CHANGING THE GAME PLAN: THE NIGERIA OF OUR DREAM (SPECIAL INDEPENDENCE EDITION) by Obele Gospel
Happy
Independence Nigeria! I begin this week by telling us a story.
On
a certain day, a friend and I visited a teaching hospital. As we approached the
maternity ward, we met a young woman, whom the nurse told us could not be
discharged due to inability to pay her hospital bill. As if that was not enough,
we saw her new born baby, lying on an
old carton on the ground with the woman’s wrapper spread beside the baby
serving as her “mattress.” Looking at this experience and thinking through,
tears filled my eyes, as only the creator knows who that baby is destined to
be. By privilege, we had to do the little we could to help the situation
Further findings have revealed that:
·
About 2500 children under age
5 in Africa die on a daily basis due to malaria
·
By estimates, 250 deaths out
of 1000 birth are recorded due to poor maternal health.
·
Over 70% of Nigerians live
below the poverty line.
·
Economic growth in Nigeria
has not translated to improved standard of living but rather increasing costs of
living, unstable macroeconomic environment, unfavorable discretionary policies,
bad political and socio-economic structures, poor educational system, business
failures, unemployment and youth restiveness, etc has been the order of the
day. Obviously, what we see and experience are not consistent with the core
values of development (sustenance, self esteem and freedom from servitude) and the
objectives of development (to increase the ability and widen the distribution
of basic life sustaining goods, to raise standard of living and to expand the
range of economic and social choices).
The big question is where and how do we
change the game plan?.
“What lies behind us and what lies
ahead of us are little matters compared with what lies within us”
Oliver
Wendell Holmes.
“The eyes that look
are many, but the eyes that see are few”
The spot for change lies in our hearts, and this can only
be possible when we begin to see (with the eyes of our heart) and create the Nigeria of our dream.
“The creation of a
new Nigeria must begin with a New vision”
Sam
Adeyemi
The
moment we begin to see and hold consistently, the new Nigeria dream in our
hearts, it would
·
become the basis for which internal motivation comes for personal and national transformation.
·
become the basis for
socio-economic, and political decisions making process.
·
aid clear individual and National direction.
·
It would aid cultural
revolution .
“Every generation has
problems and challenges, which makes that generation specially assigned to
solve its problems. Refusal to solve or being ignorant about these problems
would rob generations to come, the privilege they should enjoy”.
Obele Gospel Jesuite.
The challenges inherent in our societies are
opportunities for us to innovate and
make our marks in history. Think about it!
I encourage you to please find your place in
the nation. You were designed to solve a problem. You have abilities that you
have not discovered and you can do more than you think. It’s our season of change. Change agents are
known for;
v Having
a good sense of purpose
v Deploying
their talents
v A
genuine passion for change.
v They
are full of insight
v Being
Good communicators
v Success
Let’s come together and work towards a new Nigeria,
where
v The
core value and objectives of development would be natural to our system.
v The
average citizen would not have to worry about what to eat even if he or she is
temporarily out of work.
v Where
there will be quality of health care, sound education system, uninterrupted
power supply.
v Strong
and lasting political and socio-economic structure etc.
Lastly, I urge us to please visit for more on the Nigeria
dream. Together, we will succeed!
Obele Gospel Jesuite
CRO-Project Change
Initiative
A 21st Century
Leadership
Organizational and
economic development strategist
For comment, please
visit Obele Jesuite on Facebook or @Obeleobele on twitter and contact how at Gospel_obele@yahoo.com,
on 08130070991.
Happy independence
and have a great week ahead!
