Read just the headline and gosh! Who read all that? I hate epistles pls .

Righteosness89:
Mod please ban me

I’m telling u. I hate such

ijewejones:

I can't read this epistle because of Nigerian passport


Give me another punishment

Coming from a pastor of Nairaland . No doubt u might be related to that hungry preacher that’s says “I go comot ur teeth now “

Righteosness89:


Your papa

Righteosness89:



Your father is a stupid man
Your mommy has autism so I can blame her foolishness

Realboygenius:
“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”- Carl Schurz

For folks tired of Nigeria, the 2020 Henley Passport Index, which is regarded as “the most rigorous and sophisticated measure of global access,” is another good reason to believe that Nigeria ‘is not worth it.’ According to the report, our passport, which has been ranked as the 97th most powerful in the world, is only good to visit just 46 countries visa-free or obtain visa on arrival or be issued eVisa by destination countries like Afghanistan, Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Micronesia, St Kitts and Nevis or even Tuvalu. Never heard of some of these countries? Well, I am not kidding.

By contrast, nationals of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, which placed first, second and third on the index can respectively access 191, 190 and 189 countries visa-free. In Africa, citizens of Seychelles at 29th position can easily enter 151 countries while South Africans can effortlessly access 101 countries by virtue of their country’s 56th placement on the index. If it is any consolation, it needs to be said that although Nigeria’s rating went down by 19 spots between 2010 and 2020, the most by any ranked country, we still fared better than Sudan (102), Somalia (105), Syria (107), Iraq (108) and Afghanistan, which came last at 109th position. Citizens of the latter two countries can only enter 28 and 26 countries respectively without a visa.

But things have not always been this way. Years back, we had reasons to be proud of our nation, even as we passed through difficult times. The bitterness of the Civil War did not keep us down, though the scars are still very much noticeable. Citizens embraced various forms of ‘austerity measures’ particularly in the 1980s and early 1990s when the profligacy of successive military and civilian governments took a heavy toll on the economic health of Nigeria. Our resilience found voice in our belief that ‘e go better’ and ‘Nigeria go survive.’ That hope was rekindled each time our sportsmen and women made Nigeria proud in global and continental sports festivals. We recognised the unifying factor of sports, which helped us to set aside our individual and collective differences. In the field of sports, we never pushed for ethnic quota equilibrium; we never queried religious affiliations and we never bothered about age and allied matters. We simply settled for excellence. And we got results, as exemplified by our winning the 1985 FIFA-Coca-Cola Under-17 World Cup; the 1996 summer Olympics football tournament as well as gold medal in the women’s long jump won by Chioma Ajunwa and, by default, the gold medal in 4 x 400m relay in the 2000 summer Olympics.

Our decline was also as swift as our rise after we began to politicise all aspects of national life. Our value system changed dramatically after citizens saw that the leadership had loosened its belt whilst urging the masses to tighten theirs. Some of our ‘small girls’ began to have ‘big gods’ and several ‘benefit Papa’ whilst the ‘smart boys’ savaged the internet, with ‘Invictus Obi’ and ‘Hushpuppi’ as poster boys. The rest invested their time in watching ‘Big Brother Naija,’ content with letting the old brigade alter the masterplan of their destiny. Where we hitherto pleaded with ‘Andrew’ not to ‘check out’, citizens quickly embraced brain drain. Doctors and other professionals left our shores in droves. Ministers lied to us that we had enough doctors to cope with medical emergencies and it took the outset of the Coronavirus pandemic to burst the bubble. But for COVID-19, only God knows how many more people would have left Nigeria. Or how much of scarce foreign exchange would have been lost to medical tourism. At the heart of these challenges is the absence of purposeful leadership.

Contrary to what many Nigerians tend to believe, our country is not difficult to govern. All that is needed is a partnership of visionary leadership and a followership that is not awed by ephemeral power. Both need to truly ‘pledge to Nigeria,’ not submit to the whims of individuals or political parties. Both need to recognise that public service is a social contract that makes a clear distinction between ‘national’ and ‘self’ interest. Much of the responsibility to enforce the contract, however, reside in us, the people, rather than in the leadership. Time and again, the leadership cartel in Nigeria have remorselessly demonstrated strong belief in the doctrine of taking from the poor to comfort the rich. By the same token, the masses who are the real repository of power need to be guided to vigorously exercise their franchise to demand good governance and accountability. ‘Ask and ye shall be given,’ the good book says.

The viewpoints of the leadership and the followership are, however, not necessarily antithetical as the late Premier of the Northern Region and Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, demonstrated when he echoed similar sentiments, saying: “I’m convinced and I want you to be convinced that the future of this vast country must depend in the main on the efforts of ourselves to help ourselves. This we cannot do if we do not work together in unity.”

In a similar vein, the late elder statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, outlined a simple treatise on the route to purposeful leadership. Said he: “It is only when the minds of men have been properly and rigorously cultivated and garnished that they can be safely entrusted with public affairs with a certainty and assuredness that they will make the best of their unique opportunity and assignment.” The import is that Nigeria does not suffer a dearth of good leaders. But we need to be rid of the rancid air of the political space, which keeps good people away from public service to avoid asphyxiation.

The point in all of this is that if, as individuals, we demonstrate love for Nigeria by being a lot more alive to our civic responsibility, much of what ails Nigeria would be correctly diagnosed and treated. Just the other day, I travelled to Dubai with an Indian professional colleague to attend an all-agencies public relations conference for a blue-chip multinational company. While on the queue to clear immigration and customs, we both noticed that Nigerian travellers received extra- attention from airport officials. My friend whispered to me: “see, we’re brothers. Your passport and my passport, nobody likes them.” How true! Today, with India at number 85 and Nigeria at 97, we remain ‘brothers.’ This makes me sad. And angry. Tell me, who wouldn’t be?

But rather than put my country down, I choose to see the good in Nigeria. Just like a man deeply in love, I will rather find that one good reason to stay in a relationship even when there are hundreds of persuasive reasons to leave. I choose to side with the people who counsel others “not to forget that the first duty of every global citizen is to set right what is wrong in our country.” I love Nigeria. But I will no longer settle for leadership that promotes blind patriotism; I will not allow anyone to “piss down my back and tell me it's raining.” If, as a leader, you must earn my respect, then you must heed the paraphrased immortal words of Chief Awolowo: ‘you must be prepared to grasp the nettle, set a worthy example in probity, unselfishness and self-sacrifice and the people will follow all too readily in your footsteps.’ Makes sense.

Dotun Adekanmbi is a Lagos-based media relations practitioner.

Well done sir

okrote4real:
Nigeria is the best country. In have travelled to some countries and given maximum respect because I didn't go through a wrong channel. Follow due process and nobody will look down on you. If you think Nigeria passport is bad or a disadvantage, it's because you have already felt that way. The Bible says as a man thinks , so is he. For me Nigeria is the only country I have and I will continue to respect it comes whatever. We may be having challenges now, but what you don't know is that those countries you are running to are worse off compared to us. If not for our political class mismanagement, why should a Nigerian even come up with such piece?

Nobody can kill my Nigerianness. We die here.

Challenges just now? Challenges for you, challenges for your parents time, grandparents time, great grandparents time, and of course your children’s time because nothing made by racist foreigners will ever benefit local blacks. Nigeria was and will never be yours.

You people never learn

Iceman296:
Nigeria will still be a great nation, only when the citizens stand up and fight for their country!

Not a nation.

We have to pray for this country. Its all we got

The problem of Nigeria today is because there are no Nigerians. There are no person or persons proud enough with all sincerity to say I am a Nigerian. This reminds me of ancient Afghanistan during soviet occupation. The Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War (1978–92) and remained in Afghanistan until mid-February 1989. After the collapse of the soviet, there were no Afghan because the structure has collapsed and the centre cannot hold. What they had were grabbers, people fighting for anything they can steal or grab and run away. This is Nigeria situation. Everyone is looking for what to grab and disappear. Diezani is no longer a Nigerian native and so are many others. There are no Nigerians, grab anything you can and run because a time shall come when nothing shall be left.

SexytorresE:
Coming from a pastor of Nairaland . No doubt u might be related to that hungry preacher that’s says “I go comot ur teeth now “

Follow the thread very well, that's not our Nairaland pastor. He's just being stupid.

Righteo(u)sness89. This is our pastor

Righteo()sness89. This one na Low budget idiot.

Liposure:
We have to pray for this country. Its all we got

Who told you that? The British? You cant think outside of the Slave narrative? You just fell from thin air in 1960? And tomorrow you will be saying black lives matter but calling yourself a Nigger Arean.....a name your great granny did not even know or gree shaaaa

proclinician:
The problem of Nigeria today is because there are no Nigerians. There are no person or persons proud enough with all sincerity to say I am a Nigerian. This reminds me of ancient Afghanistan during soviet occupation. The Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War (1978–92) and remained in Afghanistan until mid-February 1989. After the collapse of the soviet, there were no Afghan because the structure has collapsed and the centre cannot hold. What they had were grabbers, people fighting for anything they can steal or grab and run away. This is Nigeria situation. Everyone is looking for what to grab and disappear. Diezani is no longer a Nigerian native and so are many others. There are no Nigerians, grab anything you can and run because a time shall come when nothing shall be left.

You people so quick to analyze and reanalyze other people’s affairs, other people’s soccer leagues, other people’s politics LOL.

That Soviet Union collapsed into, yes you got it, TRIBAL HOMOGENOUS NATIONS, some of which are doing well and better than the British created Nigger Area Territories....even in soccer....

Iceman296:
Nigeria will still be a great nation, only when the citizens stand up and fight for their country!

You are fooling yourself my friend. Do you expect our vulnerable citizens who does not have any right to fight those leaders who stole huge money to foreign account. Generations of Nigerians will continue to suffer until when our leaders reach the final bus of corruption.

Iceman296:
Nigeria will still be a great nation, only when the citizens stand up and fight for their country!

You are fooling yourself my friend. Do you expect our vulnerable citizens who does not have any right to fight those leaders who stole huge money to foreign account. Generations of Nigerians will continue to suffer until when our leaders reach the final bus of corruption.

While this piece says all the right words, the truth is those you quoted as masterminds of past Nigerian glory or who at least sought to herald it are also it's biggest undoing.

Is this still the same Sarduana you quoted or someone else?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WSosECbcmM

I hate this useless country with passion.... i will do anything possible to destroy this country’s image.... useless shithole cesspit

Iceman296:
Nigeria will still be a great nation, only when the citizens stand up and fight for their country!

An oppressor will never stop, the oppressed has to make him stop. Nigeria will be great when the citizens(Particularly the voters/common man) take a collective initiative to stop recycling d old thieves that got us in this mess in the first place. We fight ourselves over who is better for us between buhari and atiku. These men are a part of our failure as a nation. Fresh faces come up and we tell them they are not mature enough to rule us yet. Next election now, we are hearing d same set of names wey dun dey thief our money sinceeeeeeee. U will hear things like lets pick d lesser devil, the leadership is a reflection of who we are. Walahi we are not ready. All these Nigeria will be great again na just talk, when is ready to be great again, we will see from the attitude of Nigerians especially in choosing who leads the country at all levels. Go to countries that survive on service provision and management and u begin to cry for naija and imagine what could have been if even 20% of our resources is put to good use for the people.

Righteosness89:


Go ask your papa

........
Must Nairaland ALLOW ANOTHER SPAMMED PERSONALITY, just to show their disgust at what the RIGHTEOUSNESS89 posts?

Many of him will rise and post more than the REAL person.

So sickening what this fake person derives in ridiculing another person's image?

Humans are inherently evil in thought though.

Iceman296:
Nigeria will still be a great nation, only when the citizens stand up and fight for their country!

Sorry to burst your bubble, is Nigeria worth fighting for? pls answer don't lie ooo, are you happy being a Nigerian?? what other way do you expect Nigerians to fight for Nigeria tell me?? Ok you mean Nigerian should now begin to read 1000 ways to die and 1 billion and 1 ways to make heaven bros fear God naa, with all this hardship, poor governace, no jobs, no lights no good roads chai had it not been you said this on nairaland bros you for ask wetin happen to that guy that's granted interview saying Buhari was doing well on youtube!

pacificom:


You are fooling yourself my friend. Do you expect our vulnerable citizens who does not have any right to fight those leaders who stole huge money to foreign account. Generations of Nigerians will continue to suffer until when our leaders reach the final bus of corruption.

Please where is the final bus. There is no final bus sir/ma. See the cycle. Sarakis father lorded over kwarans for decades, he brought in his son bukola who did same. U know Tinubus story in lagos, his wife, inlaws...I had to use my example across the 2 major parties to show they are all d same. ITS A NEVER ENDING CYCLE. See it is a critical situation and if the citizens are serious about their generations to come, they have to use every means (both lawful and unlawful). That sounds crude but sincerely that is the only way. Or how do u expect a thief lawmaker to make laws that will jail him or take away an advantage his children will have. They use money meant for the people to set up scholarship schemes and award it to their children n close relatives to get quality education abroad, those ones come back better equipped than the children of the masses, naturally ready to lead the children of the masses again. The fathers only stole for their family, dem no get liver to defend their act....now the children will tell you where was your own father when their own was hardworking. The longer this goes on, the more the privileged loses touch with reality and d lesser compassion they have on the masses. Human beings are naturally selfish but we Nigerians are on a whole different level of selfishness.

EyezofGod120:
This one is just wasting his time to dey write nonsense,this country don fall apart

carry your negativity away,,,,wetin dey bad Dir...otondo

emae009:
When each individual state is allow to govern, manage, and control it's individual resources to the best of her ability while the Central Government protects the national territory and negotiate international relations then we'll move forward. Other than that every successive government policy will always be treated on the table of ethnicity and religious affiliation

Just replace "Each State" with "Each Region" and we are good to GO

mujahid777:
Not surprised. Some people from the land of the fallen sun have made it their life mission to be the leaders of criminality everywhere they go. Our passport value will keep going down.

From your name alone, we all know that you don't mean to say what you have just typed. You are being controlled from the caliphate, so tell me why you should reason very well when some people are tracking your thoughts from the north?

There's no Nigeria....what we have are bunch of people roaming around this geographical space driven first by their ethic and religion identities before anything ELSE....

Let every region take care of its own and then maybe we will then have a NATION

Despite my occasional angst at the humans that inhabit her, I remain proud of my country Nigeria and my Nigerian passport is one of my prized possessions.

Hndrrxxx:
I'm shredding it right now into pieces


Useless Buhari

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.

For Him mind him b cowboy.

But unknown, perhaps, to most of southern Nigerians, we lost Nigeria of 1960 to 1990s after military dictators of northern Nigeria proliferated 20 states in the northern region, but gave mere 17 states in the two southern regions, thus arrogated near absolute political powers to Fulani-led northern region.
Three regions formed Nigeria at independence. The new states and derivative political constituencies from the states should have been equally created for the three regions when the last states were created.
But without that balance of political power between the three regions, a balance now tilted heavily to the northern region since the last states were created in 1996, the self-acclaimed most educationally disadvantaged northern region shall always determine who must govern Nigeria. Mediocrity of apex political leaders must continue to be for Nigeria in the extant rigged and lopsided political structure of Nigeria.

Righteosness89:
Mod please ban me

You're impersonating righteousness89. Not good o. Meanwhile, your request is so funny. You sound like someone that was previously banned for eternity but narrowly escaped

nextstep:
The Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, was not about unity. In fact, he especially refused to recognize the SE as partners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_odAy4rVz8

I'll paraphrase: "Igbo want to dominate", and "If you send an igbo man to a labor camp, he will try to emerge as headman"
Ironically, it is the Hausa-Fulani that have demonstrated the need (borne out of fear?) to dominate - but not by earning it with (e.g.) education, self-improvement, or desired for service. For the second comment, is it wrong to try and improve yourself and your station in life? Third, his comments reek of the kind of sentiments you'd hear about Jews in Europe leading up to WWII (and in fact, you'd still hear in bits and snippets from racists today).

He expanded the "Northerner first" policy. If you can't find a Northerner, then an expatriate; if you can't find one, hold your nose and hire a Southerner. I partly understand his reasoning - how many Northerners were in employment in the South? But rather than do the things that encourage a qualified North, we have these kind of segregationist policies.

Sir Tafawa Belawa was a gentler, kinder element and it's a pity, crime, and dishonor what was done to him. May he continue to rest in blessed peace.

Nevertheless, these are all nice words profered by my learned journalist... the people who need to be told this are Nigeria's elite. They are disloyal to this country and it's people. They are the ones subservient to outsiders, depending on the White man's praise for sustenance. From the time they started coveting British trinkets in exchange for their brothers' lives, wearing Italian shoes, and driving American cars, they have not done anything in their lifetime that demonstrates they have love for themselves or their race.

they should remove him from that 200naira notes and replace him with Tafawa Balewa. AB is never a leader worthy to emulate.

Webmannigeria:


Just replace "Each State" with "Each Region" and we are good to GO

"Each Region", we'll still have the same problems we're experiencing now. There'll still be a minority of people that will feel left out from government at least with state it's all the more manageable