Nigeria as a nation has suffered untold hardship in the hands of her past political leaders who were bent on self enrichment and acting scripts written by their sponsors. As the saying, “No condition is permanent” goes, one can see today that God is gradually bringing out the beauty of this country called NIGERIA.
The country has produced a good number of people that have not only made us proud, but have carved a niche for themselves, printing their names in the history book of records such that no one can deny they ever existed.
In the past a lot of things have been done or experienced of which we are not proud. Such things that can bring distrust among brothers or nations, yet we need to move ahead as a people in one world. It is true that no matter how one tries to bury a hurt experienced from a brother, a friend or even a loved one, something may happen one day to trigger one’s memory.
History has a way of dispensing judgement. Nigeria has looked like the bad boy of the Whiteman, but that was in the past, yet the Whiteman has not found a good reason to forgive. We remember the days of advance fee fraud that painted the nation with dark colours, yet those Nigerians were not alone – they have White friends and allies that aid them in those acts. Nigeria was not alone in those evil acts, notwithstanding, people will still believe that another race is responsible for their status in life.
When the Blacks look back, history reminds them of the bondage of slavery that keeps them in annoyance with the Whites. In the same hand, the Whites are angered with the ugly practices of the Blacks such that they could not take them to confidence. All these have hampered the progress of both parties. Yet in the midst of these differences, both the Blacks and the Whites are meant to live together in this world – the Whites need the Blacks and so do the Blacks need the Whites.
One question that constantly begs for an answer is this, “Do the Blacks and the Whites ever going to see themselves as one people under one God?”
Now, back to the topic. Nigeria is the big boy of Africa (the Blacks) and America stands for the Whites. For many years these two giants have allowed history to keep them in agony of hating themselves, which has trapped them in the past – hence the ugly records of failures.
In business life today, you find it very hard to see an American transact business with a Nigerian. Some will bluntly tell you that they have nothing to do with NIGERIA and NIGERIANS. But the fact is, if Americans don’t need us, we need them (for the interest of oneness). Worse still, Nigeria and other African countries are removed from almost all online business directories, making it difficult for both countries to transact business together. Though fraud abounds, yet no one country has monopoly of fraud. I have not seen a 100% fraud-free nation. Yet fraud is condemnable – it is evil, unethical, a sin against God and man, and a sin against the government.
Removing Nigeria and other African countries from the Whiteman’s business directory is unacceptable. This is because the action can never be a panacea to checking fraud, rather it aggravates it. As people sleep and wake, a lot of new ideas are developed. Many “sharp” practices and hi-tech manipulations are employed to achieve some certain ambitions. Somebody must survive and live like the rest of other people, and in trying to achieve this, some rules must be broken.
When some countries of the world took to capital punishment as a means of curbing criminal activities, they did not go far with that because criminality kept multiplying by the day and the best option is to scrap it, otherwise, the whole of humanity will be affected.
America is God-fearing. Her slogan, “In God We Trust” says it all. In Nigeria, almost every household can boast of a Church and a mosque, depending on the area. That means, we all believe in one God. So the key to our success and freedom in life is in our hands – to do what the Word of God encourages: “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old” (Isaiah 43:18). And whenever we forget the past and set on to forge ahead, God says that He’ll “do a new thing…” in our lives and heal our land (Isaiah 43:19; 2 Chronicles 7:14).
Let us make a quality decision to live and work together. God sees both the Nigerian, the American and any other person that believes in Him as His blessed child who is part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). As long as He is concerned, such people are special.
Apart from the fact that God has called NIGERIA blessed, yet a lot of things tend to overshadow that blessedness. Such things like people’s ugly perceptions of Nigeria due to past experiences. They have for many years called her “big-for-nothing”, ridiculed and cajoled, yet those are words of false prophets and teachers, according to God’s Word (2 Peter 2:19). Today NIGERIA is no longer ‘big for something’. She has evolved and no longer lives where other people has placed her. She NOW lives on top (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17). She is re-branded, truly born again!
However, I want to appeal to the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria, to please behave in the manner that the people will put their trust in them 100%. In the cases, where one segment of people will as a matter of wickedness, descend on another leaving behind casualties, destroyed properties, dead people of different ages, without any comment or aid from the government is unacceptable. No single Nigerian is unimportant, no matter where he/she comes from – the Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and the rest of the ethnic groups of Nigeria have a role to play, because without any of them, there would be NO NIGERIA. There is no point trying to chase shadows while the substance is very close at hand. Whatever that belongs to the people can never be tampered with. Stick on the rule of law, do what is right and God will do the rest. John the Baptist advised soldiers in authority to be content with their wages and dispense justice without fear or favour. The government of NIGERIA must do the same too. The past remains the past, we’re in the present, let’s join hands together and the sun will surely shine for us.
I believe most sincerely that whenever we are sincere with what we do, we have every right to experience the goodness of God in every area of our lives, and so, no nation has the right to oppress us. Righteousness is the only thing that is capable of restoring the confidence and prestige of a nation, and when we do this no nation in the world will deny the fact that we have evolved. Righteousness will lift up NIGERIA and make all nations of the world to mind her, because by that, she becomes the bird that lays the golden eggs. This is why the best place to be in the world today is NIGERIA – I invite you to take a trip to NIGERIA, and you’ll be glad you did.
Finally, I want to appeal to all owners of online/offline businesses to, as a matter of oneness and service to humanity, link up to NIGERIA and the rest of Africa, if possible partner together with their central governments in the case of fraud-check. This will work, I believe. Being black is not a death sentence – it is only a pride! GOD BLESS NIGERIA.