🇳🇬 66 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE: THE CHANGE MUST BEGIN WITH US
As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, this should be more than a celebration. It should be a moment of reflection.
We often talk about changing Nigeria. We talk about bad leadership, corruption, poor governance, unemployment, insecurity, weak institutions and the failure of government.
But perhaps we should ask ourselves a deeper question:
What kind of people are we producing, celebrating and encouraging?
Because before many people become politicians, they are already citizens, professionals, business owners, civil servants, community leaders, family members and friends.
The change we want to see in our politicians must first begin with the values we practice as ordinary citizens.
We cannot continue to celebrate people simply because they have money, influence or access to power while ignoring their character and moral values.
We should not celebrate someone because he or she has acquired wealth through questionable means while ignoring the person who served honestly, protected public resources and refused to compromise his or her principles.
We should begin to celebrate integrity, competence, honesty, sacrifice, service, innovation, good policies and genuine impact.
If someone enters public office and refuses to steal public money, refuses to manipulate contracts, refuses to block good policies and refuses to use the office for personal enrichment, that person should be respected and encouraged—not mocked for being different.
Sometimes, we are quick to condemn corruption when it is committed by someone outside our circle, but when the same thing is done by our brother, sister, friend, associate or political ally, we find excuses for it.
That mindset must change.
If your brother gets into public office and you encourage him to steal because “everyone is doing it,” you are part of the problem.
If your friend enters office and you pressure him to use his position for your personal benefit, you are part of the problem.
If someone wants to do the right thing but you threaten to make things difficult for him or her because they refuse to give you what you want, you are part of the problem.
And if that person eventually leaves office without stealing public money, that should be a reason to celebrate their character, not a reason to call them foolish.
We must stop rewarding the wrong behaviour.
🇳🇬 LET US START CELEBRATING VALUES
Let us celebrate the person who says NO to corruption.
Let us celebrate the civil servant who refuses to manipulate a process.
Let us celebrate the politician who supports a policy because it benefits Nigerians, even when there is no immediate personal gain.
Let us celebrate the entrepreneur who creates jobs.
Let us celebrate the teacher who changes lives.
Let us celebrate the professional who does his or her job with integrity.
Let us celebrate the person who keeps his or her promises.
Let us celebrate people who build institutions rather than destroy them for personal gain.
Let us celebrate good policies, good ideas, innovation, hard work, accountability and service.
SUPPORT WHAT WE CLAIM TO WANT
We cannot demand a better Nigeria while refusing to support the people and businesses trying to build one.
If we want local industries to survive, we must patronize them.
If we want Nigerian businesses to grow, we must support them.
If we want innovation, we must encourage innovators.
If we want ethical leaders, we must give them respect and recognition.
If we want good policies, we must support policies because of their value to society, not simply because of who proposed them.
Our choices as citizens matter.
Every time we reward bad behaviour, we encourage more of it.
Every time we celebrate integrity, we encourage more people to embrace it.
THE NIGERIA WE WANT MUST BEGIN WITH US
We cannot wait until we become politicians before we decide to have integrity.
We cannot wait until we become governors, ministers, legislators or civil servants before we decide that public resources belong to the public.
We cannot wait until we occupy an office before we learn that leadership is about service.
The person you are today is the person you will take into public office tomorrow.
If we want honest leaders tomorrow, we must start producing and encouraging honest citizens today.
If we want responsible politicians, we must become responsible citizens.
If we want leaders who think about the next generation, we must stop thinking only about what we can gain today.
🇳🇬 66 YEARS — LET THIS BE A NEW CONVERSATION
After 66 years of independence, perhaps one of the greatest questions before us is not simply:
“Who will lead Nigeria?”
But:
“What kind of Nigerians are we becoming?”
Because Nigeria is not only its government.
Nigeria is us.
The politician is one of us.
The civil servant is one of us.
The businessman is one of us.
The teacher is one of us.
The student is one of us.
The community leader is one of us.
And the citizen demanding change is also one of us.
So let the change begin before we enter political office.
Let it begin in our homes.
Let it begin in our businesses.
Let it begin in our workplaces.
Let it begin in our institutions.
Let it begin in our communities.
Let us change what we celebrate.
Let us change what we reward.
Let us change what we tolerate.
Let us change what we encourage.
Let us begin to put country before personal interest, people before politics, values before wealth, integrity before influence, and long-term national development before immediate personal gain.
🇳🇬 Happy 66th Independence Anniversary, Nigeria.
May we not only celebrate the independence of our country.
May we also become independent from the mindset, values and behaviours that keep Nigeria from becoming what it can be.
The Nigeria we want begins with the Nigerians we choose to become.
🇳🇬 Nigeria First. People First. Values First.
Written by:
Chief Obinna Nwaka, FCAI
Director General, CYMS
Committee of Youths on Mobilization and Sensitization
