomorrow, we can bequeath a nation that our children will be proud to call home, not a nation with unbearable deficit of values and loss of vision.
Olulade is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Epe Constituency II
