One of the biggest responsibilities we have as Nigerians right now in our bid for good governance is to get our government to listen. Almost all of us would agree that this isn’t easy. The big reason—I think—is that we have forgotten how to talk to the government.
The government also has encouraged the problem by talking to us like a bunch of bureaucrats half the time and treating us like children the other half. Now, I think it’s time to try some common sense. The reality of a new era is gradually unfolding, with the ushering of a new Administration. The policies and programs of the government of the day are daring and sometimes excruciating and still we have to braze up to keep afloat, come what may. Aside from intensifying prayers for our leaders at all strata, it is pertinent to reiterate at this juncture of our history as a nation, that surviving these times demands every one of us to apply common sense, to adjust our lifestyles and approach in life generally. It is the obligation of every well-meaning citizen to wish his/her country and its leadership, success. But before wishes become realities, we must constantly bear in mind that success has its ingredients—just like a good cheeseburger.
Also, we ought to
realize that there are all kinds of success and all kinds of ways to achieve it.
Sometimes you can spot true success, sometimes you can’t. Success can take many
forms, but one thing is for sure: The ingredients for success are basically the
same for everyone and every Nation. For any government to succeed the world
over, it must be one that listens to its subjects and is open to critical analysis of its policies before implementation. Its
citizens must be up and doing in making their views heard, without any fear of
being harassed or intimidated. Talking to the government must be seen as a civic
responsibility, which if not faithfully done may spell doom for both the
government and the governed alike.
However, in our bid to
perform this civic responsibility of engaging our leaders at all cadres of
governance, productively, effectively and within the ambit of the law, there
ought to be some sort of inward retrospective self-search; a kind of getting
your own acts together. Success in this wise starts from inside. Unless your
own attitude and beliefs are right, you can never be a success to the world around
you. That goes for being successful in raising your family, Community and
Nation, or just making a buck. People never really have their act together
unless three things are true about them: They are honest, they believe in
something and they have good basic discipline. Honesty isn’t black and white.
In fact, many good people may look at honesty backwards: They think that it’s
okay if they don’t come forward with the whole truth until someone challenges
them with the right questions. Honesty doesn’t mean hiding in the weeds; it
means stepping out and telling the truth. It means being sincere. It also means
being fair in your dealings and agreements. Honesty and integrity are twins for
me; not quite identical, but pretty close. You have to have values to be
honest. That is why honesty has to be the number one ingredient for
anyone praying for this nation to succeed. Faith is the number two ingredient.
Your convictions are what you believe in, and your faith is the strength you
have to go on believing, even when those convictions are challenged. Respect
for people of other beliefs who have convictions and faith every bit as
heartfelt as mine. We must understand basically that conviction and faith don’t
amount to much unless they have a positive message and a positive goal. Most of
all, you have to live out your own faith. Don’t wear it on your sleeves.
Instead, roll up your short sleeves and do something about what you believe in!
Finally, in our bid to
get our government to listen to us, on our path, we must understand and accept
the fact that routine is at the heart of discipline. Routine is what keeps us
focused on the basic and main things in life. Routine doesn’t have to mean
boring. And unless we have a strong, healthy routine, I doubt that we can live
a successful life, ditto for our leaders and the nation at large. Discipline
means keeping things and people in their proper places. For example, as taxpayers we should discipline our politicians so that they don’t get too uppity.
Children need discipline too—plenty more than most of them get—and that’s more
the fault of the parents than the kids. Discipline means direction—not physical
or mental abuse. It also helps us keep track of our own thinking and keep it
simple and to the point so that we don’t mess up, trying to talk to our own
government by dreaming up fancy, big-shot thoughts when we don’t need to.
In our attempt to feel the pulse of Nigerians since the inauguration of this new government, Countdown travelled down to Confluence Town to have a chat with the Archbishop of Lokoja Province, His Grace, Emmanuel A.S. Egbunu, PhD, the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Lokoja, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). He is also the President of the just concluded tenth Synod of the Diocese which held between the 20th-23rdJuly, 2023. His Grace was kind enough to make out time out of his tight schedule to have a Pre-Synod Press Interview with the Editor of Countdown, Taiyelolu Ojo, where he shared his views on the contemporary issues faced by the Church of God and our Nation, Nigeria and the solutions he proffered. Please sit back and enjoy.
Welcome to our 22nd Anniversary edition. It has indeed been about Him, who found us worthy of such a journey. Thank you all for staying with us all these years. Happy Reading.
Editor,
Taiyelolu Ojo
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