What have we done with the prior years? Each and every day our days on earth are numbered. How have we contributed to humanity at large? It is high time we start questioning our living. Our existence as rational human beings. We're all interdependent on one another.
What are we celebrating when we have challenges in manifold ahead of us:
The extractive political and economic institutions we inherited from our forego and some present leaders present us with a conundrum that is still wreaking our mindset.
Social diseases that are knocking on our doors.
The intense insurgency responsible for the deaths of thousands innocent lives.
Our people are starving.
There is famine in the land.
Lack of social amenities is battling us like an avoid enemy.
Education which is the bedrock of our society has, unfortunately, been bartered for illiteracy which has now been a plague in our country.
We are living in a country equivalent to that of the Lords and Serfs of Middle Ages not until 19th century ( in the words of Karl Marx, bourgeoisie and proletarians).
Undoubtedly corruption is the invisible agent behind all this heinous crime against humanity.
With all these challenges lying in ambush ahead of us. To my own limited understanding I find it irrational to see we youths having time for party, celebrating birthdays or seating for 90 consecutive minutes, or even more, behind the screen simply because we want to watch a white man playing football or its equivalent. What a precious time being waisted for people who deprived us of our right to liberty, education and intellectual freedom.
These are people who enslave our forefathers, exploit us of our economic resources and even encourage our heartless leaders to loot from the nation's wealth and take it there for security. When found guilty, yet seek for asylum in their land. Their relations with Nigeria are largely dictated by economic interests rather than by any sense of altruism or adherence to democratic principles.
As mentioned earlier this is not the right time for entertainment. Rather it is how much we have been able to utilize our limited days on earth for our own benefit and most importantly for the benefit of the entire ummah (nation).
The honourable prophet Muhammad, pbuh, said " the best of you is he who brings benefit to mankind".
This hadith (sayings of the prophet or his tradition) is directly encouraging us to contribute to the lives of others positively. We just have to help ourselves develop intellectually; in terms of education and as well as morality. What is the essence of life if you can't make people happy? If you can't contribute to their lives significantly?
"Education is a strong weapon", says Nelson Mandela, "in which we can use to change the world". We need to work tremendously on our education sector, both religious and secular. Other wise the plague of illiteracy fighting our beloved country will eventually bring us down to our kneels one day. The gap of inequality keep on widening day by day.
" The increasing poverty rate has caused so many employed to be unemployed and has made many to result to street begging" says Ustaz Nurudden, (2017) this set of people we call 'Al majiris' that we are taking for granted today can give us headache tomorrow. Education is a right , not just a privilege".
Firstly, the main problem I have concluded, to me, is lack of God consciousness. Otherwise if we're God conscious, I see no reason why we should make corruption our second nature in this country.
Nationalism alone can't get rid of this. But rather we need a power that will check our faith. And we can only achieve that when we give our offspring a window to know who God is. Not only to know Him, but also to revive and serve Him as well.
Secondly, secular education is required to meet up with the world globalization. We are in a dynamic world and a dynamic century. Great advancement had been made in various sectors; agriculture, medicine, communication, transport and information. We can only meet up to this extent when we invest in education.
Here it must not necessarily be a formal education. The world have witness many a genius with less formal education. Thomas Edison is an example, who was homeschooled by his mother. And behold he invented the lightbulb in 19 century. Moreover, a person with very few formal education, he alone, has 1092 patents in USA and 1500 patents worldwide! Such is Thomas Edison.
Therefore, to me, even skill acquisition and more of its likes are also education. What is important is to make sure ignorance and illiteracy have been eradicated one way or the other.
Don't wait for the government. Rather see to it that you bring about positive change to your family and the society at large.
You can start teaching others what you know. Set a time to serve your community. Help them.
Don't think you are not paid, definitely the joy you will get in making someone to be important someday will be far, far better than the little money you'll enjoy.
Because it is lack of education that makes people sell their democratical rights, which in return cost them their future, for few naira.
Their right to live, freedom and practice their religion can also be deprived of when they don't have access to education.
The assets of any sane country is her youths. The old are approaching their departure. While the youths are coming up with many a great ideas.
Therefore, I am clearly and enthusiastically advocating for a revolution. A tranquil revolution. A peaceful revolution. It is a nonviolence revolution. Even in your room you can revolve against it. And it is nothing more than our weak mindset. A revolution in our mindset will surely be a great triumph in transforming our society from worst to good, better and even to the best.
Eradicating the idea that the government will take care of and you neighbor. But rather seeing it as a collective responsibility will definitely take us from the bottom to the apex. Do unto others what you want to be done.
We are extremely weak in our mindset. We have been depending on our government for change. And they keep on failing us on and on.
The 35th US President John F. Kennedy has this to say on his inauguration day; "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". — John F. Kennedy, inauguration address, January 1961.
Let's show them we don't depend on them anymore. Rather, we own it to our potentiality, skills and the patriotic spirit in us to bring about positive change. Many a nation had done this. And they survived.
For instance, in Japan, after the massacre of the atomic bomb dropped on her soil in August 6th 1945 by the USA and which subsequently claimed over 220,000 lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, yet they still compete with the world in globalization.
What is the secret Japan posses to this great achievement?
Most of their houses were converted into schools in other to educate their assets—her youths.
Japan’s total commitment to children is not just rhetoric, but a concrete and enduring priority, for which individuals and the nation as a whole are prepared to make real sacrifices. it is the main reason that Japan has access to a first rate teaching force, that Japanese students are superbly supported at home, and that the schools are well resourced. this commitment is the foundation of the Japanese system. Japan is clearly among the world’s most advanced industrial economies. it is among the world leaders for the development and application of the most advanced technological systems. this was one of the goals Japan set for itself in the Meiji restoration; those who launched it realised from the start that those aims would not be achieved without a first rate, highly inclusive, aggressively meritocratic education system.
My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people.-Abdul Kalam.
Doing things for others is indirectly doing it for oneself. Therefore, if you must do then make sure you do good and not the opposite, for it must surely reverse. If you can spend your entire lifetime serving your people then do. For if you die, you but only die, your positive ideas and wisdoms will still exists in the living souls. Great people die, but their ideas and wisdom are still planted in the living souls. No one has the last word in wisdom.
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." - Martin Luther King.
Though, the 'Nigeria we inherited from our preceded leaders is not in our favour. Yet, that should not serve as an impediment to helping our people. Believe me, when we banish the propaganda by the politicians we can navigate our way to success.
The commander of the Muslims faith was quoted to have said; " A good done for a good done to you is merely paying back. But a good done for a bad deed done to you is a great virtue". -Umar Bin Khattab. (RA)
"People who don't heed to history" says Max Sollium, are doom to repeat it".
With this little birthday memo, I pray it serves as a tool that will wake up the giant within you. If already you're on the track I pray it should add more grease to your elbow.
Life is all about interpersonal relationship. Thus, if you're unable to maintain a good interpersonal chemistry with others, then you're as good as a dead man. — Olayemi Abdulrazaq Alabi (2016)
Nigeria must be great again in sha Allah.
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