By Ikemsinachi Bobo Okafor
The only way Nigeria and Africa's problems generally can be solved is by creating and encouraging sound minds that will steer the affairs of the African nations without personal gains by the citizens and the elected democratic leaders and negative influences from the Western world on the governments and nations of Africa.
And to say the least, Africa as a continent, is not as united as those of the Western countries. The average black man now, follow a standard set by the Western world, that only a few are productive. Education is the key no doubt. Now, young students in the Universities like us are compelled to study courses that we really have no interest in or need as careers in respect to the dynamic world we are in today.
That's the one problem. The Nigerian nation is collapsing because of: corruption, bad governance, lack of productivity and over-dependence on imported Western products.
It all comes down to our misconception of a growing nation. If you look closely, you will discover that most graduates of tertiary institutions today have come to realize that it is not going to the university to read what we call 'anyhow course' that will guarantee success in this country. Forget Nigeria's current state now, if you have something to offer, it is best you start, no matter how small it may look.
I have come to realize that the outcome of tomorrow is not judged by what today's people said it will be. The faith of this country lies in our thinking and positioning for a better tomorrow. My mother always tells me to look for a little problem affecting my immediate environment and see how I can solve it, which is what I put into practice no matter how little.
Therefore, if everyone can think this way, I see no reason why the Western world will be exploiting our country and other African States on the continent. And this predatory situation might linger on till eternity because most Nigerians are so fixated on what someone called "succeeding alone", a temporary situation of economic convenience that some Nigerians use as a medium to oppress the next person.
Most Nigerians are not talking about succeeding to uplift the nation. If you check critically, such a group of Nigerians are only a few that succeed and still desire to portray the country in a positive light. This ugly trend can be improved if we put our country first in all respect.
That is the spirit that we need as citizens. That is how we can solve our problems as Nigerians, as Africans. The summary of it all is that we are our problems, if, indeed, we look deep enough!
...Ikemsinachi Bobo Okafor is a final-year student of Mechanical Engineering in one of the nation's Federal Universities. He is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). NNL.
