For a country to develop there must be a
determined will to march in progress on the part of all the
citizens the rulers and the ruled alike . It requires a sense of
dedication to the course of
progress . Determination and dedication
form the bedrock of progress and any
country that lacks this is doomed. Here lies our (Nigeria ) major problem and
obstacle to progress. We have not
had the luck of having leaders who
are completely committed to the course of nation building. We have not had men and women who are rather prepared to
render if possible
selfless service to the country.
This is why our leaders can
often afford to spend huge sums of
money in buying obsolete machines for
our use just because they are assured
of 10% as a bribe.
This is why appointments into
posts are made on the basis of
man-know-man’ as the slang goes in Nigeria. This is why key
industries are to be located not in the places best suited for them but rather
in the place that best suit those in
power.
This is why contracts are awarded not to those who can most effectively execute their assignments but to those who have
something to offer . Because the leaders do not show good examples the
ruled cannot be expected to
do better. Everyone is only out to see a way of getting his own
share of the ‘national cake’ even when he has
not contributed to the baking and
does not even know where that cake is being baked.
For the entire region
of West Africa to become developed there is need for a reorientation.
There is need for personal dedication to
the course of justice and to the course
of progress not just of the
individual but of the entire
nation. The moment we have the right
people in power is the moment much of our
problems are solved. For one thing,
dedicated and enlightened
leadership will lead to a better
combination of the scarce resources for the development of the country.