With Ayo Sogunro
I’m quite serious about the intent stated in the title: Nigeria is out to kill you . The country is going to hell in a hand basket. This is not a drill. And we have arrived at this point simply because you don’t care. If you understand this statement, thenyou need not read any further.
Are you are still wondering how we got to this point?
There are many articles with superb analysis of the current crisis. These have listed all the factors responsible: from an incompetent president to malevolent and influential sponsors of terrorist activities. But the singular—if remote—cause of Nigeria’s current situation is this: we stopped caring about Nigeria. At a point, we gave up on our government and country and became irrationally selfish.
Look, the struggle for food is real. Surviving in Nigeria today has boiled down to the ability to fill your stomach—literally and metaphorically—and the stomachs of your family members, I get that. Nigeria has no plan to feed you and you have to sort yourself out.
The Nigerian nightmare has changed. Nigeria has evolved from “ not taking care of you ” into “ actively trying to kill you “. Human induced deaths are intensifying. And as far as a reasonable layman’s analysis can be relied on, things are going to get worse. Much worse. Also, Nigerian society in general has also experienced this minutely in the deaths caused by bad roads, fake drugs, faulty constructions, poor health service and other substandard government services. Experiences that propelled us to, individually, search for alternatives from private sources or migrate to the care of foreign governments.
But these deaths at the hand of poor services are insignificant compared to what is coming for us now. Corruption kills slowly, but bombs and guns don’t waste time. Things have escalated now, and both the government and the opposition have nothing to say. Nigeria is going to kill us all—and this is not a metaphor.
Unless you start caring.
You have to understand that the Nigerian struggle is no longer about feeding your family. It is now about keeping your family from being killed. Nigeria isn’t just a corrupt country anymore; it is now a dangerous country. And if you don’t change your thinking and actions along with this fact, you are going to die—or someone close to you will. If prayer is your thing, by all means, pray. You’re going to need that confidence builder. But don’t mistake the tranquilizer for the cure. Just as you install a car alarm and fasten the locks on your gate, you will also have to take some physical or mental action before you get killed by Nigeria.
Everything you’re doing right now only make makes sense because you expect to be alive in the next few minutes. But your safety is no longer a valid proposition.
Countries exist, principally to guarantee safety. But now, your country is out to kill you. Unless you start thinking seriously, and start caring deeply, about Nigeria’s fortunes now. Nigeria will kill you unless you start caring.
The same way you care about your education, the same way you care about your religion, the same way you care about your career, the way you care about your favourite sport or hobby. You have to reorient your priorities and place Nigeria at the top of your care list.
And if you still don’t understand this, then you are the problem with Nigeria. And you deserve to die by its hands. You are too involved in your private battles that you are no longer in touch with the big picture. You’re so caught up in your aspirations to become the main salary earner in your company that you forget there will be no company without a functional legal system. Well, boardroom battles, market strategies, classroom troubles, bedroom issues—these will all vanish when the proverbial shit finally hits the proverbial fan. And the said shit has piled up.
You have to start caring now. Caring isn’t just the 15 minute prayer topic in church. Society won’t transform itself magically. There is no “society” out there, waiting to do as you say. Society is the collective identity of individuals. And if the individuals don’t care, then society doesn’t care. And that society will be destroyed. If you cannot stop what you’re doing today—continue doing your thing, but unless you already have an exit plan for when things go to hell, then you might as well go to an undertaker and book your coffin today.
Because: everything in Nigeria is going to kill you.
I’m quite serious about the intent stated in the title: Nigeria is out to kill you . The country is going to hell in a hand basket. This is not a drill. And we have arrived at this point simply because you don’t care. If you understand this statement, thenyou need not read any further.
Are you are still wondering how we got to this point?
There are many articles with superb analysis of the current crisis. These have listed all the factors responsible: from an incompetent president to malevolent and influential sponsors of terrorist activities. But the singular—if remote—cause of Nigeria’s current situation is this: we stopped caring about Nigeria. At a point, we gave up on our government and country and became irrationally selfish.
Look, the struggle for food is real. Surviving in Nigeria today has boiled down to the ability to fill your stomach—literally and metaphorically—and the stomachs of your family members, I get that. Nigeria has no plan to feed you and you have to sort yourself out.
The Nigerian nightmare has changed. Nigeria has evolved from “ not taking care of you ” into “ actively trying to kill you “. Human induced deaths are intensifying. And as far as a reasonable layman’s analysis can be relied on, things are going to get worse. Much worse. Also, Nigerian society in general has also experienced this minutely in the deaths caused by bad roads, fake drugs, faulty constructions, poor health service and other substandard government services. Experiences that propelled us to, individually, search for alternatives from private sources or migrate to the care of foreign governments.
But these deaths at the hand of poor services are insignificant compared to what is coming for us now. Corruption kills slowly, but bombs and guns don’t waste time. Things have escalated now, and both the government and the opposition have nothing to say. Nigeria is going to kill us all—and this is not a metaphor.
Unless you start caring.
You have to understand that the Nigerian struggle is no longer about feeding your family. It is now about keeping your family from being killed. Nigeria isn’t just a corrupt country anymore; it is now a dangerous country. And if you don’t change your thinking and actions along with this fact, you are going to die—or someone close to you will. If prayer is your thing, by all means, pray. You’re going to need that confidence builder. But don’t mistake the tranquilizer for the cure. Just as you install a car alarm and fasten the locks on your gate, you will also have to take some physical or mental action before you get killed by Nigeria.
Everything you’re doing right now only make makes sense because you expect to be alive in the next few minutes. But your safety is no longer a valid proposition.
Countries exist, principally to guarantee safety. But now, your country is out to kill you. Unless you start thinking seriously, and start caring deeply, about Nigeria’s fortunes now. Nigeria will kill you unless you start caring.
The same way you care about your education, the same way you care about your religion, the same way you care about your career, the way you care about your favourite sport or hobby. You have to reorient your priorities and place Nigeria at the top of your care list.
And if you still don’t understand this, then you are the problem with Nigeria. And you deserve to die by its hands. You are too involved in your private battles that you are no longer in touch with the big picture. You’re so caught up in your aspirations to become the main salary earner in your company that you forget there will be no company without a functional legal system. Well, boardroom battles, market strategies, classroom troubles, bedroom issues—these will all vanish when the proverbial shit finally hits the proverbial fan. And the said shit has piled up.
You have to start caring now. Caring isn’t just the 15 minute prayer topic in church. Society won’t transform itself magically. There is no “society” out there, waiting to do as you say. Society is the collective identity of individuals. And if the individuals don’t care, then society doesn’t care. And that society will be destroyed. If you cannot stop what you’re doing today—continue doing your thing, but unless you already have an exit plan for when things go to hell, then you might as well go to an undertaker and book your coffin today.
Because: everything in Nigeria is going to kill you.
Nigeria is designed to kill you.
Reviewed by Caleb Bresh
on
April 17, 2017
Rating:
Reviewed by Caleb Bresh
on
April 17, 2017
Rating:
