It is a natural expectation that the future should be looked up to with glee. But, first, the future must be defined, worked for, and meticulously prepared for generations yet unborn. So, what is the future of a country? Is it a particular time frame beginning from the date of independence? Is it to be measured by population increase? Or by technological breakthrough?
Motivational speakers, and truly speaking, I believe them, insist that the future begins NOW. It is, therefore, repugnant to natural expectation to keep talking of the future without considering the age of the individual or nation. This is the case with Nigeria, necessitating 80-years olds to be talking about the future of our youth population, a repeat of such calls by the same people more than 40 years ago.
The case with Nigeria is indulgence in bad habits. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines habit as “a thing that you do often and almost without thinking, especially something that is hard to stop doing.” The New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language defines it as “a tendency to repeat an act again and again; a behaviour pattern that has a degree of automatism.”
It is easy to conclude therefore, that your habit defines your character, personality, acceptability and value. It makes you predictable, defines your level of growth in your vocation, occupation or profession, and for a country, determines your influence and power in the comity of nations.
Stephen R. Covey is an authority on the subject of habits, having written bestselling books on the topic. He identifies eight habits of highly effective people. An analysis of each of these habits will help us understand better why we are who we are, and why we are where we are as a nation.
Highly effective people are proactive. It means they plan ahead, prepare for possible setbacks and have alternative strategies to overcome the setbacks. For Nigeria, this is far from the truth. Time was when we had enormous wealth, but rather than plan ahead, our leaders only boasted that our problem was not money, but what to do with it. Highly ineffective thinking or just daftness! Nations that have effective leaders begin with the end in mind. They map out the benefit of a project before they embark on it. The expected benefits are meant to augment the existing situation or circumstance, improve the lot of the people and contribute to the economy positively.
But in Nigeria, if a project is not abandoned due to bad planning or costing, it is abandoned because it was conceived and started by an opposition party.
Effective leaders put first things first. They analyse situations, prioritise activities and actions and expect a sequence of positive results. For us as a country, we put first things last. We legalise nepotism over and above competence, zoning over qualification, god-fatherism over track record of performance. Any wonder, therefore, that our glory days are far behind us?
Countries and nations blessed with highly effective leaders think win/win. They preach and practise politics and leadership of inclusion. Their actions engender patriotism, love for one another and a feeling of equality. Not in Nigeria. The ruling party must crush the opposition; attention is paid to the states that contributed 95 per cent of the votes; those who brought a paltry 5 per cent of the votes will receive commensurate attention. Any person, no matter how brilliant his ideas are, but who does not pass through the demons called godfathers, is frustrated, seen as proud and opinionated and totally and completely shoved out of the way.
Effective people and leaders seek first to understand, then to be understood. They appreciate the input of others in order to align their thoughts and plans towards the general will as against the minority will. What of Nigeria? Our leaders do not care about our views and feelings. They promise us what they think we need; not what we ask of them. They are empty skulls, so they lack the capacity of understanding and, therefore, are impossible to be understood.
Synergy is a very important habit of effective people and leaders. They collaborate, co-operate with each other, exchange ideas, praise and criticise each other constructively, and are always open to accepting superior views and arguments. For our dear Nigeria, our leaders must work and walk alone, take the glory for anything and everything, and for them, the fewer the merrier.
Another creative habit of highly effective people is to “sharpen the saw.” This means taking a break to re-focus and re-strategise. This habit in itself is positive. In Nigeria, however, the politicians cannot take a break from stealing and looting. Any period for reflection will mean going back on their vow to continuously impoverish us. If our politicians must re-focus, it will be to plan more devastating ways of emptying the treasury. The last habit of highly effective people (according to Stephen R. Covey), is to “find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.” An advice goes thus: “Aspire to inspire others before you expire.” For our leaders, the quicker those opposed to them die, the better for them. To inspire others is a taboo that must not be touched.
Nigeria has been groping in the dark for decades of years, and it appears there is no systematic approach to solving problems by our leaders. We call them leaders for lack of better words. Are they parasites? Are they undertakers of our commonwealth? Are they tied to the apron strings of the devil? What can we do to check the downward movement of all the indices for growth and development? A revolution is imminent.
Those averse to this are either cowards or partakers in the milking of the country. The thieves amongst us are so proud to flaunt their ill-gotten wealth. Must we continue to watch them have their way? Posterity will not find us worthy to have occupied this geographical space called Nigeria and allowed the plundering of a once-robust country, flowing with bright ideas and opportunities.
• To be continued