Sometimes when I’m very ill, I have terrible dystopian dreams. I visualise war and intense violence. I have hallucinations. When I wake, I imagine I’m still in the world created by my dreams. Now that the episodes have occurred a few times, my rational mind recognises that world is not real. I know that once I go back to sleep and rise again, everything will be alright.
Nigeria is like my dreams. The only difference is things do not get better when I wake up.
When I was younger, during the harsh days of SAP and the uncertain days of military rule, I was shielded from the horrors because I had good parents. Parents create the world in which their children live. However, now that I’m an adult, this Nigerian world is all too real.
No one will change my world for me. I can only do so myself. Every day Nigeria remains the same, it is because I have failed to change it. I have failed. I am an adult. No one will change my world for me.
Many times, I hear that fixing Nigeria is about developing systems and institutions. I beg to differ. It is about people. Humans create systems. Evil people create oppressive systems. If you have a critical mass of good people who support one another, they will ingrain good systems.
I know too many good people. We must become political. Our ideas must become political. Our money must buy political seats at the table. Our networks must throw up political candidates. We are adults now. No one will fix Nigeria for us.
We are adults now. No one will fix Nigeria for us. Click To Tweet