Not The Easiest of Times, But There’s Hope
By Tade Oshaloto
The heights that many of us as citizens thought we had reached, the readjustments of this period came rudely to tell us we were wrong. It came to tell us the hard truths about ourselves and our true economic statuses.
It came to school us about what we truly can afford. It thoroughly exposed the fact that it had been a borrowed life for many a citizen all along.
Worse still, we carried on with no sense of patriotism. No national pride. Only sheer shakara olóòjé. And the voodoo got us to hate the future that has now come.
We are not in the easiest of times. For me, eating agbado without the promised ẹwà hasn’t been easy. But rather than curs the nation or those holding the levers of power, I have resolved to not only pray, but give my best possible to the development and growth of a country that had pampered us even against reason. (I know many adults don’t even know this. But they are all in the books. Time to read).
I am fully persuaded that this wàhálà will soon pass. A new nation will emerge. The commitments of some state governors are looking impressive. Thankfully younger citizens are taking note and are responding in kind.
And by the way I must give credits to some of my friends who have returned to the soil. They have conquered beans, cassava and what have you. They make farming really sexy.
They add color of the future we anticipate. I daresay with guys like these, never will the hunger of this year return to our country. Never again.
And this isn’t some wishful thinking. There are promising optics. Whereas in the past, governance at the subnationals, according to critics, became a drama, and the third tier a spectacular farce, every honest analyst today agrees that governance has returned.
I know significant population is now so drained of the strength and sincerity required for introspection and quality personal assessment. But we just must muster the strength to look up and stay awake for opportunities. Let us look at the proverbial serpent on the stake.
This is precisely why the president must diligently work on the policy communication infrastructure of his government. He must stimulate faith and interest. And he must be fast about it.
Failure to ramp up quality citizen engagements will rub him of citizens’ cooperation and support required for the much anticipated transformation that he promised.
Generally, the ball is in the court of Nigerians. But the rackets? Your guess is as wild as mine.
Oshaloto J. Tade anipr is an intending farmer.
October 31, 2024
