At 53, what next for Nigeria?

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions in search of a better life. For us, they toiled, endured the hardship of life, and were brutally murdered in the 1966 coup. For us, they fought and died in the civil war and unrest. This is the journey this country continues today. We are a nation […]

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions in search of a better life. For us, they toiled, endured the hardship of life, and were brutally murdered in the 1966 coup. For us, they fought and died in the civil war and unrest. This is the journey this country continues today.
 We are a nation because we have chosen hope over fear, unity over discord. We are shaped by every language, culture, faith and every beauty of our diversities. As long as we allowed ourselves to be defined by our differences, we would empower those who sow hatred instead of peace, conflicts instead of prosperity; this circle of conflicts must stop. Future should not belong to those who destroy, but to those who create. Future should not belong to those who shut down our universities; but to those who insist that education remains the only viable currency of the 21st century. Our founding fathers were faced with grave peril that we can scarcely imagine; but they were able to reaffirm our common humanity, that noble idea, that all are equal; all deserve a chance to pursue their ambitions in life.
 Human endeavour is imperfect, history is often tragic but working through the past would make us see a better future; keeping in mind of what has been reaped would never serve us right. Our achievement depends largely on our ability to draw from the success of the past and efforts of each successful generation of our leaders. 2015 would be another turning-point in our history, the choice we make would determine whether the future would be shaped by fear or freedom, poverty or prosperity, conflicts or secure, lasting peace; this is the choice facing Nigeria today.
As general Buhari once said ‘’it is not about Buhari; it is about the future of this country’’ This country must be seen seriously grappling with the objectives of its founding fathers or regresses into anomic chiefdom of medieval tyranny. We have the capacity to build a nation we seek if only we have the courage to make a new beginning devoid of petty grievances and primordial sentiments. The interest we share as humans is far more powerful than the force that drives us apart.
To this end, we all must agree that Nigeria is not the crude stereotype where North and South divided but where they met; let it be told to our children that when we were tired we refused to let this journey end. To give up is to surrender this country to the forces of darkness, to give up is to allow Nigeria to implode with drastic consequences. To give up is to continue our speedy journey into the jungle of anomie and political anarchy. The anomie is already with us, and it may be followed by a swift descent into a complete ungovernability.

Modu Idris <[email protected]>;