I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful, loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength
To defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory
So help me God.
Read that again, and think about it this time.
Today is October 1, and “Live the Dream” was the seminar topic I was given to talk about today in the “dirty green white green” seminar. Today however took off on a fantastic note for me, as my wife and I were blessed with a bouncing baby boy – October 1, 2007 11:14am a bundle of joy was born. Trust me, I am really happy.
Someone once told me that there is thin line between hallucinating and being visionary. That he feels that some of the pronouncements he hears about the future of Nigeria, sounds like hallucinations to him. Is it really possible to have the Nigeria of our dreams, and indeed live our own dreams? Is it attainable or is it a pie in the sky? Will the current challenges facing us as a country ever become a thing of the past?
I don’t believe that the future of Nigeria exists separately from the collective future of it’s people. The future of Nigeria is the future of it’s people. The reputation of Nigeria is the reputation of it’s people. Let’s stop looking far away at political leadership as the reason for our predicament and the lame excuse for our failures. Let’s stop pointing fingers at the leadership of the nation, and ask ourselves introspective questions about our own personal leadership. Let’s stop wondering what our country can do for us, and start ruminating about what we can do for our country.
A man that is in honor and knows not is like a perishing beast. To think that we are young is to reduce our lives to that of a common cow. We are not young, we are in the prime of our days, we are in our youth, we have strength, energy, passion, drive and a will to steer our nation into the land of possibilities, a city of hope and a country of dreams. We can pick up ourselves from where we are, and chart a future to the lives of our dreams. Poverty has robbed us of longterm thinking, the average Nigerian wants it fast and now, let’s take it back! Hunger has robbed us of our seeds, rather than cultivate for a future harvest, we are in for a quick meal. With so much intelligence, we manufacture nothing! Like Esau the hunter deals with Jacob the shepherd, we ship our our natural resources in their crude form to other nations, only to buy back the finished product at exorbitant prices.
My concern for Nigeria as a nation is useless, without my care about you. What do you want to do with your life? What will the world say about Nigeria when they relate with you? Will they say we are honest? Faithful? Loyal? Or will they say we are thieves, lacking in honor and glory? What image of Nigeria are you transmitting?
There is nothing physical about our current disability as a nation. It has nothing to do with what we have or don’t have. It’s in our mind! What we need in Nigeria is a revolution, not a blood flowing one, but a mind renewing revolution. Our lack is not for not for lack of power, it is of shortage of dreams, and I hear that when men run short of dreams, mankind runs short of history. Let’s not get to our death beds in old age crying, not because of the future, but because of what we could have done in our pasts, that lies there forever undone. Let’s dare to collectively live the lives of our dreams and do all to push our part of the entity called Nigeria.
Not many people believe in the concept of the New Nigeria, some think it’s a mirage, some thinks it’s possible. I think it’s actually in order to start an opinion poll here, and to eventually create a network that would not be for debate, but action.
First of all, Congratulations to you and your wife on the blessing of a baby boy to your family….He will be a Star n Joy to his generation…a double portion of the grace on his father shall be on his life…Welcome to night vigils
as I am having a fill of mine as well.
Meanwhile on today’s post above, its a wonderful charge to the readership community of this website….the question(s) we all need to sincerely ponder on and answer are:
i)Are we ready as individuals to be faithful, honest, committed and loyal to this course – New Nigeria Project?
ii)Are we ready to be good examples of faithful, honest, committed and loyal citizens of Nigeria wherever we find ourselves on the global?
iii)Are we ready as a people to take our place in the driving seat of birthing a New Nigeria?
Sincere answers after a serious mind revolution will go a long to build the New Nigeria Club Facilitators.
Nobody, no nation, tribe or kindred can do it for us – The summation of the matter is summarized in the 10-word phrase quoted below;
If it is to be it is up to us
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Congratulations on the addition to the Deolu Akinyemi clan.May the Lord keep both child and mother in good health.When is Idawo?
Talking about leadership and followership which you alluded to reasonably in this writeup,much as It is correct at a point in someones life to say “dont ask what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country” that person needs to be nurtured up to the point of independence,maturity for him to be able to do for his country.
Put in perspective,Pa Akinyemi nurtured you,Deolu,put you in school up to University level to study Electronics.Simply put Grandpa had done his responsibility,you will know all the details.He got you up to a point you took your well informed decisions ,one of course which is your decision to change course,embrace HR,be what I may call a life coach.This website with its followership says it all.
You have a big responsibility towards your family especially the new baby!-NURTURE,MENTORING,PROTECTION,PROVISION,EDUCATION,FOOD,etc.
Nigeria was a child,It needed all the above at birth,what did it get?If you say it was well nurtured,then I will ask why is this child NIGERIA not like other children jn his class like Korea,Sigapore,Brazil and even China that is coming up and growing up fast?
Without good Leadership there is no good nurturing.Without good Parentage you end up with a spoilt child,a child that cannot wash its own pants,that cannot refine its crude oil to produce petrol,that has become the largest importer of generator sand diesel to power them,a child that cannot produce its lamps and stoves and the needed kerosene to keep the lamp burning, need I go on? Of a father who eats the pot dry leaving his children with bones,children that cannot farm the land?
See what Mugabe is doing in ZIMBABWE?,somebody of course jokingly said it is because Zimbabwe starts with the last letter -Z.
GOOD LEADERSHIP IS KEY TO GOOD FOLLOWERSHIP JUST AS GOD FATHERHOOD IS ESSENTIAL TO THE BOYCHILD BECOMING AN ADULT WELL DONE!
What a wonderful independent day celebration to Adeolu Family! Congrats Deolu for such a wonderful gift to you, your family, clan, nation and the globe at large. I have no fear of what the child is going to be because I might not know his future, but I know who holds his future which at least is evidence in your own life. May God make the child what he has been created to be. Sound health and long life to him and the mother!
It’s quite a pity that we were not opportuned to participate fully in the celebration of Nigerian 47th indy day due to lack of electricity supply for almost the whole day. Congrats power holders and keep holding the power! Nigeria shall be better!
As the regards this inspiring writeup Deolu, I wish to thank you for its content and motive which I believe the aim is to inculcate positive represention of our great country in every Nigerian, particularly to those that have access to the info. I believe another purpose is to awaken the giant inside every one of us towards the building of a new Nigeria of our dream.
I will assert that I strongly believe in the subject of a new nigeria. But The QS I have continued to ask myself is this; Can there be a new nigeria when those that are still controlling the affairs of the nation are still thesame breeds of people who are more concern in their personal interest rather than the interest of the nation and her citizenry?
Can there be a new nigeria when lawlessness still thrive among her leadership and her leads? Permit me to quickly say that Nigerians are not as bad as they are being painted by outsiders. Rather, Nigerians are very smart, creative innovative and proactive people when it comes to achieving things in life. I think one of the major problems that is militating against this our dream of a new nigeria is the issue of lawlessness. This is because evil is not punnished without partiality the way it’s being done in the developed nations where a leader will voluntarily resigned his office when misused the people’s mandate, just for the sake of the nation and her citizenry. I think if this issue should be tackled very well starting from the leadership, corporate bodies, businesses to ordinary man in the street, without prejudice then our dream of a new nigeria will be closer to reality than ever.
Well done Deolu and every member of this community! Together we can make the change!!!
Congratulations to you and your wife as you await the peaceful arrival of the youngman. That he timed his arrival to coincide with independent of our great country; it shows that the young man has a mission to accomplish on this planet.
Happy Independent day, The birth of the baby boy gave me something to ponder about as timing gladdens my heart.When I woke up on the morning of October 1st 2007, I never felt whether I should be happy or sad. Our country is 47years old. A reminiscient of the day we are free from foreign control, things has not changed, my expectation about the Nigeria of my dream has dimmed. I no longer know whether we are free indeed with the rate my generation are trooping out to queue at the embassies of the people we accused of unjustly ruling us and taking or should I say stealing our resources more than 123 years ago.
My sisters and brothers, Are we free? Why is that we have not been able to build a modern railway since the exit of the british, we still repair and manage the old one they left for us in the 1960s. Our entire railway system supposed to be in a museum yet we are making use of it inspite of lots of money being allocated to the transport sector.
Why is it that we have not been able to build a modern refineries and seaports. We got 80 dollars per barrel of crudeoil on daily basis. Our leaders are happy thay they are making good money, What if we have taking the time to refine the oil, we could have sold a barrel of refined petroleum for 800 dollars, that means Nigeria is losing 1000 percent profits per barrel on each barrel of crude we sold to our foreign partners. Not that we aren’t intelligent to build efficient transport systems and good hospitals, or good schools. We are not truly serious about what we professed about being patriotic. At least we replicated modernity by building the modern churches and mosques that are reputed to be the best in the xtian and Moslem world. What always surprised me is our inability to replicate this strength outside religious sphere. Inspite of the fact that Nigeria has the highest number of converts who daily gives their lives to God yearly. That’s why I laughed this morning when our Honourable Speaker Pat Etteh said we should be dedicated and have the fear of God.
Thank you Deolu for giving us the opportunity to share our thoughts with you.
CONGRATS, deolu wat time cud be better for this to happen,and let me tell u D this is a sign of the rebirth of a new nation,this is to show u that your Vasion and ideas has a bearing and will surly come out well……congrats once again.
i pick this points out from ur write up pple plz reflect on them and see the that the means things we have to wrk on is ourself to a large extent.
“My concern for Nigeria as a nation is useless, without my care about you. What do you want to do with your life? What will the world say about Nigeria when they relate with you? Will they say we are honest? Faithful? Loyal? Or will they say we are thieves, lacking in honor and glory? What image of Nigeria are you transmitting? There is nothing physical about our current disability as a nation. It has nothing to do with what we have or don’t have. It’s in our mind! What we need in Nigeria is a revolution, not a blood flowing one, but a mind renewing revolution.”
there is nothing physical about our current postion, it all has to do wit our own mind,the way we see things has to change we need to create and develop the minds of our citizens towards a positive direction b4 any change can happen and i belive and see this happening soon.
Congrats once again
Congrats Adeolu, may God bless this new star greatly and I strongly believe in the new Nigeria. Very soon Nigeria will be one of the most desired countries to visit and live.
Long live Nigeria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am happy and proud to be Nigerian
http://www.freelancez.blogspot.com
http://www.getawayclub.net/freelance
Deolu,
Congratulations to you and your wife on your bundle of joy. May the Almighty keep him and make him greater than you.
I am astrong believer in the project called Nigeria and I know Nigeria will be great again only by our collective efforts. We need to contribute our quota no matter how small starting with our individual life/lifestyle.
Long live the Fedral Republic of Nigeria.
Binah
What a wonderful independence celebration.congratulations.
In one of his books,maxwell was talking about one Israeli woman who was sating,all his country had was the spirit of the people,they dont have petrodollars.As long as the people are right,the nation will be right.
Congratulations to the whole family especially Ore who is now officially a big sister.
I believe in Nigeria and i believe God has preserved this nation for a purpose….i mean, despite all that we’ve been through ,we are still standing. However we should not take the Grace of God for granted.I honestly agree with you in saying that “There is nothing physical about our current disability as a nation. It has nothing to do with what we have or don’t have. It’s in our mind! What we need in Nigeria is a revolution, not a blood flowing one, but a mind renewing revolution.”
We must continue to talk and educate ourselves until our minds become renewed and a new pattern of thinking becomes engrafted in our minds; until a generation emerges that believes totally in the possibilities of a better, stronger and richer Nigeria, devoid of corruption and selfishness….It is possible!We can get there!But we need a change in our mindset.
Welldone Sir, for all the times you have had to talk to young and old people alike to educate them and reinform their thinking…We will see the Nigeria that we dream of.Yes we will!!
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AKINYEMIS! MAY YOUR “AKIN” NEVER SEIZE TO “YEMI” FROM GENERATION TO GENERATIONS AMEN. its wonderful to have a baby of Deolu sharing a date with Nigeria!!! that could actually be a sign that your passion for Naija has a divine backing and a practical role for you in the affairs of the nation in the nearest future!
By the way the local government election in Naija will be coming up anytime soon! are we all going to be onlookers/commentators again? that is actually where it is easiest so to say to start the NEW NIGERIA PROJECT! lets think of what we can do to kick start the project………… once again e ku afojuba omo tuntun o
B4 eevn reading your article, congratulations!You are the man!A boy on october first,the ultimate mascot to a new beginning for all who trully believe!
Hope mother and child are in good healthl.bet the little one has your hair!
Deolu,
Congratulations on the birth of your son. His birth on Nigeria’s Independene day anniversary will be a constant reminder to you never to give up on Nigeria.
Fiath, Loyalty, Honesty begin with ME. The practice of these principles will make the Leader that Nigeria seeks.
Congratulations Deolu!
I am really happy for your family ! It has been a great year for you and that is every reason for us to give glory to God .
On behalf of my family I say congrats once again .
Olusola Isiade
Congratulations!
This is the kind of action can relate to.
What bemused me though is; if over 4000 people have read this, how come less that 30 have voted. Am i missing something or is this to be an indication of our “Nigerianess”?
mee
Congrats on the arrival of your boy. May he grow in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and with man.
Congrat Man!
The gift of a boy from God on 1st of October is an indication that your good work in liberating the young ones in Nigeria is approved by the Almighty.
Good health and divine knowledge be bestowed on the boy.
All the best to you, the mother and The Boy.
Congrats once again.
Congratulation to the Great Clan of Akinyemi for the Great Addition God as brought into their Fold….Ore is now a big sis, and Deolu the New Father of the Nigeria… Eku owo lomi ooo!!
Finally Fashola will be visiting my area today, an automatic end to the daily sweeping of the roadsides, unnecessary filling of potholes with broken concretes and blocks etc…
Very soon the local government will start with their elections coming up very soon, are we going to continue to make comments, sit back and watch them do their thing again or are we going to kick-start the new Nigerian Project from here… As for me, i have decided on something which i believe God will help me cultivate…
“Once I think it, I Ink it, Then I Act on it, I Let go & Let God”
Congratulations.
For the records, am sure am one of the first people to see the cutest baby born 1st October.
Am so happy for you. May God grant you the needed wisdom to take care of His beautiful gift just delivered.
Congrats to D Independence Daddy!!!
Good news for the family, and my warm congratulations to the new mother too!!!
Need I add that we are all praying that the baby boy will have a future that will be forever better than that of our poor, beloved country.(Can i hear an AMEN???)
Your piece is inspiring as usual…But i still can’t help but despair for my Fatherland…. Maybe when we all start treating others as we would want to be treated, maybe things will change.
Congratulations Deolu, hope mother and son are well?
The New Nigeria Club is indeed necessary. I strongly believe that our generation can change the state of our nation. Indeed, we can change our world, but first, we have to change our orientation. We need to see the possibilities that abound for our dear nation. Individuals need to see better ways of: behaving, driving, treating the streets, treating people, serving the nation and so on. This, I believe can be achieved through the above club. We need to move from expectation to manifestation and like rightly said, from debating to taking action.
Long Live Nigeria.
Congrats Deolu on the addition to your family. Hope mother and baby are doing great. Cheers
@Deolu,
Congrats on the arrival of your baby.
The child shd be named Independence.
I trust God that mother & child are doing great.
Long live Nigeria.
One Love
THE BABY COMETH WELL.
CONGRATS BIG BROTHER.
WHEN THE WORLD SEARCHES 4 ROLE MODELS ,YOUR BABY WILL BE INCLUDED(U DEY THERE ALREADY).
NICE PIECE,NIGERIANS HAVE 2 TAKE RESPONSIBILITY 4 THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION.
THE HAVE TO HEAR IT.
CONGRATS AGAIN.
congratulations on the birth of your son. I think it is a reward from god having your son on october 1st. God has just confirmed you have a genuine concern for nigeria. I think you son’s name should be nigeria.
new nigeria club very interested.
Congrat to the whole family. Your son will move from glory to glory because the bible says, the path of the rightoues is as a shinning light that shines brighter and brighter.
Watch out for the impart of the 2Million free copies of Rhasody of Realities Christ Embassy distributed in the lives of the people of this great nation.
I’m very interested in the new Nigeria club.
@Deolu
congrats on the emergence of your baby.
It is surely a pointer to the birth of new hopes and dreams for our dear nation. I believe the new nigerian club is essential if we want this crusade that has started to have a greater and profound impact on Nigeria.
Congrats on the arrival of your ‘heir apparent’ Deolu. More than ever before I see the need for a new Nigeria. I am amazed at the opportunities (and respect) available to Chinese students in my business school mainly because of their country’s status as an emerging economy. I trully want some of the respect they get.
Chairman,
Congratulations!
We thank God for His blessings.
The arrival of your son confirmed that there is hope for this nation. we are having greater role models who will not experience poverty and hardship of this present moment.
I believe in new Nigeria more than 100% and we are on the way to our promise land.
regards to your lovely wife.
Eku owo lomi o. Ire na aba wa kale o
Topsy,
Thank God for safe birth, Dee & you, congrats.
Tope, can we have documentation for his SKS so we can put away all that will be given to him in a few days time? (between us o!)
Deolu, you know i cant wait to contribute my own bit….how are we starting?
Congratulations!
Congrats!!! Certainly a Future Naija President is born.
Naija would be great again
Amen & Amen
@All,
Thanks for rejoicing with me, mother and Child are in great health.
I’m also excited that more people profess the desire for a new Nigeria than those who think otherwise, or at least those that think otherwise are the minority here.
The necessary discussions are being birthed already, and the change in our nation is inevitable. I’ll say we keep talking until we set an appointed time to meet. And Watch this space for the emergence of the New Nigeria Club.
Thanks again all… tiyin naa a de oh, bayi bayi laa ma ri oh (yours will come, and we’ll see good days like this)
Pastor D,
Congratulations. I am happy for you. Regards to mother and child.
Chairman,
Congrats sir, on the birth of the boy – Akinwale (thats my own name for him) and the birth of the New Nigeria Club.
The whole world eagerly and earnestly await the manifestation of TNNC. We shall not let them down. Though our beginning be small, rough and tough, our mission shall be accomplished.
I say a warm welcome to Akinwale at this special time, a time that the new Nigeria is been born.
i believe in the New Nigeria. It is no more a dream. It is the reality!
Congratulations!
Regards,
Mathew
Congrats!
I guess ‘Junior’ will remind you of the new Nigeria!
For me, the generation that will set the individual mind right massively is the generation that will see the New Nigeria
The best way to predict the future is to invent it.
I pray that in not too long a time, Nigeria will publicly be enviable. Amen.
oga D,
You have demonstrated your commitment to the new Nigeria by adding a new member to the club:-) Congrats!. My love to mother and the kids (they are our letters written to the future, they’ll therefore be a joy to many generations..AMEN!)
Every change revolves around a rallying point. a place where dissatisfied voices come to reason together to fashion a way forward..from those gatherings, comes the rebirth of nations. we eagerly await a rallying point for reconstructing the new Nigeria./
Deolu, congrats on the birth of your son.
I’m convinced that there’s a significance with regards the day he was born, not just to you, but to everyone that shares your dream and passion for our country.
Up until now, this post has been read by 22,535. Imagine what impact this website has?!?!?!?!?!
OPINION POLL
==========
Judging by the percentage of votes (ratio), then I could be right to say the following:
- 18,976 people are in support of a New Nigeria;
- 2,372 would be interested if they had more details;
- 790 people are indifferent, and
- 395 think it’s a waste of time.
Notice how the numbers escalate? We can do this!!
I frankly believe in the New Nigeria concept because that’s the very first step to actualising that dream.
As the sayign goes “If you can’t FLY, then RUN; if you can’t RUN then WALK; if you can’t WALK then CRAWL; if you can’t CRAWL then ROLL, but by ALL MEANS, KEEP MOVING!!!!!
Let’s keep the New Nigeria dream alive and begin to act on it…..I’m sure you all remember the government propaganda advert while we were growing up “Education for All, by the year 2000″ and stuff like “Vision 2010″????
I believe if we’re going to make this happen, we need to start NOW!!!
God Bless Nigeria!!!!!!
Whao what a child!!! CONGRATULATIONS
Congrats again my brother. It can never get too much!
Hi Deolu and all members of this community.
May we at this time get to know some of the basic requirements, attributes and qualities that must be possessed by every nigerian that believe in the emergency of a new nigeria and sincerely want to contribute in making this dream a reality. I hope this will help us not to dream the dream to infinity, but live it. This is because, DREAM ARE GOOD, REALITIES ARE BETTER!
Let green white green keep flying high!
Hi Deolu and all members of this community.
May we at this time get to know some of the basic requirements, attributes and qualities that must be possessed by every nigerian that believe in the emergency of a new nigeria and sincerely want to contribute in making this dream a reality. I hope this will help us not to dream the dream to infinity, but live it. This is because, DREAMS ARE GOOD, REALITIES ARE BETTER! Lets make this dream a reality.
Deolu, what do we do and where do we start?
Congratulations Adeolu for the birth of your Son. Interestingly, your son was born on Nigeria’s Independence day, hmmmmm, God knows everything and why He allowed this to happen, i believe it is a further confirmation and affirmation that the idea of New Nigeria has a divine backing.
I also believe very strongly in the New Nigeria project and i believe we all in this blog community can start the ripples of long awaited renewed mind revolution.
The Bible says ‘if the foundation be destroyed what can the righteous do’ and my response always to this question is that ” the righteous needs a change of mind and heart and rebuild the right foundation again”
I believe we can build a New Nigeria in our own way, let’s start individually maintaining the virtues of National Anthem & Pledge, let’s orientate others around us to do the same, it’s all a question of time we will get there.
I agree perfectly with Deolu, the New Nigeria project starts with you and i, we can only have a better Nigeria when our individual lives are better, many people are perverse today because of economic difficulties i mean poverty gave birth to most of all. Let’s broadcast it all around that there are legitimate ways of making money instead of yahoo-yahoo, i believe there camp will reduce with time, as we have all mostly agreed a good starting point is the Publication of our Magazine, in it we will publicise different legitimate alternatives to yahoo-yahoo, forgery or 419 at least we can save the youths from indulging in it, then we will be able to break to cycle.
It’s time my people, let’s all arise and do our part, God will help us.
Deolu, congrats on the birth of your baby boy. My wife and I were blessed with a baby boy also on October 3.
@ All
I am sure that together, we all can build a GREATER NIGERIA. Let’s keep the fire burning.
Congrats Deolu !!! so Happy for you, now that you have a Nigerian Baby boy …. You are too much !!!
I choose to join the team that BELIEVES that Nigeria will get there.
We must be able to see the impossible !!!
We wiil NOT give up as we continue to BELIEVE God for our nation while we learn to be responsible for our actions… doing things right.
People are drinking from you. Pls, keep the water flowing….
Strength from above in Jesus name.
Cheers man !!!
Deolu Big congrat on the birth of your baby boy may the Lord keep him and make him a glorious child for your family and the world in general.
@ Richard congrat also and the Lord will make your child a blessing to this generation.
We should know that the national pledge we recite often is a convenant with this country which we all have to make good,we need to redeem,pay or play our own part of the pledge.
God bless this country ,God bless Nigeria.
Congrats Deolu on the birth of your baby and also on your ground breaking seminar in abraka. i am oghos friend ( pastor Niyi’s look alike). The students in DELSU are still talking about the seminar and their response shows they want more of you. thank you for coming. I believe in the NEW NIGERIAN CLUB and i am anxiously waiting for it to commence i would grab it with all my strength and make the best out of it. When is the club starting? Hope you have a fulfilling stay in Dubai and bing back great news. Bye.
Lets upgrade the GREEN WHITE GREEN via your club.
Wish to say that your words are inspiring and life giving,even to those that have ill view of it please keep the good work on.
Gbenguz…kudos. But pls not Nigeria is an orphan who has suffered great injuries from his great ‘uncles’-(falsehood, selfishness, …name it!), after the death of his ‘father’-(faithfulness). It’s now the responsibility of the boy to free himself from this harvoc!
we cant really escape talking about the problems of Nigeria and the way forward. when we continue to outline the solutions and nothings seems to be done, it gets really frustrating i must say. i still believe in the Nigerian dream and i think it is possible but just like you said in this post; it must begin with a change of mindset.Nigeria must succeed!