It’s 3:30am, I’m getting used to these late night escapades. But tell me, when but now are things quiet enough for one to be truely inspired to write? I don’t know if night is the correct time, I can only say that I feel truely at peace at these times, and feel free to write from my heart.
Yesterday Night around 10pm, some friends and I went to have a meeting with one of the aspirants for the presidential position in Nigeria for 2007 – Professor Pat Utomi!
He is a man I have come to respect and believe in. Like most of us, I started from the cynical position of, is Nigeria ready for a leader like this? In the past 3 months, my answer to this question has migrated from a sure no, to a compelling yes!
I don’t know about you, but I believe that we have grown over time as a country. The current president and crop of leaders have done some good things. The case of Nigeria is like a man that falls down from a tall building, the first thing you want to do is not suture is head wounds. The first thing you want to do is check his pulse, verify if he is alive or try to resussicate him before anything else. The pulse of a nation is it’s economic indices, the voice of it’s people and it’s general response to the world. We have not witnessed monumental change, but our pulse has to a good extent been restored! To this I say a good kudo’s to President Obasanjo.
Haven developed a pulse however, the calibre of aid needed to get the person up and running again becomes different. That is the stage we are in as a country now! We are in a time when we need competent, committed, charismatic and compassionate leaders! We need leaders that are real and can steer Nigeria into the enviable future that we all desire. Leaders that when we mention their names, people care less about where they come from. Leaders that have the common man in mind, leaders that are accessible. Servant Leaders!
The only thing that good people need to do for evil to prevail is keep quiet! That is why the first lie you and I will battle with is one that makes us believe that votes do not count in this country! Who says? Who forms the rules? If we say votes don’t count and we refuse to vote, does your prophecy not become self fulfilling? Let the picture of the future that we see, propel us to make decisions that we can beat our chest about in the future!
In the words of Prof Pat last night (paraphrased) -”I must encourage you, a lot of senior citizens in this nation usually say, “they are young people what can they do?” These were the same people who the governance of this country was handed over to when they were in their early twenties. Then they were not as prepared as you are today, but they had the privilege of being in charge of things in this nation. I encourage you to go on!
20yrs from now, Nigeria will be a living wonder, a choice place for the world to visit, Nigerians will be treated like kings in other nations. Nations will queue for hours to get our visas! That future will come, what part will you have played to make it real?
“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group. There is much less competition.”- Indira Gandhi
Well, i lend credence to your believe in this country, but regardless of the aspirant’s background, who we really need in Nigeria is a nationalistic and people oriented leader,and i hope professor Pat Utomi is epitomizes these.
Thank God for the person of Prof. Utomi for taking up this challenge……….
Please tell him he can count on my support!
I personally believe that people like this coming out, and taking the challenge to stand up for this role is a good sign for Nigeria. I don’t believe in flattery, but I believe he is very people oriented and stands for the nation not any tribe.
When have you ever wondered where Dora Akuyuli came from? She by far is an icon of leadership, vision and moral strength. We all appreciate her, her work, and the fact she’s made it into Times list of important people worldwide. Do we care where she is from? No! Why? Because when there are clear things on offer, the origin is Nigeria.
Gone are the days, when we look for the best amongst 10 wrongs, now we have a real chance. And we must try, even if that is all we can control.
Yes, i BELIEVE it is NOT difficult to Live a good Life ; it is NOT difficult to see a NEW Nigeria. Guess what ??? She’ s already beginning to EVOLVE !!!
I am very happy that a lot people are now speaking up and that’s what we need. For too long, they have made people believe that politics is dirty so that the good people will not meddle.
I believe in the emergence of a new Nigeria, a Nigeria that will flow with milk and honey.
Nigeria is really at the verge of a new dawn, and we need to come together to make this dream a realisation, as they say little drops of water makes the ocean.
i think ure right, but the truth remains that with the level of poverty and illiteracy in Nigeria it might be difficult for him to win. the average poor and sometimes illiterate Nigerian does not understand most of this grammr we are speaking all theywant is food on their table and in reality this group form the majority of peopl that vote. i must confess that Prof Pat has good ideas and policies that can help this nation but the way he is going about politics will not get him there.Politics in Nigeria starts at the Grassroot level not from the Elites. there are so many more things i cld share here but i would stop at this for now.if u want to hear more u can contact me through the above e-mail add.
cheeers
ifunaya
sir the leaders that Nigeria nedd are not just talkers but men and women of strong determination to making things work. those who knows what it means to be a leader. God has anwered our prayers already but we need to act to make it work.
i say a very loud amen to the last paragraph and we shall all live to see that year. we need leaders like the president Nigeria never had- Cheif Obafemi Awolowo