THE he globe is divided into different Economic blocs. I.e. first world countries, second world countries and third world countries. The first world countries include U.S.A Britain, Germany, China and others. These countries also make up the world super powers as attested to by the United Nations Security Council. They also control the world’s economy. In fact when they sneeze, the world shivers.
On the other hand, African countries are the occupants of the bloc called the third world countries. This is an aberration, considering the fact that over fifty percent (50%) of the world natural resources is embedded in the continent. Most of the developed and developing countries that are fast emerging as best economies got their resources both human and natural from Africa.
How come then the worlds poorest people and countries are found in Africa? The reason is not farfetched. While the rest of the world have people that are thinkers and producers, Africa is infested with consumers and people who seem to have put their brains to perpetual sleep or dormancy. Let’s take Malaysia as a case study. A group of businessmen from Malaysia came to Nigeria in the Seventies (70s) and studied our oil palm industry, which was the biggest and best in the world at that time. They took some of our seedlings to their country. Today, while Malaysia is the largest producer of oil palm, Nigeria’s once thriving industry has gone moribund. What went wrong between now and then? It is really very simple, the Malaysians spent their time thinking of better ways of refining palm oil while the Nigerians failed to develop on what they had in palm as a result of the booming crude oil industry in the country (crude oil had been discovered earlier in 1957 at Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa State).
Africa has talented people but Laziness has eaten away their ability to dream and bring the dreams into fruition. Take Nigeria for example, being the fourth largest producer of crude oil with other numerous natural resources, one would expect that the country will be amongst the world powers. But the “Spirit” of consumption has gotten a hold on Nigerians. Most unfortunately is the dearth of thinkers amongst the youth of the country. When a new product like a phone, laptop or any electronic device is released into the market, the way youths drool over them makes anyone that is production-conscious feel really ashamed of countrymen. It beats ones imagination that they would not even stop to consider the fact that these products are a result of positive thinking and diligent effort of a young fellow in a faraway country.
The question for Nigerians is; do the producers of these products have extra brains tucked at the back of the one brain that everybody has? Of course not. They simply utilize the production capacity side of their brain while for others like some in Africa, accept any product that is thrown at them. If you are reading this write up and you are thinking “that is your business, everybod cannot be a producer” I want you to know you are very far from the truth, everybody has something to produce. Check the list of the world’s richest men and women: Bill Gates, Warren Buffet! Aliko Dangote, they are al and producers.
There is something you produce, it can be either tangible or intangible that will make the world a better place and also make you rich and influential. Have you discovered it yet? Ask Marb Zuckerberg the founder of facebook. What he started as a placing thing with his peers has made him one of the richest persons or earth. So if you do not want to be under the influence of others start producing, start adding value to others.
REQUIRED. INSPIRED ANO DESIRED IN NIGERIA
Unity in diversity
Security in our vicinity
Sanity in our locality
Equity in our nationality
Honesty in all totality
Purity in all entirety
Creativity with all dexterity
Simplicity with all sincerity
Spirituality in our activity
Trinity in our community
Divinity in humanity
Eternity in reality
Celebrity with punctuality
Personality with integrity
Productivity in our ability
Capacity in our faculty
Facility in our university
Responsibility not liability
Accountability in duty –
Authority with humility
Mutuality among entity
Mentality for opportunity
Morality not carnality
Fidelity not falsity
Virginity in our sexuality
Specialty in individuality
Vivacity not torpidity
Identity not anonymity
Clarity not nebulosity
Modesty not pomposity
Originality not banality
Charity with generosity
Amenity for posterity
And Quality not just quantity
So, let us arise and realize that we need to pay the price to get the prize of a BETTER NIGERIA, for Nigeria will be changed by-us and not Americans, Europeans or Asians. Do not only picture this, capture it to avoid fracture or puncture and in all you venture, nurture it, so as to feature in the REQUIRED, INSPIRED AND DESIRED future which starts today, not tomorrow.
