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Talking to you, man in the mirror (2)

By Femi Ajayi
26 March 2015   |   6:22 am
WHAT change are you making to the environment with non-payment of five months salaries, or three months pensions or those that have unfulfilled promises of almost four years past, for another four years of promises when there would be no race again.

CHANGE from yesterday
WHAT change are you making to the environment with non-payment of five months salaries, or three months pensions or those that have unfulfilled promises of almost four years past, for another four years of promises when there would be no race again.

Talking to the recipients of the news and the one that was promised; take a look at yourself in the Mirror, assess yourself, whether you have been measuring up to the expectations of the people.

Talking to you as you refused to show your solidarity for your candidate during his campaigns. You have a hidden agenda by assembling your people to line behind your candidate, strip him naked from his people at every campaign gathering.

I am talking to you for hiding agenda of your group, thwarting a group from having its full eight-year rotational presidency. You have polarized the country along ethnic, and, mostly religious lines; you confused Nigerians on how their votes should go in March 28 and April 11, the 2015 election.

You yearn for the unconstitutional interim national government, obstructing the constitutional provision for the succession process for the President. In case the President is incapacitated, VP takes over, in case, the two of them were incapacitated, the Senate President takes over. Nothing legitimizes interim national government.

Take a look at yourself in the mirror and make a change. The Mirror is where you see your mischievous actions for using security and corruption as electorate’s baits. The military used it to usher itself into governance, which resulted into the 30-month Nigerian civil war.

The Nigerian military finally made corruption an established public work-place-culture. You know that increasing the prison population with corrupt individuals, would not prevent corruption; until the defective structure of Nigerian government is tackled. Make that decision to resolve the issue of corruption starting with ‘Enemies Within’. There is an African proverb that says, “A leader without good advisers is like a blind man being led by a child.”

You are as guilty as the past Nigerian leaders on the issue of corruption. The day there will be accountability, transparency, corruption could be minimised.

As a sponsor of Boko Haram, making Nigeria a challenging country to govern, true to your words, take a look at yourself in the mirror, and make a change. Boko Haram has been in Nigeria since about 2009 unstopped.

The commander is back with full military welcome from Boko Haram honour of medal as you prolong efforts in stopping or bringing Boko Haram activities under control.

Chopping off the snake’s head half-way, enhances the danger in the environment, and could be more dangerous to the environment. Nigerians deserve a peaceful environment to live their life.

You continue to fuel the insurgents capitalizing on your failure to marshal diplomacy to rally allies across the world and isolate threats.

You prevented effective armed forces to overpower the insurgents; some strong anti-terrorism legislation; the intelligent services to detect and defeat or avoid threats from the Boko Haram group, as well as using or applying counterintelligence services to protect the citizens from the Boko Haram and get hold of the sponsors and starve Boko Haram of resources for its activities.

I am talking to you for your unintelligent silence policies on the security of that part of the country based on using that as election bait, catching the electorate. You watched as Boko Haram destroyed the meagre economy of the north, because you know them and refused to talk to them or advise them to stop.

Does low-level education grievance, which Boko Haram initially kicked against, legitimises its atrocities? Start changing your attitude. The social ills of the society that display homelessness, people without money, food and clothes, roaming about in the streets, lost hope and dreams. You realise how fortunate you are. You turn sightless to the plight of the poor. You must start with yourself.

Do something. Make a change to make positive difference. It bugs down to one thing in life, your attitude. Let us do a little mental exercise of the twenty-six letters A-Z; A is equal to 1 and Z with 26. A(1), B(2), C(3), D(4), E(5), F(6), G(7), H(8), I(9), J(10), K(11), L(12), M(13), N(14), O(15), P(16), Q(17), R(18), S(19), T(20), U(21), V(22), W(23), X(24), Y(25), Z(26). These words hardwork, knowledge, love, luck, money, and leadership are very important in our life. None of these makes a 100 per cent.

Most of Nigeria’s challenges are self-made. Most worry is unnecessary; 40 per cent of all things we worry about never came to pass; 30 per cent of all our worries involve past decisions that cannot be changed; 12 per cent focus on criticism from others who spoke because they felt inferior; 10 per cent are related to our health, which gets worse when we worry; eight per cent of our worries could be described as ‘legitimate’ causes for concern.

Less than one “problem” in every 10 that we worry about is a real concern. All the others are things that we can learn to see differently or eliminate.

Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude, which is 100 per cent. It is, therefore, our attitude towards Life and Work that makes our life 100 per cent successful.

You are always reminded to stay away from anger either publicly and in private, it hurts only you. If you are right, then there is no need to get angry, and if you are wrong, then you do not have any right to get angry. Patience with family is love; patience with others is respect. The man in the mirror; take a good look at yourself, respect yourself, and make a change. • Concluded

• Femi Ajayi is a Professor of Policy, Management & Conflict Resolution, at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State

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