It is commendable that you have put yourself forward to be considered
for the office of the President of Nigeria. Congratulations for the interest
shown and the boldness demonstrated to be counted in the number. Your area of
gratitude unto God includes God sparing and preserving your life to this day.
Count this as a plus to say to God be the glory.
Let your prayer point be: O Lord God of heaven and earth, the Lord that
rolleth in the affairs of men, give us a Nigeria President of Your choice. This
is also a prayer recommended for all the over 2 million Nigerians. God the
Creator of heaven and earth, who made Nigeria the 7th most populated
country in the world, the most populous African nation, arise for our help and
give us a Nigeria President that comes from Your decision. As an aspirant, your
prayer in this order indicates that you love Nigeria, you love yourself and
most importantly, you love God. You only want to be there if that is God’s next
plan for your life and Nigeria.
To say that Nigeria is an underdeveloped country is an understatement.
Nigeria is greatly and grossly backward. In Human Development Index (HDI)
Nigeria ranks 169 out of 189 countries. One U.S dollar is N415 if we ignore the
black market which is even thriving by the day. Electricity and water supply
are in extremely parlous states requiring emergency attention. Authentic
statistics confirms that the poverty level in Nigeria is over 40% and it is
increasing. By this percentage, over 80 million Nigerians are poor or below
poverty level. The security situation is alarming. The high and low worship at
the feet of corruption. The far-sighted will declare that without hesitation
Nigeria presidency is nothing to covet. We would not be surprised if someone
says it is an insult to be called upon to covet the office of Nigeria’s
presidency.
At this critical juncture, it is important we all have the mindset to
put behind us the failures of the past and opt to move forward in reaching
heights before us. Let us learn what made successful countries successful. It
is a brilliant move to learn from examples.
Singapore’s per capita income in 2018 was 66,679 USD while Nigeria’s was
5,040 PPP dollars. The manufacturing and services sectors remain the twin
pillars of Singapore’s high value-added economy. In the most recent World Bank
Human Capital Index, Singapore ranks the best country in the world in human
capital development. We can go on and on, on this garden city of the world. Japan, without
the advantage of natural resources and without oil, made it to the top in world economy. A
greatly export oriented nation with hundred percent literacy, Japan remains a nation to beat in virtually
all developmental indices.
In a generation United Arab Emirate, a remote poor desert country, become a global giant of unprecedented means, a diversified exceedingly buoyant economy, an IT super highway guru, a nation parading continental ultra rich, an investment destination and world strong tourist magnet. In the bandwagon effects of these multiple dimension high class growth this nation’s airport overtook
Did you know at one time, UAE came to Nigeria for economic assistance?
Another country
is Qatar. Qatar has distinguished herself with high economic ranking on global
scale. This is a nation of per capita income almost twice that of USA. Qatar is
now a much-sought land of opportunities by all and sundry all around the world.
The oil wealth was judiciously used to build a successful modern nation. Their
literacy level is in excess of eighty percent of the population. Another great port of
call to get examples to follow are the G7 countries. Literacy level is near
hundred percent. They parade strongest economies. They drive the world Human
Development Index (HDI). A visit to any of these countries shows intimidating
developments. G7 countries include four countries in Europe, one country in
Asia and two countries in the continent of America. (G7: Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, United States and United Kingdom). Nigeria can come up
as the first in Africa to be shoulder to shoulder with G7 countries.
We need a Nigeria president who will lead Nigerians by example into the key
performance indicator: What can I do for Nigeria not what Nigeria will do for me.
This is the refrain that must be on the lips of every Nigerian in the next
dispensation. Call it our maxim.
Nigeria has over 400 language groups and that is counting the major
languages without its ethnic sub units. Nigeria’s president can come from any
of them. Nigeria’s president can come from Maiduguri or Lagos, from Sokoto or
Port Harcourt, from cities or remote villages. He or she can come from Nigeria’s
remote island out of touch with civilisation and time. Gender or location is
not the concern. The thinking of many is that if the president comes from their
ethnic group or religion or even backyard such president will be one they can
gain from or make gain of. This orientation of most Nigerians must change. If
the president comes from what is related to you or who is related to you, it should
be what can I do, what can I contribute to make the president a success that
will make Nigeria successful to global eminence. It is not about friendships or
filial relationships. It is about making Nigerians to stand by what can I do
for Nigeria not what will Nigeria do for me. Almighty God, we pray and wait for
your choice of Nigeria’s president, irrespective of race or creed. Let all
Nigerians be committed to making the president a Nigeria President.
Nigerian youths and even adults are desperate to obtain visas and
relocate to advanced parts of the world. Visa applications by Nigerians are
equally being rejected. Many Nigerians cross to these countries under serious
questionable circumstances. The new dispensation must reverse this trend that
Nigeria becomes a destination that nations of the world will seek to enter.
This is possible. Find out from other nations how they made it to the top. When
Nigeria reconnected with democracy 23 years ago, precisely in 1999, if the
children of school age of then were all made to be in school, Nigeria would be
talking of near hundred percent literacy today. Imagine hundreds of thousands
of doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers and many more that would have
emerged. Of course, there’s no point crying over spilled milk. Our commitment
should be forgetting the failures that were behind us and reaching forth onto
the greatness before us. The next 23 years must see us into hundred percent
literacy.
Which bold dispensation will come up with census that call the people of
Nigeria, Nigerians, without the colouration of ethnicity or creed? Let us keep
hope alive.
Once again, we congratulate all aspirants and commend them for putting
themselves forward. We seek the highest office in Nigeria political terrain. Be
committed to support the emerged president. See you and Nigeria at the top.
Long live Nigeria.
Rev. Samuel Oluwatunji Oluwatunbi.
Ottawa, Canada.
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