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A Light shows the
way and presents an opportunity for
knowing the true nature of things. AT
its highest level of illumination, a
light reveals the true nature of things
while simultaneously equipping the
illumined with the things experienced.
Such light makes for a unification of
efforts in the direction of the common
good. The common good can be described
as the harmonized desires of the people
amidst interrelated and interconnected
neighbours. The common good is the light
and for us in Nigeria, it must be
Nigerian light; the Nigerian Dream.
“Americans from
every background and every corner of our
country and every corner of our country
yearn for a politics that brings us
together instead of tears us apart. What
they want and what our nation needs is
not blind, uncritical agreements.
Americans don’t agree on every thing,
nor should we. But behind all the labels
and categories that define us, Americans
are a decent, generous and compassionate
people, united by common challenges and
common hopes. When that fundamental
goodness and patriotism is called upon,
our country responds” (President Barrack
Obama)
The flames of the
Nigerian light must be lit, if not
already, and must be kept burning.
Tending the Nigeria light is a
collective responsibilities, comprehend
individually but anchored at all levels,
individual, international and global.
Our country,
Nigeria, is a great one indeed thus
providing appropriate potential for
sustainable growth and development. It
is very safe to say that we have more
than fair share of available natural and
human resources on this earth plane. We
are blessed with substantial amount of
mineral resources, fertile lands, a good
blend of lands, water and air spaces,
largely friendly climatic conditions,
very minimal cases of natural disasters
and intelligent citizens, to mention a
few of these blessings. These present us
with enormous capacity or potential to
grow and develop. Going by these
resources, we should be one of the
greatest countries on mother earth. This
however, is not the case as all critical
indices of actual development are below
acceptable ranges.
We are apparently
struggling with how to increase the
basic necessities of life including
provision of infrastructural facilities,
power & electricity, qualitative
education, relative self sufficiency in
agricultural produce, security & peace
of mind of the people, adequate
employment opportunities, equal access
to opportunities, satisfactory level of
earning and incomes, amongst other. In
effect, we are a country with enormous
potential but less than proportionate
actual development.
The critical
question then becomes why there is
evident mismatch between our actual
development and what which our resources
base should ordinarily produce and what
we must do to transform this
unsatisfactory state of things?
Essentially, it
seems to me that the absence of a
development vision and agenda that
integrates the collectives need of
future and integrates the collectives
needs of future and current generation
is a major challenge to intelligently
tending the Nigeria Light.
There has to be a
common light before it can be tended
collectively.
It will therefore
be necessary for the Nigerian and the
Nigerian system to “wired and rewired”
inextricably for each and everyone to
play appropriate roles in tending the
Nigerian Light. This rewiring will build
the necessary capability for realizing
our potential. In this regard some
reason for where we are and possible
reorientations are highlighted and
recommended as follow:
· Absence of
stimulating and integrating & vision. A
national ideology and vision that are
unifying understood and respected by
all.
·
Destruction of the economy on the
platform of politics. From a nation that
is a policy with economy with political
dimensions.
· Lack of
leadership commitment to the generality
of the people. A nation of leadership
with respect for and commitment to
higher purpose and values of life and to
the common good
· Too much
of government of business to the
detriment of the business of government.
Form a nation focused on the government
of business to the one focused on the
business of government
· Corruption
which has blinded constructive judgement
leading to focus on source of temporary
power. Form institutionalized corruption
to one of a dismantled and disrespect
corruption
· Siphoning
stolen wealth out of the country thereby
depriving the general owners of the
funds, access to them in the normal
course of daily striving and living.
Penalties for both stealing and
siphoning stolen wealth taken out of the
country
· Poor
spirit and an enabling environment for
the flowering of focused sustainable
entrepreneurship. From a nation driven
by government to a nation driven and
sustained by the entrepreneurship of her
peoples
· General
lip service to the higher values of
life. A nation where integrity, support
for the collective good, the to attain
and not just achieving without
attacking take priority
· The abuse
of religion. A nation focused on
spirituality and not just. Spirituality
is the goal of humanity, religion is one
way to the goal
· A nation
in which the end justifies the means. A
nation where respect for the source of
wealth is superior to respect for
possession of wealth
· Rewarding
time rather than performance and
ability. A country of service,
performance and ability based rewards
· Person who
act assuming they are bigger than the
law. Form a country of scared cows to
that of no cows at all
· Elections
based on popularity, tribe, religion,
e.t.c. form a country of let the
popular rule to a country of let the
competent rule the needed transitions.
This way we shall be tending the Nigeria
light and reap benefits or
manifestations of our effort at various
levels as follows:
At the physical
level it will comprise light & power,
shelter, security, food, gainful
employment, satisfactory incomes, etc
At the Mental
Level, It will comprise good thoughts,
profound and integrated thinking the
making of decisions form the point of
view of their consequence for the common
good
At the Emotional
Level, it will consist of sharing the
feelings of our fellow human being no
matter their current condition and
location, and then making an emotional
commitment to improving the situation
At the process or
say the Psychic level, it will consist
of the network of competent and
efficient process for getting the good
thing done properly and for rejecting
the bad things, now and the very distant
future
At the spiritual
Level it will comprise nation driven by
an experiential understanding of God or
the supreme Intelligence.
We need to
transform our nation along the above
level and the responsibility for her
transformation ( creating & living the
Nigerian Light or Dream) requires the
involvement of all stakeholders, at all
levels and in all fields. This is a
challenge for all of us.
· “Mankind
must put an end to war or war will put
an end to mankind” (John F. Kenedy).
·
“Imagination is more important than
knowledge” (Albert Einstein)
· “Never
worry about the world ending today, if
it is already tomorrow in Australia”
(Steven Wright)
· “All great
truth begin as blasphemies” (George
Bernard Shaw)
· The only
place where success comes before work is
in the dictionary (Vidal Sassoon)
· “No truly
great man ever thought himself so” (
William Hazlitt)
· “We know
that American succeeds when the playing
field is level and open, and people
don’t fall behind. Our economy is as its
strongest when we reward work, not just
wealth, and when all Americans prosper
from growth” (President Barrack Obama)
Tend the Nigerian
Light. We must not fail ourselves and
our nation
May we have the
confidence, competence, courage,
creativity, competitiveness,
Comprehension and character t o tend the
Nigerian Light as empowered
Individuals!!!
Johnson Ikube,
Group Managing Director,
FNL PLC could be
reached on: johnsonikube@yahoo.com
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