{MUST READ] The tale of Nigeria: Transformation without Transformer; Change without Changer By Damilola Ayodele

Being a Nigerian is a blessing but being a patriot is a bigger happiness. Knowing and inquiring to understand the state of affairs of the country is a healing and the history of our polity-heated and unheated-surely brings joy to the heart of a critical thinker-where we were, where we are and what the future holds for posterity. Being cynical makes it interesting emanating from this clan of the world because a lot that appeals to the regular mind means less to a cynical heart and also what seems perfect is dead-impossible to a critical thinker-as perfection is but the sweetest and most delicious aberration... 

Nigeria is sure and undoubtedly blessed with all things-from natural resources to human resources; from religion diversity to ethnic difference; from most corrupt team to the greatest saint personalities; from the brightest technocrats to the worst policy makers-we are a people with all blessing at our doorstep. Eulogizing Nigeria is undoubtedly my hobby because being a Nigerian is more a blessing than a curse and a grace than a disfavour from Divinity...

Now, the politics of the country called Nigeria is but one that needs to be saluted and respected because of its uniqueness. But it has never been so divided through ethno-religious boundary this much in history, all thanks to the two major competing parties courtesy their sympathizers and supporters, their name calling agents and e-rodents that have done more harm than good to the average Nigerian mind of what the future holds for them while trying to win them to their own school of leadership. And worst still their slogans which a critical, cynical and intelligent mind would see as more stereotypical than logical-Transformation and Change...

Does a country called Nigeria needs reformation or better still Transformation? Sure, every economy needs to be transformed-from worse to better or otherwise-because the technological development of the world is gone beyond it was yesteryears and we need to transform with the moving train so as not to be a blast from the past. But transformation should be more than just a slogan but an act, it should be a lifestyle not a publication...

Transformation is really a solution to our problem as a Nation. But the deep rooted questions we might have to ask ourselves are these "Who is the agent behind the Transformation-The Transformer?", "Is it about the party or the personality?", "What are the caliber of transformers we should hope for?" And many more question before we attest to the slogan Transformation. I think a tenure should not be tagged until the apparent end of its responsibility to its citizenry and not a political party appealing to the literary taste bud of some innocent and gullible citizens...

But if Transformation is about bloodletting, loss of lives, gross corruption, lack of respect for humanity and misplaced priority with authority and power, then I will never pray for Transformation. If Transformation is devoid of the understanding of what the people lack and need as patriot and loyal citizens of the nation, then I will never look for Transformation. If Transformation is a personalized concern and not the people being served oriented, then I will stay in my suffering and detest Transformation more than the killer Ebola Virus...

Because the real Transformation starts from the transformer and its not an easy task wanting or daring to be a transformer, you will surely be labelled 'the illusionist' and 'the radical'. You will be seen as a threat to the existing protocol and modus-operandi. You will be seen as the defiler of the law and a rebel to status quo. But who are the transformers we have in our beloved country? How far have they gone to transform and purge themselves from within before they can deface our challenges? How well do they know about history to fight the canker worms and legion of locusts that has desecrated our common wealth? I sure leave the vacuum for us to fill because I haven't found yet an appropriate answer...

Now talking Change-the most inevitable occurrence in existence beside death-which even the best of Nations will crave for, the worst economy will pray for and the dying creature will dearly hope for. Nigeria surely need a change, from the mental configuration of the average citizen to the apex in power; from the dilapidated economy to the ill-equipped education sector; from the many ghost workers in the MDAs to the inexperienced doctors in our hospitals; from the unemployable graduates on our streets to the unlearned engineers in our industries; from the kidnapping and abuses in the deep South to the grave insecurity and unrest in the extreme North. We so dearly need a Change in this country because it is the only and major supplication we can render to Divinity...

But the Change painted to our faces by our political actors seems like a beautiful story told to a little, young and inexperience child about a world out of his imagination. He was thereby forced to fantasize, imagine and wonder what the future is like, he will grow to have a riveted understanding of life-he is for sure as useless as dead. He was bent to live a dreaming existence because he will crave for the wonderland he has been told at childhood unless his psyche is adjusted to the real and deep rooted definition of Change...

We cry for Change at every corner of the country and my understand became lost in the deep understand of what Change is. Because if the Change we want is about a cabal of people craving and fighting for power instead of the interest of the people, then that Change needs deep and reflective redefinition. If the Change we talk about is all about a group that are embittered striving to take their pound of flesh, then we need to readjust our focus to the right direction. If our Change is that of a person whom has borrowed capital to contest whilst his wife gave out a huger amount to Charity, then we are only salivating an impossible future. If the Change we crave is buried in an inexplicable and uncertain future or discussions, then our present wobbled leg is better than a strange straight leg in the pluto...

Conclusively, above political slogans and abuse of literary definition of words, Our Nation is in dear need of Leaders and less political gladiators. And Kingsley N.T. Bangwell gave a very outstanding definition of a leader when he said " A Leader is someone who can display a required COMPETENCE processed through CHARACTER and inspired by a compelling VISION to improve the state of a PEOPLE or THINGS"...

We desperately need Transformation but we crave more for Genuine Transformers; we unapologetically need Change but we thirst more for Sincere Changers. We are more in need of a passionate head than a political player, and a visionary arrowhead than an empty gong!!!

Damilola Ayodele

dammex_007@yahoo.co.uk