Nigeria @ 56: Understanding its vision, values, focus

Nigeria is 56. It gained independence in 1960. The celebration of its yearly anniversary has always provided time for reflection on where the nation is and where it is headed. This year is not different from that mirror image.
For 56 years, it has been a chequered history as Nigeria has witnessed its ups and downs with more of its people disillusioned on the stunted growth of the economy, especially on the increasing poverty and poor level of quality life. Nigerians see and watch with despair the inefficiency of various sectors coupled with bad leadership and mismanagement of the abundant national resources.
This does not give them hope and the consequence is growing irresponsibility by the led and the leadership. This manifests in various forms of crime, including corruption, stealing of government property, kidnapping, killing, attempts at secession, militancy, destruction of national assets, terrorism, degradation of values, driving against traffic, selling of substandard products in the face of authorities and denigration of Nigerian image by the citizens and all sorts of irrational acts indicative of a chaotic state.
Simply put by some marketing communication practitioners, denigration of Nigeria is engineered and contrived from home, as Nigerians rarely reverence their country locally and internationally. “There is nothing Nigerians enjoy more, both the lowly and the highly placed, than to denigrate their nation, even in the midst of foreign audiences, laying bare to them all our dirty linen”. This is coupled with weak defenses of the country by Nigeria’s chief operating officers who are assisted by international media to rubbish the country.
Larger percentage of the unpatriotic and less-concerned attitude exemplified by Nigerians to their country could be traced to poor marketing of the nation by the country’s CEOs. Again, the poor marketing is informed by lack of clear vision and values that bind the country.
It could be assumed that the nation’s vision and values are entrenched in the National Anthem and the Pledge. But when those recently screened for ambassadorial appointments and other high ranking Nigerians could not effectively recite the National Anthem and the Pledge, it spoke volume on the lost national direction and values, much more sticking to them.
Nigeria can begin a re-birth at 56. First, is to enthrone, promote and inculcate in Nigerians the vision and values that guide it as a nation that is presently lost. The importance of this is for the citizens’ clear understanding of the nation’s strategic direction. It would also assist to explain the nation’s purpose, who we are and where we are going to. This, obviously, would help in guiding attitudes and communication at both international and local events.
Second, Nigeria with enormous resources has been poorly marketed. The country’s CEOs speak in discordant tunes about the country and this is largely due to lack of clear direction and vision for the country. As it is, Nigeria is a theatre of different performers. We therefore need a leader who will guide the stage and clearly spell the rules and direction for national cohesion in all strata.
Third, a lot of Nigerians feel estranged and alienated from the national polity as if the country belongs to a few people. The upper class gets information and justice quicker than the lower class. They have introduced plea bargain for themselves to the chagrin of Nigerians. Some regions get national appointments than others. This creates disaffection. The leadership should take the bull by the horns and right the wrongs.
More so, we think that frequent communication about the running of the government is urgently needed to bridge the gaps existing between the upper class and the led.
In our opinion, we have lost our values and this must be restored quickly. This is not going to be easy but the leadership, instead of the led, should lead by example. They should believe in this country, attend Nigerian hospitals, buy Nigerian-made goods and use them in public places and speak about Nigeria in good light and this will cascade down. In spite of its downs, Nigeria at 56 is still a great country and we all must join hands to lift it. Congratulations Nigeria on 56 anniversary.