Source: http://www.chidioparareports..com

The Secretary Of State of the United States Of America(USA), Mrs.
Hillary Clinton recently visited Nigeria for the first time in the
capacity of a high rank cabinet member of the Barack Obama
administration. The visit was the last stage of her seven-nation-tour of Africa.

During the visit, Mrs. Clinton had meetings with governmental and non
governmental groups. Notable among the non governmental groups the USA
top official had meeting with was a coalition of civil society groups,
whom Mrs. Clinton exchanged ideas with in a townhall meeting.

Highlight of the townhall meeting was an address by the Secretary Of
State in which she amongst other pronouncements, noted that it is up
to Nigerians to effect the necessary legitimate changes in the
governance of their country. She however added that the Obama
administration would be ready to work with the civil society community
in this regard. chidi opara reports agrees with Madam Secretary of
State in this regard.

This statement coming from a high rank cabinet member of a very
important nation like the USA would ordinarily serve as motivation to
any civil society community anywhere, serious about effecting
legitimate changes in the country where it operates.

Unfortunately, the civil society community in Nigeria, we dare say is
unserious, unorganized, unimaginative and lazy. We make this
pronouncement, bearing in mind the laudable roles a few selfless and
committed activists, some living and others dead, played in the
onerous task of reforming the Nigerian space. chidi opara reports
salutes them.

This in our opinion is the time for the civil society community in
Nigeria to seize this window of opportunity offered by the current
mood in Washington to get serious in the areas of imaginative
strategizing, grassroots based organization and vibrant peaceful
demonstrations in all parts of Nigerian against objectionable policies
of government when the need arise. The era of waiting for other
nations to effect the required legitimate changes in Nigeria should be
over. Enough of that townhall meeting with Mrs. Clinton and other
officials of other countries.