The True Nigerian Spirit of Leadership and Beyond

When one gets to the position of authority where one has got to make things happen, positively impacting the lives of the individuals under ones responsibility, one shouldn't ignore a privilege of this magnitude, comprising standards and the norms of good behaviour and deeds but rather, one should be of positive impact to the people around one which will in its own way "big or small" have multiplier effects on people far away from one, beyond ones imagination and expectation.

This is what we "Nigerians" need as a Nation to take us to where we are meant to be; a Nation of positivity, good governance and the best of individuals with clean minds and deeds in all ramifications of our interaction with not just one another but the world over.

A friend of mine once posted on Facebook “the average Nigerian is a typical example of a Black Oliver twist. period” most definitely, I corroborated this statement because it is well practised at all levels in Nigeria; from the government to the common man on the street.

Going by the calibre of most of the leaders Nigeria has had overtime, if the producers of the Oliver Twist movie are thinking of the cast of a movie that entails the greediness of man, not necessarily another Oliver Twist movie I will suggest they get their cast from the National Assembly, the Presidency, State and Local Governments of in Nigeria because majority of these individuals have failed to live up to their responsibilities, exhibitting their corrupt talents in the most embarrassing ways ever imagined. Due to this, they will not need to rehearse their roles as they have got the talent to interpret their roles "in the earlier metioned movie" so perfectly, it is somewhat in born, if you know what I mean!

On the contrary, it is only when they “the Nigerian leadership” have the respect for the constitution and the electorates that they will not befit the roles in such a movie.

I pray it gets reversed in the next few years with the entirety of Nigerians realizing the reasons and need to be best at what we do in the best of positive ways, not being known for negativity at the highest level like what is prevalent in how Nigerians and Nigeria are perceived all over the world.

It is pertinent to note that irrespective of all these ills stated above, Nigerians positively make their marks, thanks to Nigerians abroad successfully impacting their chosen fields, careers and endeavours “positively and legitimately”, not portraying a single trace of the act I dub the "Ill Behavioural Nigerian Virus". The true Nigerian spirit is needed to turn the IBNV around and "deleting" it from our daily living, with all Nigerians at all levels and ages having the respect and trust everywhere he or she finds himself or herself.

Now, what is the TRUE Nigerian Spirit? In my words; the TRUE Nigerian Spirit is a character of tenacity, perseverance, GO and willingness to make an impact wherever they “Nigerians” find themselves no matter the situation, changing the situation from bad to good, imperfection to perfection or very near perfection, leaving the place or situation in a much better way than it was met, a way worthy of commendation, praise thereby positively leaving an unending mark in the lives they were initially responsible to impact on, thanks to the onus of responsibility expected of them.

But sadly, I wonder the kind of Nigerian Spirit our so called leaders have, a spirit that is an enemy to the earlier defined TRUE NIGERIAN SPIRIT. The Spirit exhibited by the lot of the Nigerian Leadership at all level of Government is an ill spirit that is like a virus, a virus sicker and more deadly than HIV; the IBNV as earlier noted, a virus that is moving down to the secondary and sadly, primary schools, faster than the speed of flash.

During my NYSC days, a woman once said to me that she called a number of kids to know what they wanted to be in the future and of all these kids, one stunned her. This was not because the child wanted to be a Doctor, Soldier, Engineer etc but because he wanted to be a Senator. Marveled by this, she went further and asked the lad why and he said because he anticipates eating Nigeria’s or should I say Nigerians' money. I was not moved by this story of hers because that was not the first time I was hearing such. What struck me this time was the fact that I had lost count on the number of times I had heard this and all being from very different sources and different times.

The IBNV portrayed by not just our leaders but the average Nigerian at the grass root is one that needs years of de-orientation, one that needs to be dealt with, close to possibly an utter level of deletion from the face of the earth, one that if not taken care of in the next ten years will hit the nation so hardly, like a tsunami. We in Nigeria are so blessed by God that we do not suffer from Natural Disasters, blessed with abundant resources by his grace but rather we seem to be ingrates, suffering from “Man made” disasters, disasters that portray the greediness, wickedness and backwardness in our thinking and morals; all not making sense, very senseless.

On the flip side of things, I believe it is high time the Nigerian leaders played their big role to complement the good deeds, actions and thinking of Nigerians at home and well represented Nigerians oversees who in their own little way help bring some level of positivity to how Nigeria and Nigerians are viewed at the international scene. The leadership of Nigeria at all levels, be it local, state and federal government has got to be positive and of the right mindset of fulfilling the manifestoes she promised the electorates while earnestly begging for votes prior to the elections at all levels. If the Nigerians are rightly led, then the TRUE NIGERIAN SPIRIT will be transcended at a geometric progression to the average Nigerian on the street , down to the kids in the primary school who one day anticipate being ill in their ways, thereby being a reason for such mindsets to be changed. The attainment of this will lead to a more progressive Nigeria, a country that will have an utterly new positive perception in the world, having the respect she truely deserves. A country where corruption, inter ethnic/ religious conflicts, incessant power failure, no respect for human rights and so many other very avoidable social ills "”with respect to how blessed she is" will be put to rest, thereby sending the IBVN to its grave.

If not, then sadly the IBVN will keep eating up the nation down to the newly born kids and with the look of things, unborn kids. That said, if the leadership is rotten, corrupt and very ill, then the followers will base her ill acts on the leadership, saying the rotten leadership is what has given birth to the ills of the followers, thus having a very good justifiable reason.

This is why Nigerians need a new Nigeria, a new Nigeria with actions and not mouth and powerless talks. Nigerians have got to see strength in the federal government’s talks on changing the perception of Nigerians and Nigeria at the international  scene. When this is attained then a Nigeria that will truly befit the permanent seat membership of the United Nations will be imminent and well achieved in no time.

Only when Nigeria gets things right, courtesy her leaders at all levels, starting from the presidency will she be fully inducted into the United Nations security council as a permanent member but if not, Nigeria is deceiving herself, working towards a dream that will never materialize.

Having said all these, the true measure of a man is what he does with the power in his hands. The misuse of power prevalent at all levels of government, most especially the Federal level is one that should be well checked to ensure the success of Nigeria.

Nigerians at all levels and facets of life have a big role to play at saving the future of Nigeria, at saving the lives of the unborn kids. It is high time Nigerians made things happen in Nigeria, bringing upon the country, a new approach to governance thereby positively impacting the world.

This is and can only be achieved through a proactively collective approach by all Nigerians. It begins withy with me and you.

Yes we can and we will by the grace of God. Amen!

God bless Nigeria, we Nigerians everywhere in the world and long live Nigeria, a country of great positivity by the grace of God. Amen!