It is quite well known that our individual actions represent the summation of what our society. We dream big and want the best but do things that run contrary to our national desires. In essence, we are the are the architects of our misfortune. We want our institutions, systems, processes and procedures to work magic like what it is in America, Europe and other organised places in the world. Yet we persist in doing the wrong things and hold on to wrong beliefs, thoughts and norms. It is not that we cannot differentiate between right and wrong, but our innate being simply refuses to accept the right way because we are possibly gaining from the wrong way. It is not that foreign countries do not have their challenges, they do, but the difference is in their modus operandi. In terms of organization, conduct, responsibility, institutions, politics, government and governance, citizen relationship and vice-versa, foreign countries are far better.

Consider this: Angela Dorothea Merkel served as German Chancellor from 2005-2021 and left office with a standing ovation, while Diezani Allison-Madueke who served Nigeria as petroleum minister is battling to save her head and avoid going to jail over allegations of financial recklessness too numerous to mention. Both are women but from different countries; the difference between them is their mindset. One displayed progressive approach to national issues, while the other exhibited primitive acquisition mentality. Given this background, we still want an overnight transformation of our country to be like the enviable foreign countries that have organized systems and institutions.

Laughable as our wishes are, the people who want Nigeria to be like foreign countries include politicians that arms thugs to kill their opponents, disorganize peaceful elections and force a candidate on the masses. Same crop of politicians would enrich themselves with funds meant for the community and developmental projects. Is it the same politicians who hoarded food aid during the COVID-19 lockdown when other foreign countries were dropping foodstuff at the doorsteps of their citizens, that want our country to be like the organised foreign nations? Is it the same ruling class that would not do at least the needful in terms of education, health care, pipe-borne water, electricity, good road network, but rather jet out of the country to get the best of education and medical care with their families?  Do we talk of the National Assembly that would deliberately spend over N1b to amend the constitution they know can’t be amended, yet they want Nigeria to be like America where almost all the systems and institutions work perfectly with due process?

Nigerian youths have thrown caution to the winds, find it so difficult to read, refuse to learn tangible trades but are also clamouring for a better country. Is that not ridiculous? They would rather sleep and wake up from various screens, engage in cybercrime, ritual killing and every other illegality just to make money, yet they want a better country to live in. What has been their contribution to salvage the decaying system and make it a country of their dream?

Again, do we talk about the educational system, especially the universities where courses like Medicine and Surgery, Law and Engineering have become a special place for a certain class of students and their parents? A story was told of the pressure which a certain principled Nigerian university vice chancellor faced some time ago, to admit several unusual candidates to study Medicine and Surgery in the school. “Lists of students were coming from Government House, traditional rulers, accomplished men and women in the state, all wanted their wards to study medicine. It was a big problem for the vice chancellor to handle. It got so bad that the vice chancellor failed his own daughter just to sanitize the system. When such daunting letters or phone calls get to him, he would be glad to announce that his own daughter failed and would re-write the exam next year, so tell your ward to go get ready for next year. And this became the saving grace. If the daughter of a VC could not be admitted into the university by his father, who else would he admit? Is it the same educational system where sex-for-marks thrives that would be like foreign universities? Yet, we all yearn for better days ahead.

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A country where stealing a cup of garri would attract heavy jail terms, while stealing public funds would fetch chieftaincy titles and honorary doctorate degree. Even from religious organisations and communities! A country where the judicial system, the hope of the common man has been almost destroyed by judges who gladly accept bribes, leaving the masses in a hopeless situation, is desirous of a better place or are we just dreaming as a country? A country where judges and lawyers have lowered the standard of the rule of law and make way for criminals to escape; do unimaginable things to bend the law, and we agitate for a better country. Civil servants have been allegedly accused of being the chief culprits of corruption and poor conduct to workforce, yet they wish their country to be like that of Europeans. Let them compare their work ethics with those of the foreign lands and measure the difference themselves.

Hilariously, we want our country to be like this and that; coming from same citizens who shun queues and disobey traffic lights. Meanwhile, when they travel abroad, they respect the rules of the land, go about their businesses without long convoy and noisy siren, purchase economy class tickets to travel and show the best of conducts and responsibilities one can ever exhibit because of the fear of the law which are strictly enforced.

Nigerian parents who would not allow their status-conscious children take up holiday or weekend jobs to support themselves while studying abroad are also complaining of bad leadership and yean for a better place. UK- born, whites, English undergraduates all take up holiday jobs to provide a little support for themselves. Same people who are demanding for change would not allow their children travel in economy class, rather they fly business and first class even as students. I watched Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Atlantic Airlines) on the Biography Channel, and he said his children travel in economy class, even as himself and wife travel business class. British Prime Minister including the royals have no exclusive aircraft for their use. They all fly British Airways including the Queen of England. Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William drives a Volkswagen golf or something close to that, but jobless Nigerian children, whose fathers are the movers and shakers drive the best armoured SUVs, and still want the country to move forward and be like others. How many Nigerian parents believe in Nigeria’s educational system and healthcare system? They have all lost hope and not ready to rectify it, therefore we all add and beef up the better situation of the foreign countries. In fact, when some of my friend’s children who came back for the yuletide described themselves as “Americans born by Nigerian parents” I felt the punch of their word quite deeply.

Do parents who pay for special examination malpractices for their children also want Nigeria to become a better place? Let them start the change by changing their mindsets first.

Now, teachers who put in their best in organizing private lessons and pay less attention to normal classes, same teachers who eat students’ meals, steal uncooked foodstuff and watch the students go hungry, abusive teachers who utter out all manner of curses on students they are supposed to guide and train; same teachers who manipulate students’ scores, are they also believing the country to move forward?  Then again, you have teachers who are partners in crime, who falsify documents, to accommodate wrongs and eat from the evil seed.  What about medical doctors who refer and divert rich patients to their private clinics to make more money and more mistakes which lead to some avoidable deaths? Nurses who exchange babies in the labour room, caterers who are filled with lies, disappointments, shortcomings and unprofessionalism; are they also questing for a better place in the country? Most caterers would never live up to expectation, always wanting to gain heaven and earth at the detriment of the client. Traders who would hoard goods, and inflict injuries by sky-rocketing the prices of goods and services to punish the public. Artisans who collect money and disappear into the thin air, cleaners who do their work haphazardly, bosses who favour some staff above others, religious heads who commit heinous crimes, yet all of us at various levels want a societal change, good governance, respect for humanity and peaceful co-existence, but not ready to drop certain personal behaviour and show of gross irresponsibility. The ball is in our court, he that has ear, let him hear.