#mythoughtsmynation
#3. ON THE COMPETITION BETWEEN NIGERIA AND NigeriANTS.

Today, it's a competition between my nation,Nigeria, and 'Nigeriants'-in political and sporting terms.

Politically, Nigeria is in for another test of her fate in the on-going Anambra gubernatorial polls. Nigeria goes into this test with expectations of a free and fair election. She wants an exercise that will ensure that the wish of the majority of qualified voters is respected, as evident in the emergence of a winner freely chosen, irrespective of the party from which he comes. Nigeria wants an exercise that will set a noble standard of democratic progress for 2015, the year of the general elections. She really wants it!

However, there are 'Nigeriants' who do not want this. They would rather prefer a continuation of a sleaze-ridden electoral system that ensures that they continue to eat away at the corporate destiny of Nigeria. They would go to any length to achieve this ignoble end. Like the Ant wouldn't pray for the showers of the rain, Nigeriants don't want to witness the soothing era of quality, integrity and performance-devoid of tribalism and ethnicity- that the showers of a sound electoral system would usher in. Lest they be washed away, really, they do not desire it!

On the field of play today, at exactly 4pm, Nigeria will again confront the 'Wayla ANTelopes'of Ethiopia. Much against their 'initial gra-gra', the beaks of Nigeria's Super Eagles fed on their hopes of reaching Brazil, while their fans helplessly watched. The 'Wayla ANTelopes' have sworn to stop Nigeria's flight to Brazil next year; and now they come to Nigeria's home ground of Calabar. In a matter of 90 minutes, Nigeria's sporting fate will once again be decided by the activities of 24 men chasing after a round object.*smiles*

Indeed, today is an important day for Nigeria! She's going into a competition she desires and deserves to win. But there are 'Nigeriants she has to contend with.

I wish Nigeria a succesful outing today. I pray you find it easy to trounce the 'Nigeriants' who compete with you,much to the delight of all who truly love you.

Really, you deserve it!

#2. ON THE NATION's ETHNIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC
COMPOSITION(II).
It was as though they read the PART I of this commentary before going on to the pitch of play on 29th October to play Iraq. The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria visibly demonstrated to us, as Nigerians, and to the whole world the immense potentials for excellence and superior performance inherent in our ethnic and demographic make-up.

While on the pitch, they were Nigeria in motion. There was no ethnic identity and representation. As spectators back home, none of us supported our different ethnic groups on the day. We all rooted for NIGERIA!

Anyone who saw those lads and concluded that they were all that there is about Nigeria will be ABSOLUTELY WRONG! This is because they were sourced from a large pool of abundant talents that abound in the impressive number of individually brilliant and resilient people that constitute Nigeria . For every Ihenacho on the pitch,hundreds abound on the streets of our cities, only waiting for an opportunity provided by conscious breeding, to shine forth!

I think, re-emphasisingly, that our ethnic diversity;and our large and growing population are blessings. We only need strategic and cutting-edge human resource mangers/ leaders who will mobilise, deploy, and approporiate them for the individual and corporate good of all.

It took the direct efforts of an Okon, an Awoniyi, an
Ihenacho,a Muhammed,and a Yahaya for NIGERIA
TO DEFEAT IRAQ on the day. It will take the selfless committed, and value-oriented efforts of all of us ethnicity irrespective, to make Nigeria work and to defeat the many vices that threaten human worth and dignity in our clime.

Top of the Morning to you!

Thanks,Ayobami! More to come.

#1. ON THE NATION's ETHNIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION.

I believe that Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are, potentially, more of a blessing than a curse to her. With ,conservatively ,250 ethnic groups of diverse languages and customs, Nigeria sits atop a unique opportunity of giving the world a new brand of language, "WAZOBIA"- if her 3 major ethnic languages are worked on and synthesised. That'll also go a long way in fostering linguistic unity in the same way- if not more- that the English language has. The emergence and continued usage of the Swahili language in East Africa attest to the possibility and desirability of this.

Our ethnic diversity can be a blessing in disguise. It makes us a polity of people that can relate with virtually every other part of the world,on account
of our multiple languages. It also silently points
to the inherent multilingual capacity of the
average Nigerian.

With a population of about 160 million people, an annual growth rate of 3.2 percent, and estimated
by the UN to reach 440 million by 2050, Nigeria is
indeed a demographic giant. However, this giant can either roar or wail, depending on the
leadership/ human resource managers of the
country.

It's a blessing to be populous! Take a look @ the
People's Republic of China. Its population affords
it both economic and strategic benefits that
underlie its meteoric rise to global hegemony. And
that's because it's leadership, since the era of
Chairman Mao Tse Tung, chose to make its
population feed the world, and not merely be a
mouth that the world feeds. With a leadership that invests consciously and commitedly in its human capital- with 20% of thebudget allocated to Education for starters-Nigeria's population will turn out to be a blessing for it and the world at large.

With a GDP Per Capita of $1,640 in 2012, Nigeria's
demographic poetentials are greatly assaulted and
underutilised. If China, with a population of 1.354
billion can boast a GDP Per Capita of $6,071( 2012),why not Nigeria?Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are a blessing to her.

I think it's time we started exploring their constructive possibilities, as against the selfish, divisive and destructive ends to which they have been deployed by some people since 1960.#1. ON THE NATION's ETHNIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION.

I believe that Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are, potentially, more of a blessing than a curse to her. With ,conservatively ,250 ethnic groups of diverse languages and customs, Nigeria sits atop a unique opportunity of giving the world a new brand of language, "WAZOBIA"- if her 3 major ethnic languages are worked on and synthesised. That'll also go a long way in fostering linguistic unity in the same way- if not more- that the English language has. The emergence and continued usage of the Swahili language in East Africa attest to the possibility and desirability of this.

Our ethnic diversity can be a blessing in disguise. It makes us a polity of people that can relate with virtually every other part of the world,on account
of our multiple languages. It also silently points
to the inherent multilingual capacity of the
average Nigerian.

With a population of about 160 million people, an annual growth rate of 3.2 percent, and estimated
by the UN to reach 440 million by 2050, Nigeria is
indeed a demographic giant. However, this giant can either roar or wail, depending on the
leadership/ human resource managers of the
country.

It's a blessing to be populous! Take a look @ the
People's Republic of China. Its population affords
it both economic and strategic benefits that
underlie its meteoric rise to global hegemony. And
that's because it's leadership, since the era of
Chairman Mao Tse Tung, chose to make its
population feed the world, and not merely be a
mouth that the world feeds. With a leadership that invests consciously and commitedly in its human capital- with 20% of thebudget allocated to Education for starters-Nigeria's population will turn out to be a blessing for it and the world at large.

With a GDP Per Capita of $1,640 in 2012, Nigeria's
demographic poetentials are greatly assaulted and
underutilised. If China, with a population of 1.354
billion can boast a GDP Per Capita of $6,071( 2012),why not Nigeria?Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are a blessing to her.

I think it's time we started exploring their constructive possibilities, as against the selfish, divisive and destructive ends to which they have been deployed by some people since 1960.#1. ON THE NATION's ETHNIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION.

I believe that Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are, potentially, more of a blessing than a curse to her. With ,conservatively ,250 ethnic groups of diverse languages and customs, Nigeria sits atop a unique opportunity of giving the world a new brand of language, "WAZOBIA"- if her 3 major ethnic languages are worked on and synthesised. That'll also go a long way in fostering linguistic unity in the same way- if not more- that the English language has. The emergence and continued usage of the Swahili language in East Africa attest to the possibility and desirability of this.

Our ethnic diversity can be a blessing in disguise. It makes us a polity of people that can relate with virtually every other part of the world,on account
of our multiple languages. It also silently points
to the inherent multilingual capacity of the
average Nigerian.

With a population of about 160 million people, an annual growth rate of 3.2 percent, and estimated
by the UN to reach 440 million by 2050, Nigeria is
indeed a demographic giant. However, this giant can either roar or wail, depending on the
leadership/ human resource managers of the
country.

It's a blessing to be populous! Take a look @ the
People's Republic of China. Its population affords
it both economic and strategic benefits that
underlie its meteoric rise to global hegemony. And
that's because it's leadership, since the era of
Chairman Mao Tse Tung, chose to make its
population feed the world, and not merely be a
mouth that the world feeds. With a leadership that invests consciously and commitedly in its human capital- with 20% of thebudget allocated to Education for starters-Nigeria's population will turn out to be a blessing for it and the world at large.

With a GDP Per Capita of $1,640 in 2012, Nigeria's
demographic poetentials are greatly assaulted and
underutilised. If China, with a population of 1.354
billion can boast a GDP Per Capita of $6,071( 2012),why not Nigeria?Nigeria's ethnic and demographic compositions are a blessing to her.

I think it's time we started exploring their constructive possibilities, as against the selfish, divisive and destructive ends to which they have been deployed by some people since 1960.