ith the Media hype, excitement, elites speaking from both sides of their mouth, the fear of the huge reptile ready to swallow all living reptiles that come its ways, the sit-tight leaders glued into the lounger, those who are supposed to direct the equitable thoughts of an average Nigerian, the 'do or die' modish of just finding means of feeding their stomachs; and the justification for the insurgency, all calmed down for a while for the political stakeholders to start the race to the finished line toward March 28, 2015, all in the name of struggling for the resources that belong to Nigeria and have to be managed by whosesoever Nigerians elect to lead them.
When Nigeria returned into Democracy 1999, it was a sign of relief from the Military, the profession that turned Nigeria into the Ancient period as witnessed today, and want to continue using 2015 as a come back tactic.
Take a look at yourself in the mirror if things have changed for better in Nigeria. It was the use of force against 'We the People'. It went through many years of adjustments of correcting what went wrong in the past administrations just because the Heads rot, from head to toe. I am talking to YOU.
Take a moment; look at yourself in the Mirror.
Your stained milieu that is full of loutish activities that shoot you into stardom. YOU continue to milk cow dry in the name of 'I will die' for the country. I am talking to YOU. YOU would stop at nothing to keep on deceiving and confusing the society. Crucify him today; at the winkle of an eye, the individual is your hero, talking with both sides of your mouth. I am talking to YOU; as you are supposed to enlighten the society to make dependable decisions on issues that affect heir livelihood.
I am talking to the man in the mirror whose knowledge is supposed to liberate an average Nigerian from their unimaginable, inhuman status; to an enviable position of stardom; and YOU made a 360 degree turn to use that power to confuse the people in making equitable choices who lead them. YOU take advantage of their vulnerability to amass wealth, and turned the community to the properties that belong to your ancestors; forced innocent citizens to continue with zero-zero-one, or, zero-one-zero formula, on a daily basis.
There is God o!
I am talking to YOU for your insolence to Nigeria by allowing yourself to become a security risk to the nation with your forked tongue. Tour tongue continues to disrespect yourself with uncivilized utterances that engender violence. I am talking to YOU as you are awaiting the People's Court.
I am talking to YOU not on the touch line, and leave Nigerians to study your offensive body language. Unfortunately, you turned yourself to a masquerade that could not control his dance in the public market. Hence, YOU mistakenly flogged your own mother who is also a trader in the market. I am talking to YOU with your oil blocks, as you slipshod an average Nigerian plight, to replenish your oil license whish expires this year, to confuse the populace. Whereas the region where the oil is 'siphoned' from, is of the opinion that the licenses for the oil block must be fairly distributed.
YOU sponsored the cash and carry media to indoctrinate the electorates to swing votes so as to endorse your oil license. Unfortunately, YOU turned some Nigerians to chorus singers to celebrate mediocrity, stupidity, amoral followers. Nigerian media has its way of deflecting any outburst of news and speed on the train by misleading the world, unnecessarily balancing the piece of news for the electorate to make principled decision.
Who saves the country from the confused ingrate Confucians in the community? Because YOU have the power to indoctrinate them with the power of the mega million media information dissemination at your disposal you disorient some Nigerians. YOU blinded inward sense of some loudest few Nigerians and would not think of the impact of their irrational decisions what affect them and their children in future. Nigerians are at crossroads and confused which way to go, uphill, downhill, left, or, right, and you have all that it takes to give them the opportunity to decide which way to go but you block their wits of logic.
I am talking to YOU as you lead a Professional group to make their tents against an anointed puppet earlier, who eventually grew like Joseph the messiah of Egypt; and his opponent then was too old and a Dictator. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and have a rethink your age being affected by amnesia with a seven-year deficit.
It is loud and clear that Nigerians are not incompletely happy with one party in control of the Central Government of fifteen years and nine months (1999). The Nigerians political thinking is towards for better or worse of the indolent leaders, because they are the same.
YOU want change not from fry-pan to fire. Is this the first time you heard the word change? Why did YOU not change when you had the opportunity? Why are YOU advocating for change now when the puppet body language shows he would not renew your oil block licence. Why advocating for change now, when the strong headed puppet wiped out ghost names from the civil service pay roll? Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to dump his associate for another puppet? Why advocating for change, when in your time, Nigeria judiciary could not deliver a fair judgement in favor of the oppositions.
What change are YOU making to the environment with non-payment of five months salaries, or three months pensions or those that have unfulfilled promises of almost four years past, for another four years of promises when there would be no race again. Talking to the recipients of the news and the one that was promised; take a look at yourself in the Mirror, assess yourself, whether YOU have been measuring up to the expectations of the people.
Take a look at yourself in the mirror, "If one of my men is killed, I shall kill twenty of them but don't shoot first. If they shoot you, shoot back in self-defence. Anybody who fires you, fire him back in self-defence." I am talking to YOU, have a change of mindset.
Talking to YOU as you REFUSED to show your solidarity support for your candidate during his campaigns. YOU have a hidden agenda by assembling your people to line behind your candidate, strip him naked from his people at every campaign gathering. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. I am talking to YOU for your hiding agenda of your group, thwarting a group from having its full eight-year rotational presidency. It is slipping out like the banana-peel; it is rolling off the line. I am talking to YOU.
YOU have polarized the country along ethnic, and, mostly religious lines, YOU confused Nigerians on how their votes should go in March 28 and April 11, the 2015 election.
Take a look at the mirror as YOU yearn for the unconstitutional interim national government, obstructing the constitutional provision for the succession process for the President. In case the President is incapacitated, VP takes over, in case, the two of them were incapacitated, the Senate President takes over. Nothing legitimizes interim national government. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and make a change.
The Mirror is where you see your mischievous actions for using Security and corruption as electorates' baits. The Military used it to usher itself into Governance, which resulted into the 30-month Nigerian civil war. The Nigerian Military finally made corruption an established public work-place-culture.
YOU know that increasing the prison population with corrupt individuals, would not prevent corruption; until the defective structure of Nigerian Government is tackled. Take a look at yourself and make that decision to resolve the issue of corruption starting with 'Enemies Within'.
There is an African proverb that says "A leader without good advisers is like a blind man being led by a child." I am talking to YOU; YOU! YOU! YOU are as guilty as the past Nigerian leaders on the issue of corruption. The day there will be accountability, transparency, corruption could be minimized.
I am talking to YOU as a sponsor of Boko Haram, making Nigeria a challenging country to govern, true to your words, take a look at yourself in the mirror, and make a change. Boko Haram has been in Nigeria since about 2009 unstopped. The commander is back with full military welcome from Boko Haram honor of medal. I am talking to you as you prolong efforts in stopping or bringing Boko Haram activities under control. Chopping off the Snake's head half-way, enhances the danger in the environment, and could be more dangerous to the environment. Nigerians deserve a peaceful environment to live their life.
YOU continue to fuel the insurgents capitalizing on your failure to marshal diplomacy to rally allies across the world and isolate threats. You prevented effective armed forces to overpower the insurgents; some strong anti-terrorism legislation; the intelligent services to detect and defeat or avoid threats from the Boko Haram group, as well as using or applying counterintelligence services to protect the citizens from the Boko Haram and get hold of the sponsors and starve Boko Haram of resources for its activities. I am talking to YOU for your unintelligent silence policies on the security of that part of the country based on using that as election bait, catching the electorates.
YOU watched as Boko Haram destroyed the meagre economy of the north, because you know them and REFUSED to talk to them or advise them to stop. It does not take a genius when a hungry child threw his only meal at the face of his mother, because the food would not be sufficient for his stomach. Little would he realize that, he would continue to cry when there is no more food for him to eat for the dinner?
Does low level education grievance, which Boko Haram initially kicked against, legitimises its atrocities. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and make a change.
When YOU look into the mirror, YOU would see yourself; and start changing your attitude. The social ills of the society that display homelessness, people without money, food and clothes, roaming about in the streets, lost hope and dreams. YOU realise how fortunate YOU are. YOU turn sightless to the plight of the poor. YOU must start with yourself. Do something. Make a Change to make positive difference. I am talking to YOU.
YOU feel good when YOU actually do something to help those in need you feel that YOU have made a difference. In essence it is like standing in front of the mirror, giving yourself a little pep talk, about changing your attitude in order to help those in need around you. It bugs down to one thing in life, your ATTITUDE.
Let us do a little mental exercise of the twenty-six letters A-Z; A is equal to 1 and Z with 26. A(1), B(2), C(3), D(4), E(5), F(6), G(7), H(8), I(9), J(10), K(11), L(12), M(13), N(14), O(15), P(16), Q(17), R(18), S(19), T(20), U(21), V(22), W(23), X(24), Y(25), Z(26). These words HARDWORK, KNOWLEDGE, LOVE, LUCK, MONEY, and LEADERSHIP are very important in our life. None of these makes a hundred per cent.
Most of Nigeria challenges are self-made. Most worry is unnecessary; forty per cent of all things we worry about never came to pass; thirty per cent of all our worries involve past decisions that cannot be changed; twelve per cent focus on criticism from others who spoke because they felt inferior; ten per cent are related to our health, which gets worse when we worry; eight per cent of our worries could be described as 'legitimate' causes for concern. Less than one "problem" in every ten that we worry about is a real concern. All the others are things that we can learn to see differently or eliminate.
Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our ATTITUDE, which is one hundred per cent. It is therefore our ATTITUDE towards Life and Work that makes our life one hundred percent successful.
YOU, the man in the mirror take a look at yourself and make a change. Always be reminded to stay away from anger either publicly and in private, it hurts only you. If YOU are right, then there is no need to get angry, and if YOU are wrong, then YOU do not have any right to get angry. Patience with family is love; patience with others is respect. The man in the mirror; take a good look at yourself, respect yourself, and make a change.
THE MAN IN THE MIRROR, FLIGHT 2212, TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF, RESPECT YOURSELF, MAKE A CHANGE!!!
Femi Ajayi is a Professor of Policy, Management & Conflict Resolution, at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State
credit: nigeriaworld.com
