| Fear grips my heart when I see a crowd of people | | | | we experience "peace and unity." Rather we |
| trekking home from a corner of a street. They are all | | | | experience tribal and religious wars. In the Northern |
| moving towards my direction. I think they look very | | | | part of Nigeria, we constantly hear of Christians and |
| much like people migrating into our country. Maybe I | | | | Muslims killing themselves. Hatred for other religious |
| should call them refugees. But, were they really what | | | | groups has been our practice. Why? |
| I took them to be? For I know my country is not a | | | | We are not free anymore. Our lives are threatened |
| place where people would willingly come to reside. | | | | for the sake of truth. Our heads are not seen as |
| Out of the large crowd, I see a lady with a baby on | | | | leaders, but as rulers. They dictate and give orders. |
| her back smiling at me. As she comes closer, I | | | | They hate counsels. They detest the truth and hide |
| discover she is a neighbor. I smile back at her, but | | | | it in their undies so it decays and stinks like dead rat. |
| with curiosity within me. | | | | Corruption has become their hobbies. |
| "Neighbor, where are these people coming from?" I | | | | They help to revive peace and unity in other |
| ask. "From St. Matthew," she replies, as I look into | | | | countries, while our country is falling apart. Crisis, |
| her eyeballs with surprise. "What's happening in St. | | | | conflicts, pains and poverty is what our nation has |
| Matthew today?" I ask again. "Nothing, we just | | | | been experiencing since 1985 till date. And probably, it |
| attended the first mass," she answers. "You mean | | | | might extend till 2007 and beyond. |
| this is just a mass for a Sunday service?" "Yes," she | | | | Yes, I'm sure, because the leadership still rotates |
| says, nodding her head, still smiling. | | | | among the same old "cargoes," who refuse to die or |
| I decide to keep a lookout for the second mass. The | | | | who never get tired of staying at the Aso-Rock-the |
| crowd was large too. The third mass had the largest | | | | seat of power. They sit tight there in conducive |
| crowd of all. It could be said to double the first and | | | | rooms dictating what happens to the masses. |
| second mass. | | | | They've never experienced hardship. |
| Mind you. These were the only ones I saw that very | | | | At times, I ask myself this question: "Will this nation |
| day. I did not mention other churches in that same | | | | ever return to her former state?" "And if it will, who |
| vicinity and other places. I live in a place where you'll | | | | will be the Moses or Savior that will achieve that for |
| find not less than five churches in a street with loud | | | | us?" The answers to these questions are far fetched. |
| speakers mounted everywhere. And this so much | | | | Because corruption, as started and practiced by the |
| affect our hearing. So we shout at the top of our | | | | leaders has indirectly been legalized for every citizen. |
| voices, making signs with the fingers for easier | | | | Or maybe we need a moral man. Not a Christian. Not |
| communication. | | | | a Muslim. Because none of these religious groups |
| My country is in a great mess. Imagine a place where | | | | have made any positive influence on us. But the |
| milk and honey flow. Nigeria is blessed with oil and | | | | question now is: Where is the moral man? |
| agriculture. A land blessed by God, for every Nigerian | | | | Now think of the population of Nigeria. Where are the |
| to enjoy. But, only some sets of individuals are rich. | | | | resources to take care of them? Budgets? No. They |
| Why? When the Military were in power, I thought | | | | read budgets. And we hear of the large amounts |
| things were bad. But as the civilians came on, things | | | | mentioned. The budgets are shared among state and |
| became worse. | | | | local governments. And we don't see what they do |
| Actually, we all wanted democracy. We clamored for | | | | with it. |
| it. But as it is now, I no longer understand the | | | | An average Nigerian can no longer afford three meals |
| meaning of the word democracy. It sounds like it | | | | a day. There is hardly a family where you won't find |
| means "demonstration of craziness," because we've | | | | a child with malnutrition. Except for the rich ones. |
| not experienced its benefits and it never favored us. | | | | Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause |
| Maybe we should go back to the autocratic system. | | | | Guide our leaders right. |
| I wish our past heroes who once ruled our nation, | | | | Help our youths the truth to know. |
| such as Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, The | | | | In love and honesty to grow, |
| Right Honorable Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Major General | | | | And living just and true. |
| Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, including other regional leaders | | | | Great lofty heights attain, |
| like M.I. Okpara, Awolowo and Sarduana of Sokoto | | | | To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign. |
| will come back to life. They will see that their labor | | | | That was the second stanza of the National Anthem |
| for Nigeria was in vain. | | | | composed by a true Nigerian, Mr. Ben Odiase, of the |
| Our new presidents no longer do anything right for | | | | Nigeria Police Band in October 1st, 1978. He never |
| this nation to develop. We no more serve our | | | | expected that one day his nation would turn for the |
| fatherland with love and strength; neither do we | | | | worse. |
| serve in faith. Even the patriotic rhythm of our | | | | I pity Nigeria. I pray for change! |
| National Anthem has lost its value. | | | | DD Phil is a romance writer. His book titled "How to |
| We do not "serve with hearts and might." Neither do | | | | Marry your Spouse" is coming soon. |