It has been a very big challenge to me watching the happenings in our country in the past few months. The events of these past months have really been challenging but, at the same time, educating. It is not a haphazard thing to establish here that the things that have happened in our midst have a lot of lessons for all of us. It is unfortunate that many people do not actually learn anything new from happenings and events. It is obvious that those who are interested in learning would have actually learnt so much from all that we have witnessed and experienced.
Let me make it categorically clear here, that unless we devote time to teaching our children the need to build a good future for themselves and their generation, they will continue to roam around in the dark, thinking that they are doing the right thing. The situation of things in our country has gotten to the level where we should devote more of our time to teaching, educating, counselling and guiding the younger generation, so as to pursue and follow the right direction. It is unfortunate that many people do not actually find it necessary making out time to put our children to the right track even when we have the opportunity.
May I reiterate here, that using our children to perpetrate evil and cause havoc in our society cannot help us. It is our primary responsibility, as adults, to let them know that evil does not pay anyone. Anyone that focuses his attention to manufacturing evil will later discover that he has succeeded in destroying his generation. No one, whether living or dead, can boast of benefitting from evil. It is an established fact that many who devoted their time and talent to pursuing evil ended up being destroyed by the same evil they manufactured and accommodated. The earlier we wake up to the reality that evil does not pay anyone, the better for all of us.
Again, the earlier we make up our minds to teach our children the right way of life, the easier it would become for us to build a sustainable society that will take generations to beat. There is no doubt that the issue of building a lasting legacy in a generation like ours is not an easy task. Those whose responsibility it is to cuddle and carry the soul of this generation to a resounding level have failed woefully and we are paying the ultimate price today. We cannot mortgage the future of our people on the altar of selfishness and still expect a resounding future.
The onus is on us today to make up our minds on whether we want to build a society that all of us would be proud to call our own. While we get so busy with the pursuit of wealth and power, we must also appreciate the fact that whatever we are doing now will go a very long way in determining the type of future we want to give to coming generations. Our unborn children will be delighted to realise that all we have given our time to achieve in our time was the reality of making life easier and better for them. Nothing else will give them comfort and consolation than knowing that we had their ultimate good at heart.
If we begin today to get committed to the journey that will lead to the transformation of our society, then I think that we have started well. We cannot continue to do things the normal way and expect anything positive. If we want to change the narrative, then we must get ready to get things right. The yearning to get things right, to me, should occupy the greater part of us. Whether we believe it or not, Nigeria is sinking and we are the only ones that will do something about it. Do not forget that it will be unfortunate that we allow the labour of our founding fathers to sink in our own time, before our very eyes.
I have written on this topic with the intention of drawing our attention to the reality of our wretched condition as a country. We cannot pay deaf ears to the voice of reason and expect something positive to take place. Nothing in this life should make us to play politics with the future of our children. Generations to come will not take it lightly with us if they grow up to realise that we had all the opportunities at our disposal to get it right, but decided to pay deaf ears to the sweet voice of positivity. Those who are busy cheering us and making us too occupied that we do not have time to do the needful will not be there when we face the reality of our ignorance.
Time and tide make a great demand on us today, beckoning on us to rise up from our slumber and do everything possible, so as to build a good future for our children. Remember that if we want to witness better days in our life time, then we must begin now to make it possible. Whatever we wish to see must be made possible by us. No one else will do for us what we have to do for ourselves. It is our responsibility to fix our country and the earlier we adjust our seats and get to work, the easier and faster for us. We cannot sit where we are and get what we want. We need to move and do something, so that things will begin to fall in line.
All we need now is to rise up and do something when the opportunity is still there for us. We must take the bull by its horns. We must do something about the situation in which we find ourselves now. If we desire a better tomorrow, we must begin today to work it out. The possibility of having better days lies in our willingness to get to work today. Our refusal to do the right thing all these years contributed to the unfortunate realisation of the present day. Nothing will heal our wound more than our willingness to get to work and do the needful. Nothing will give us a better picture than accepting the responsibility of making every effort to change the narrative.
Nigeria has never had it so tough than the past few months. Anambra state has never witnessed a darker moment in her history since its creation than the events of the past few months. Nothing sets a state backwards than the constant paucity of its leaders, as well as the continuous display of unhealthy attitude of the citizens. No leader leads alone and no leader leads without the full and complete support of its citizens. Any leader who continues to paint the picture of his unwillingness to work and walk with his people will not only end up a failure, but will also find it difficult to produce a successor.
Leadership involves tolerance. A leader must learn to tolerate his people, no matter how unfriendly they are. A leader must learn to carry his people along, if he has the passion to succeed. Maybe I will have to talk more on the qualities of a successful leader after this particular topic. This is important, especially as it is an established fact that many leaders of today have lost sight of good leadership. Perhaps, that is why so many followers have refused to follow well. There is no doubt that when the leader makes the atmosphere conducive for everybody, he will enjoy the support and encouragement of all and sundry. We need to work towards a better tomorrow and we need to start the journey now!