No doubt, in recent times, things have been hard, I mean very hard in particular, for Nigerians, I would think. But then, if citizens of every nation were to comment on the economic situation of their countries, only a few will differ from my submission. To rephrase the words of the renowned American business philosopher- Jim Rohn: Misfortune is not peculiar to the developing nations or shall I say Nigeria?
Buffeted by bad leadership resulting in all kind of social maladies such as poverty for the masses, academic strikes in our higher institutions, insecurity in the form of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping as a business, to mention a few, Nigerian youths are jetting out of their country by their hundreds, if not thousands, in search for greener pasture and a better life in other countries of the world.
Should they be blamed? Even a plant knows that it has to grow toward light or water for survival, a phenomenon called phototropism and hydrotropism respectively. Surely, a man or woman is more intelligent than any plant.
Definitely, it is not wrong to seek for a better life in other part of the world. Yet, I am constantly disturbed by the philosophy behind this mass exodus of my people for a better life.
Some think to escape from Nigeria to America or any of the developed country is to gain a lifetime of happiness and escape a life of pain even in the face of contradictory news and evidences.
Oh yes! I am certainly not blind to the good reports of how Nigerians in diaspora are making waves in different walks of life nor will I write anything to dim the glory of any of our people who have distinguished themselves in foreign land.
Here is my point: We know things are not alright with us as a nation but this is not peculiar to us. Surely, every developed country in the world at one time or the other in their history have to contend with similar issues that is now confronting us as a nation and triumph over them before taking their place in the comity of nations.
The developed countries to which we now run because of our present predicament did not arrive at their present state overnight but evolved over time. If they can, so can we.
We may have to go and learn from them, we may have to study their methods but we must not rest content until we have solved our problem as a people, knowing that it is not the environment that make the people but the people that make the environment.
What would you think of a woman that goes from man to man in search of the perfect match? or a man that goes from job to job looking for the perfect boss? Are there families or jobs without challenges?
I have not written this blog to condemn or discourage anyone from
seeking a better life. I however wish to use this medium to call upon my country people to consider the fact that the greener pasture to which we now run were made by men and women who did not chicken out of their place in the face of challenges.