aRe tHe bEst tHinGs in NiGeRia tRuLLy fRee?

They say the best things in Life are free! Being a Nigerian does bring a certain level of complexity to that statement. Coming from a Nation where everything is generally designed to keep the strong in power, the rich, richer and the poor, even poorer; it is hard to accept that statement. I stopped having blind optimism about our hopes on becoming a developed country, though this doesn't mean i stopped being patriotic. Why? well as long as i am not in the sphere of the powerful leaders yet and cannot even get a glimpse of their activities, i cannot continue to believe in the good will they so proclaim.

I have come to learn that nothing happens by accident in this country. Like the former CBN governor Malam Sanusi once said the issue of vested interests is our biggest challenge yet, but is it really not a problem even in the developed world? I tweeted yesterday that everything in life revolves around relationships, so at the end of the day words like 'Merit' are hardly in our vocabulary as a nation. As i have always said, nobody owes any one anything in this life not your parents (save for caring for you in your formative years and providing a good education), not your government (that is if it is not clear to you already that majority of the officials in our polity are not there for any one but themselves). 

In a country where the average Nigerian generates his own power, provides his own security, provides his own jobs, there is hardly ever any need for dependence on the government. But then again it is so hard to make any grand nationwide impact as a citizen without being in the above mentioned sphere.

I also understand that as a Leader it is hard to please everyone, but there will forever remain that middle ground of performance acceptance that both the governed and the government can agree on. I also think its only human nature to pick people or individuals you have established a relationship with over individuals on merit. That relationship is what creates that edge over people who truly deserve that job or position. We need to accept the fact that we are a peculiar Nation and those peculiarities need to be adapted to by any one willing to make a difference. So my advice to those looking to make any impact as far as the government is concerned is to build meaningful relationships in your chosen endeavor. Nothing good comes easy, nothing is ever free and there will always be a price to pay.

-- @gozzim