BE INSPIRED

We cannot wait for government to do it all.

                                             Kofi Annan.

This saying couldn’t be more truer (permit me for lack of a better word). A lot of us blame government for every mishap in the society. We ask that they do it all because it’s what they were placed there for. That is true quite alright but to get ahead, we have to engage another truth. One of the things that have gotten first world developed countries like America to where they are today is citizenship participation in running the country’s affairs. A lot of them give back to the community when they attain a level wherein they can.

Many of their institutions are thriving from contributions made by private individuals. Many of their celebrities sponsor children hospitals, orphanage homes, cancer institutions, HIV institutions e.t.c. even ‘ordinary’ citizens do take time and give back to their community without always waiting on government. I read about a lady sometime ago from the United States. Her community or what we know as village was in a bad shape. Roads were bad, the water source had problems, and the only school in the community was not well equipped and needed major improvements. They kept on calling for help from the capital but none was coming. The lady took action. She gathered some people in the community and they opened a small stall along a strategic road of the community asking people for donations that would be used in satisfying their needs. The response was awesome and the school, water system and road construction began. This drew the attention of the same government that ignored the community and they took over the construction.

I don’t know if this can ever happen in Nigeria, if it does, people will either not respond and call the initiator ‘too rich’ or ‘overdo’ or if people respond, the person would now escape with the money making the people never to raise money if ever asked. We need to change our mindset in Nigeria.

The next time you watch a foreign film, at the end of the film, check for the list of sponsors and you’ll be greeted by a long list. Why won’t such film captivate you and keep you wanting for more? Why won’t it and waves and bring in so much earning unlike a film in Nigeria by only one sponsor.

If we want things to be better, we all have to get involved. We have to give back to the community. If half of Nigerians give back to the community, we as a country would go far. You earn enough to train a whole village but you only have two children you train, look around you, whether in church or surroundings, there are those you can help out and train too. You have much to eat? Share with your neighbour that is waiting for government salary because when he decides to steal out of lack, you would be the first point of call. So let us not have beautiful dreams of being musicians, comedians, doctors, lawyers, Engineers, make-up artists, dreams of being great and excelling in life without a plan to give back to the community. For e.g. you school at a place that its libraries are barely equipped, few classes with spoilt seats, no or poorly quipped laboratories. You complain throughout your stay. Then you happen to excel and do well and when you return to your school, probably to see someone now schooling there, you hear the same age old complains you made which thousands before you have made, you hear that strikes have been embarked on and nothing happened. Instead of finding a way to help out of the abundance of wealth you have amassed, you join and complain about government. 

Government cannot train all the orphans alone.

Government cannot eradicate all the poverty alone.

Government cannot improve all the health sectors alone.

Government cannot equip and bring to standards all our schools alone.

Government cannot provide security alone.

Government cannot do it all alone. Some people earn more than the president.
In a family, the parents are the government but they don't go at it alone, it's the children that perform the house chores and i cannot even begin to emphasize how important it is for house chores to be carried out.
In a church, the pastors are the government but they never rule alone, members are always involved.
Why then should it be different with state governance?

Let’s change our mindset and work together to better our country.

Love

         Kambi.

photo credit: www.stimson.org

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