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What If, What If Nigerians Were...?

By Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau Nigeria , March 7, 2007

Beware the fury of a patient man. ~ John Dryden

During the just concluded PDP Presidential campaign train in Jos, I took time to pick out what makes us who we are, why we tick and why we do not and, I noticed some very funny but really disturbing realities about us and it prompted me to inquire what if, what if Nigerians were different from what we are today, what if the what if about us?

Some persons have criticized me of repeating the same story over again, that may be true but certainly I have no apologies because the truth is that if we were what we ought to be then I probably would have resorted to doing something else. We refuse to listen, so I repeat the message, I change the tempo, I change the direction, I vary the stand but the message remains largely the same that we have a problem and we need to solve our problems.

With plenty solutions flying everywhere one cannot but wonder what is the problem, what then is the solution...what if...what if things were different?

At the PDP rally it occurred to me that it was the same crowd that was at the Atiku rally that was at the Buhari event and same that was at the Bafarawa occasion, if Kalu came the same crowd will gather. What if we as a people had principles, what if we had the believe that we could do anything we set our minds to do. What if as Nigerians we decided to fight corruption, all out, and set ourselves free.

What if Nigerians tasked their leaders, what is wrong with requesting accountability from our leaders? What if the other way round you and I found ourselves at the helm of affairs, what would we do different?

Cassandra in Greek legend, we recall, was condemned to know the future but to be disbelieved when she foretold it. Hence the agony of foreknowledge combined with the impotence to do anything about it. So the pain that we know our problems but seem condemned to an existence of being incapable of solving them.

What if we just pretend that we have no problem and go about becoming reformed people somehow and anyhow, from our family life to work to religion tribe and creed, letting a new Nigeria permeate through the very fabric of our national life? What would be wrong with that, is anything wrong with one being a Federal Permanent Secretary and retiring with just a house to his name as opposed to pay officers in the army that have several choice properties scattered everywhere?

But what if Nigeria tomorrow becomes home to a new breed of terrorist, men and infact women that would tie bombs around their waste and set it off in the Eagle Square because they believe in something...or probably because there is nothing to believe in. Allah forbid I hear someone say, however is it not because of our love for life, the fact that our leaders know that they will always get away with anything that make them continue to rape the system. And no one gives a 'what if' concern to actions taken, no one is interested in the kind of future that we build.

What if Obasanjo was corrupt, what could we do, what if Atiku is corrupt what has Obasanjo done to proof, do we need proof that both men are crooks? Does a blind man need to pick a stone and hit a target before we diagnosis his level of sight. What if Chris Uba, and Andy Uba were pastors, what if Ahmadu Ali was a University lecturer teaching political morals, what if Senator Mantu was made the Chairman of EFCC and Bode George made the charge de affair in ICPC?

What if Ribadu is corrupt, is it not possible that he could be, what if he is a pawn in Obasanjo's hands, and maybe he is not, how many chief of parastatals are not thieves, what of the "ifs" of existence in the Nigerian setting and life. If there was portable water, good road network, adequate supply network for food distribution, fantastic health delivery, would that have changed much?

I once told an Obasanjo apologist that the reason that a large number of Nigerians hate Mr. President is because we have figured out that maybe if we had known better, we could have salvaged the situation before now and now that we know we do not have a clear headed solution. Part of the problem is that a group of Nigerians high up there want the rest of us to believe that there is no problem or that we have talked so much about the problem to a point that it can be wished away.

We know so much about our problems; the dilemma of this nation that we are best described in the following terms...a nation of knowing fools, what if we realize that to know is not to be wise. Many men in Nigerian leadership today know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom and this is what our leadership lacks, and citizenry are no better in this regard. We seen established economist not being able to work out a functional poverty alleviation programme, from PAP, to NAPEP, down to Napoleon, none has achieved the desired result. With so called gurus in the energy sector what we get is baby crawling at ten years effect. In education it is no different, our professors can hardly profess anything tangible.

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit but we have no limits, every single hour we endure a life that is best described as foolish, no fuel, we keep quiet, no food and we keep a deceitful smile, our silence cannot be understood and there is a misunderstanding about the words we utter, we remain at war with ourselves.

And so I ask what if Nigerians became remorseful and started a reconstruction of a failed state. What if we refuse to allow them, rig the elections? What if we were the U.S, what if Nigeria was developed, what would be wrong if Obasanjo followed the constitution, what if our leaders were honest...what if characters like Adedibu and co. were locked up somewhere in Kirikiri, what if Generals were not dashed oil wells like they were Christmas hampers...what if Governors refused to steal, what if Niger Delta was a desert and no oil, what if fish was our major export, does it mean we will die of lack of protein?

What if there was no such thing as the EFCC list so we did watch the same thieves continue to rape our senses, a lot of these what if, leads to why and what, how and where, why can we not sit down and talk, what are really afraid of, how do we want Nigeria to work and where are really headed towards? There are questions begging for answers but we keep mute, there are questions already answered but we claim ignorance because we are largely a nation with a lost conscience, I pray that we get to a point of remorse, because we are all guilty.

Like you cannot stop the sea from returning to the shore, we have to answer the �ifs� of our national life, this essay is just a scratch, a feel of the real deal. All politicians are humble, and seldom let you forget it. They go around the country boasting about their humility. They are proud of their humility. Many are downright arrogant about their humility and insist that it qualifies them to be President. These are the words of Russell Baker and I end with them asking what if there are better people out there, what really qualifies a man or even a woman to rule Nigeria and produce results, what makes these men different from each other, what is different that they have said? The Almighty is all knowing and discerns both evil and good, may He help us help ourselves.

Yours In The Service Of Nation...For the Good Of All
And In High Regards...I Remain
Prince Charles Dickson
234-0803 331 1301, 234-0805 715 2301