THE GOD OF MY LIFE

The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places, the goodliness of my heritage shone so bright today.  I have all the reasons to say to Him: you are the God of my Life, my anchor, my hope, the lifter of my head, the one who showers me with mercy, love and kindness, the one who answers my prayers.

 

My second son, Onyedikachi - the second of my Generals - turned 8 today. I remember that beautiful Sunday morning on the 20th day of November, 2005 when he came. He seemed in such a hurry to come conquer or how do you explain it.  My wife - the ''Acharaugo'' went into labour about 3am, contraction started gradually, but steadily.  I called up the Gynaecologist and he asked us to hit the clinic at the first break of daylight.  I prepared her, cleaned her up and was ready.  Shortly before 7am, I got her into the car, drove into the clinic at about 7am or a little past.  Barely 15 minutes later, Onyedikachi came forth, beautiful, sweet as I carried him in my arms - my second grand victory, his elder brother had come some 2 years before.  I had yet another grand victory, as my third General, Ifechukwu - my professor - was to come a little over 3 years after.

 

While I was still celebrating my son, the glorious bombshell of blessing came in from Norway - that great and enviable country in Europe. My younger brother, the one that sucked my mothers breast after me, the one whom limiting situations in Nigeria forced to run away in the hope of finding a good future and actualising his dreams, has just been graciously granted full rights to live freely, work and find fulfilment in that great country.

 

I am a strong believer in the equality of all men and women created by the Living God.  I strongly believe in the liberty of all to choose to call anywhere in the world home and to be freely allowed to do so if he/she has shown enough will, love and committment to the values and aspirations of such society.  True, I love my country of birth today.  Truer still, I love a few other countries very much.  In these, leadership has not failed the people, true nationalists, statesmen and lovers of the common good still abound - has always abounded. In these, every citizen, from the day of conception, matters and is loved to the best of the states abilities.  In these, citizens are ever prepared to die for fatherland or motherland, whichever you choose.

I am proud that the generation of my bloodline is extending beyound the boundaries of our origin.  I salute again, with great love and worship, the creator himself, the essence of life and the one who knows the end from the beginning.  I salute countries and governments of countries (past and present) of the world, who still give hope to peoples from such countries as mine today. They make us still believe that there can be a true nation state, serving her people in all facets and delivering enduring dividends of a true nation state - freedom, justice, equity, equal opportunities, love and care, etc.

I salute my beloved son, Onyedikach at 8.  I salute my beloved brother, Uchenna on his new status in an enviable country.  I enjoin him to serve and love the country in the best way possible and then soar to whatever heights he wishes.  See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and do no evil.  Fly the banner of our bloodline for we are noble.  Make mama proud, she is a woman of great honour, a mother hard to find.

To the GOD OF MY LIFE, than you so much faithful and loving father.

PORT HARCOURT – ENUGU EXPRESSWAY: A Beauty to Travel

Roads-good roads-are no doubt a critical infrastructure for national development and prosperity; call it transformation and you are correct.  To buttress, great roads, connects cities, towns, villages and hamlets. By so doing, cross border trade and commerce of all imaginable dimension thrives; movement of men, women, children and goods are safer, prompter and better cost effective.  What more, the risks of unnecessarily loosing skilled Nigerians- potential administrative messiahs of tomorrow- are either eliminated or greatly reduced.  When such occur, it will only be because of individual disregard to basic tenets of road usage, defensive driving if you like.

The Port Harcourt - Enugu federal expressway is one of such numerous excellent roads in the south-east/south-south Nigeria.  I had the honor of traveling this road few days ago- I have not in a very long while- and it was great joy of a travel that I had.  Built in the late seventies and recently reconstructed by the federal government of Nigeria, this important precursor of movement, trade, commerce and integration for the people of south-east and south-south Nigeria, is a perfect example of what roads- transformation associated roads- should be in the region specifically and the country in general.

The recent reconstruction was as a result of the deft political and administrative moves of governors of the south-east states, supported all the way by those of the south-south. Realizing the importance of this road to the economies and peoples of the region, the governors had engaged and pressured the central government endlessly.  It got to the point where they resorted to carrying placards to Aso Rock Villa, demanding not just the reconstruction of the road in question, but other economically critical roads in the region.  While they were on this, senators and legislators of the region also joined suit, literally carrying placards in the upper and lower chambers of the national assemby. Their fights paid off and today, we have the beauty of a road, the Port Harcourt- Enugu Expressway. 

My recent travel on this road commenced somewhere on east-west road, very near to Eleme junction in Port Harcourt.  The east west road itself was another beauty of a road to behold, at least the little I saw from where my journey commenced.  From here, we navigated to Eleme junction, then to Oyigbo (Obigbo?), then to Aba, Umuahia, Okigwe and then the Enugu stretch, a few kilometers to Awgu/Mgbowoh junction, popularly called “aki n  ukwa junction” in reference to a local food delicacy commonly sold in this area.  By the time we got to this junction, we had done four hours.  Back in the days (before the recent reconstruction), this would normally take between one hour forty five minutes and two hours.  The remaining stretch is just about thirty minutes before you hit Enugu. All this would be at national permitted speed limits on such roads.

Why did we choose to do this stretch in four hours when we could have done so in two or a little less?  Answer, we were busy admiring the beauty of the road; stopping severally to closely admire the construction and accompanying embellishments at specific areas on the road.  We saw a number of haulage vehicles (trailers) parked on the road at numerous points, and the drivers/passengers admiring the road.  In several instances, goods and materials- bags of garri, flour, cement, food items, raw materials, name it- where seen offloaded by the road sides, and in some places in the middle of the road. Why?.  The people so loved the road that they did not want to complete their journeys quickly. They wanted to waste as much time as possible on the road, possibly sleep over so they can fully savour its beauty and have enough stories to tell others who have not been opportuned to travel on this great and beautiful road.

In some instances, vehicle drivers were so lost in admiration that they did not know when their vehicles skipped the road limit and toppled over, causing loss of lives and heavy damage to goods.  However, the people concerned expressed happiness at the occurrences, insisting that the beauty of the road far outweighed their losses-neither the government nor the road were to blame.  It was as interesting as it was intriguing- I still wonder.  One other wonder on this road was a particular segment, in a community (cannot recall now) situated between Okigwe and the junction leading to Ishiagu-the home to Crushed Rock Industries, an important quarry industry.  This community is home to a cattle garage (popularly referred to as Gariki), which used to be located within the Okigwe area.  Here, scores of haulage vehicles have almost taken over this great dual carriage way. Why? They have all parked to admire the wonder and beauty of a road, especially the exquisite mini-resort, built to enable travelers stop and refresh before continuing their journey.  We had to also stop and park as there was no way we could continue unless the other folks moved their vehicles.  We had to take it easy before somebody snapped on us, possibly wondering why we could not appreciate the wonder they had stopped/parked to admire for only a while?  Finally, we got into Enugu after nearly five hours of travelling (should have been under two and a half back in the days), on the great and beautiful Port Harcourt-Enugu Expressway, recently reconstructed by the federal government of Nigeria.

On getting home, we refreshed and got down to talking, discussing, sharing/comparing notes.  We praised first, the peoples governors/governments in the states of the south-east.  We also praised the south-south governors for their love and support. We did not forget the state assemblies and their leaderships; they were the ones that kept the governors on the edges of their seats until justice was achieved in regard to this great road.  Then we stood up for the federal lawmakers of south-east extraction, they are true sons and daughters of the region-selfless, committed, just and upright, thinking day and night of the wellbeing and happiness of their people.  We did not forget the support of governors and legislatos from other political and economic zones of the country. They are also spearheading such transformations in their regions.  Posterity will not forget their labours for the genuine transformation of the regions of Nigeria?  And then the biggest one, we praised and praised and praised the government at the centre.  Ofcourse, we recognized the untiring and sacrificial efforts of successive ministers under whose supervision, the region witnessed such amazing transformation in road infrastructure. Next we hear is that a committee has been set up to map out strategy for sustaining and improving on the success achieved. The committee will be headed by an elder statesman?, an achiever of no mean status.

The reconstruction of this road has no doubt opened up fresh vista for the south-east region and her neighbors.  The gains associated with such first class infrastructure are unimaginable and the region will be the better for it.  The larger Nigeria will benefit too.

Wait a minute, is this real?  I mean is this true of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway or any other of its magnitude in the south-east?  Have you travelled this road recently or do you know of any friend from the region you could ask?  Better still, go find out first hand.  I bet you, the opposite, stark opposite of what has been described will stare you in the face.  Do not venture into this nightmare of a road, such an important one at that.

 

God bless, help and keep Nigeria at 52

A DESPONDENT YOUTH PRAYER FOR NIGERIA

Father God, your humble servant, a youth of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous and arguably most gifted black nation come to you this day on my knees and totally humbled.  I come trembling, confused and fearful – yes father really fearful – as I think of my beloved country which recently reached a landmark age, golden jubilee it is called.  I come knowing that you can do everything and no counsel of yours can be withheld from you’’.

It is clear to me that the counsel of your heart for Nigeria was aptly captured in the speeches and utterances of our founding fathers, heroes past and friends when Nigeria was born nearly 52 years ago - as an independent nation.  These were men and women whom you put your Spirit into at the time, to prophesy concerning the child just born into the world, I mean into the comity of sovereign and free nations. Permit me to say Lord God that they were your prophets.  They were your prophets because they spoke (prophesied) of a great and prosperous child-Nigeria, a nation capable of rising to the status of or even above such great nations as America.  They spoke of a nation which, considering its enormous latent and visible resources, (human, natural, rich diversity, etc), will in no time begin to run and then go on to set great records in the world stage.  Such records were to include: a just and egalitarian nation; a nation whose landscape is decorated with choice and enviable infrastructure – educational, social, etc; a nation of imposing industries, providing more jobs than her well educated and trained citizenry could fill; a nation of men and women who will always recognize that there is dignity in labour – honest, hardworking, incorruptible people.

Father, this popular saying has it that ‘‘life begins at 40’’.  In the case of my beloved country, child-Nigeria, she turned 40 years ago, but is yet to begin life.  I say so because at nearly 52 years, none of the prophesies about her have come to concrete fulfilment and as a youth of this country, this is really disheartening, to say the least.  Father, You and I know that the non-fulfilment of these prophesies are not because they were false or that you have withdrawn your authority on them, far from this. The truth is that the men and women who over the years have received/handed down the baton of leadership from our founding fathers have failed us woefully.

Mighty God, I remember the stories and profiles of our founding fathers.  My late father (who died battered and disenchanted by the Nigerian system in my early university days), told me a lot of the stories and I corroborated most of what he told me from what I read in print.  They were selfless men and women, true statesmen, visionaries, leaders out to imprint their names in the sands of history.  They were people whose words and lives inspired awe, patriotism and hard work.  They offered themselves to serve.  They got into the struggle for a sovereign nation, inspired by the spirit of service and because they believed in the Nigerian cause.  They were not opportunists, looters, liars, greedy and corrupt men and women.  They had their weaknesses, yes, but their spirit of service far outweighed whatever weaknesses they had.  I do not lose sight of the fact that they were mortals.

Father God, I do not wish to bother you with the many things that dishearten and make me tremble about my country Nigeria. I will break down enumerating the details.  During our Golden Jubilee Celebrations, I listened to men and women at different fora speak and enumerate the various reasons for our woes.  They also tried hard to proffer a way forward for my beloved country.   They believed (and spoke out), that we have not lost it all and that we have another 50 years to get restored.   As I listened, I cried and the same time rejoiced. Yes, I rejoiced because I realized all hope is not lost, not with the country brimming with such fine and articulate minds, such as I listened to.  Yes father, there is hope because I sense the crystallization of thoughts and deliberate choices of good people in Nigeria – hearts and choices saying one thing, we can rise up from today and possess it. And I know that you are ever willing to order and prosper our good collective choices.

And so FATHER GOD, I pray you today to please help Nigeria to truly begin life as we set our sights on the so much talked about year 2020, when we would have added another decade to our existence – clocking 60 years.    You waited for us to begin earlier, but we were not ready.  You encouraged us when we turned 40, but again we were not ready.  We have passed the landmark age of 50 years, we are 52 in few months from now and it is still doubtful - yes doubtful to me - if we are ready to start life.  LORD GOD, the tunes have suddenly changed and I fear for the worst. We are no longer just grappling with the heavy burden of corruption, failed leadership, decaying institutions and systems- including a near moribund educational system and the like; it is now the heavier burden of terrorism - brothers killing brothers with reckless abandon as a way of making their points, expressing their grievances or enforcing what they want- whatever these means.  What was never imagined by our founding fathers - your prophets of old has suddenly crept in upon us and is threatening to blow us and our oneness to shreds - so it appears to me LORD.

Questions are being raised all around, most bordering on our oneness as a sovereign, united nation - with peoples of different/distinct cultures and cleavages.  Should the different cleavages go their separate ways?  Should they remain one or may be enter into some kind of arrangement that still portrays oneness?  LORD GOD, the questions are as myriad as they are fearful - yes, really fearful.

In all these LORD, I choose to believe that 2020 will come upon us and so I pray; help us to begin to live.  I can hear the resounding response of the youth of Nigeria, my generation, saying Amen.  I know they are also following recent developments.  Fear, doubt, despondency, etc. are also welling up in their minds.  Nevertheless, I know they want their country to begin living and so I pray.  Help us to begin to walk right, obeying the laws of our country and your Holy laws.  During elections, may we be ready to make our votes count, to probe deeply before we cast our votes.  Help us to reject the use of mundane things and empty promises to fool us, impose mediocrities upon us and further mortgage our future and those of our children. It is easy to decipher empty promises because the pedigree and antecedents of those making such are well known by us.  Yes, these are well known unless we pretend and chose to remain fools.  But father, may you not allow us to. We are ready to hold accountable those that we vote, (yes I mean vote because our votes must count), or those appointed into positions of authority, to help us steward our country’s resources – your good gifts to us.

May we no longer take the position of indifference and just allow people we put in positions to do what they want. No, never again.  May we resolve never to be found wanting again in the discharge of our civic responsibilities first to Nigeria, but beginning from our families and local communities.  May we resolve to engage at all times, in honest job and living, knowing that our labours will never go unrewarded.   May we resolve that come the year 2020, when we celebrate our 60 years of nationhood, we shall be busy reflecting on how great we have lived life.  We shall also be rigorously strategizing on how to consolidate on our great achievements as a united sovereign nation.   

LORD, may it be that in 2020, we will be telling the stories of present happenings - especially terrorism - and how we overcame as a people with your help and mercies.  I have read stories of countries that passed through near crippling internal developments - may be close to or even worse than ours - and yet overcame.

And so LORD, my eyes are on 2020 and I know it s possible with you.  Thank you Lord. Amen.

SHOULD THIS OIL DRY UP FOR A SEASON?

This is about my beloved country Nigeria.  She is blessed with, among other natural resources, oil and gas resources. Her proven reserve of this resource places her among the top bracket globally.  And we all know the wealth that this releases to the nation; providing her the capacity to meet her stately functions/obligations to her people.  Has this happened?  Has this resource and the attendant wealth brought us the good it is meant to, the very reason the LOVING GOD gave so much of it to us?  You and I know the answers.  I will not belabor this, neither will I begin another round of lamentation over this – so much tears already and much more, so much blood and much more.

I have been thinking and silently praying – I have not been bold to pray aloud because I am afraid that the LORD GOD as usual may just honor my prayers and that would be it.  What is it I have been thinking?  It that “may be this oil resources should dry up for a season and time – God should just hold back”.  A kind of famine, but this time, on our oil resource.  May be for 10-20 years or a little more – call it Vision 2022 – 2032.

Some of you my friends may wonder and even think that I am going nuts – after all, I am also a beneficiary by reason of my employment.  But it is not about me or you, it is about us and ours – those here today and those yet unborn.

But why have I been thinking and silently praying about this?  May be when the oil resource dries up, we will all go to work, putting our intellect, energies, strengths, ingenuities, etc to honest work.  Our River Basins, the oil palm plantations and associated mills; the cocoa farms, etc will come alive again.  Our vast arable lands will be put to work again.  The not so arable ones will be engineered to become arable and productive, made possible by an educational system that will be robust, alive to the challenges and realities.  Then we will labor to make money (dignity in labor you would say) and then pay our taxes accordingly – no evasions.   Our taxes will then be used to remunerate those that we elect to help us discharge the functions of state at the local, state and federal levels.  This will mean that they can only be remunerated to the extent that our taxes allow (no jumbo pay or arbitrary setting of pay structures), because we also need to set aside enough to deal with development and social matters – infrastructure, education, health, power, sports, etc. 

Have you caught my drift? When we pay taxes from our hard earned money – gotten from rigorous application of our talents and energies – you can be sure that we will stand up and be quick to ask question about the use to which our money is put at every point in time.  Aspiration to public office will only be for going to render service – help guard the wealth of the future generation. It will become less attractive and much persuasion will be required to convince a man or woman to aspire to go serve the people.  And only those who have shown enough dignity in labor will be allowed to go in.  And woe betides that one who will attempt to mess with the mandate or tax of the people, earned from dignified labor.

You already know that the flowing oil resource is the real reason for the scramble for political offices today, with the attendant killings, etc.  In nearly 98% of the times, the talk about service is far from it. You also know that we seldom complain (this seem to be changing today), because the waste and robberies of the national resource do not have direct impact on our person.  It is oil money, not that from all of our taxes.  Note that most of those of us who pay the heavier taxes – out of compulsion though – are direct/indirect beneficiaries of the oil wealth and never really care. Why because the balance after the tax deductions still give more than adequate comfort.  Am I saying these ones do not work hard? Far from it, I am one also.  But I am thinking differently.

This oil and its associated wealth was (and still is, I believe) meant for our good - Nigeria/Nigerians good.  But did the Holy Bible not say (talking literarily) that we should cut off one hand, if that hand is proving to be our albatross?  Am I not right in thinking the way I do now, may be going ahead to even pray out and ask the LORD GOD concerning this?  What have we to show for this so much?  What can I really relate to my children today regarding the contradiction in my country – meant for good, but looking like for evil?  This morning, one of them asked me exactly what I do in the office that I go everyday – leaving very early and coming in most times so late. I tried to explain, but I am sure I have not explained well enough. I am sure he will come back with this question soonest.

When I do sit down to explain to him, can I in my passion finish explaining without delving into the history of oil resource and attendant wealth regarding Nigeria? Will I not talk about other countries blessed with the same resource as we are and how they have fared?  Will he not want to know why his fatherland has not fared well like others and possibly not better?  What will I answer? I fear the gruesome task of having to recount and lament to him.  I fear. I really dread.  How about you?

I am convinced that if only the LORD GOD can give us this famine – dry the resource for a season, the best in us will be brought out.  After all, is it not said that necessity is the mother of invention?  In real life and from ancient stories, adversity has a way of bringing the best out of a man or people as the case may be.  This happening can become a turning point in our national history.  These are my thoughts and I am persuaded to make it my vocal prayers.  What is your take my friend?

Truly Yours