HAPPY DAYS ARE COMING
The time has come when
we must strive to build a great society that works for all of us; where every
child has an equal chance to be educated, no child goes to school hungry, where
every young man and woman who needs a job can find one, the sick do not go
untreated for lack of money and everyone has the right to the pursuit of
happiness.
At the dawn of democratic rule in 1999, many Nigerians at
home and abroad heaved a sigh of relief. With one voice, we had said to ourselves,
“Nigeria can be great again.”
Alas, we spoke and we hoped too soon. It has been 15 years
since the 4th Republic was birthed. The questions we must now all ask
ourselves are as follows:
·
Are we
better off now than we were 15 years ago?
·
Are we
safer or more hopeful now than we were 15 years ago?
·
Are we
able to feed our families better now than we did 15 years ago?
·
Are our
roads better now than they were 15 years ago?
·
Are our
schools better now than they were 15 years ago?
·
Are the
nations’ hospitals better now than they were 15 years ago?
·
Are our
leaders less corrupt now than they were 15 years ago?
·
Are we
enjoying better electricity now than we did 15 years ago?
·
Are we
able to live better with our salaries now than we did 15 years ago?
·
Are the
nation’s refineries producing more now than they did 15 years ago?
·
Is the
Naira stronger now than it was 15 years ago?
·
Is the
unemployment situation better now than it was 15 years ago?
·
Is the
housing situation better now than it was 15 years ago?
·
Is our
economy more diversified now than it was 15 years ago?
·
Are we
importing less food now than we did 15 years ago?
These are the 15 questions for 15
years of PDP and APC (all previous names remaining valid), in the saddle. There are many more.
If we cannot answer a resounding
‘YES’ to at least one of the above questions, then what are we willing to do
about it?
Can we trust the PDP that has
been ruling this country for 15 years to continue in the saddle?
APC has absorbed many of the leaders of the
PDP into their fold: the same people who got us into this mess in the first
place.
Can we trust the APC to lead us
for the next 4 years? 8? 16?
TO BE OR NOT TO BE------THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS THE QUESTION. (Hamlet,
by Shakespeare)
As we can all see
already--------the PDP and APC are two sides of the same coin. They are identical
twins, two clear and present evils.
Senator Rand Paul of the United
States said at a recent Republican event and I quote----“It isn’t good enough
to pick the lesser of two evils. We must elect men and women of principle and
conviction and action who will lead us back to greatness.”
To echo the words of General
Charles De Gaulle of France------------
NEITHER APC NOR PDP
NEITHER NORTH NOR SOUTH
NOR EAST NOR
WEST
NOR CHRISTIAN NOR MUSLIM
NIGERIA IS ABOVE THEM ALL
WE, THE PEOPLE
MUST TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!!!
Or in the words of the great
Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana: “We face neither East nor West. We face forward!”-------- Nigeria must face
forward!!
The future is neither PDP nor APC. The future is AWAY from the PDP and the
APC. It is in a third force, a party of
the people by the people for the people!!!
Remember: we have tried in the past (eg, June 12) but our
hopes were frustrated. The way we have not tried is the way I want to point us
to: Everyone must be mobilized in the struggle to take Nigeria back—and move it
forward—towards restoring prosperity to the land. We, the people can come together to build that
third force. We have the brains and we have the numbers. All we require now is
the will.
Do you have the courage to walk the walk for yourself?
I know how you feel. I feel the same way too under the
burden of repeated betrayal and broken promises. You feel beaten down, cheated, neglected and
dumped on. Not knowing what to do, whom
to trust, or if there will ever be a way out.
There is.
Nigeria can be a
beautiful place because we, the people are beautiful.
Nigeria can be a
prosperous country because we, the people are hard working.
Nigeria can earn the
respect of the world because we, the people, have a proud history-----
We are descendants of Oba Ewuare the Great of Benin (Ogidigan)
whose empire stretched as far as present day Ghana; the great Nri Kingdom of
Igbo land which established a center of learning, commerce and religion while
espousing the concept of One God, “Chukwu Okike”. An Igbo empire not spread by guns or bullets
but by knowledge which at its peak was comparable to Rome or Mecca in
influence; We come from a great line of great people such as Uthman dan Fodio,
whose conquests covered present day Northern Nigeria up to Ilorin; Queen Amina of
Zazzau, who came closest to establishing an empire the size of present day
Nigeria; King Jaja of Opobo, who said ‘NO’ to the British; Oba Akitoye of
Lagos, who dared the cabal of his day by abolishing slavery, was overthrown by
the cabal and regained his throne; King Perekule of Bonny, the Tor Tiv, Etsu Nupe,
Nana of Itsekiri land, Obong of Calabar, Alafin of Oyo, Oni of Ife, Afonja of
Ilorin.
We are brothers and sisters and offspring of the great
Herbert Macauley, Zik of Africa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Sir
Tafawa Balewa, Dappa Biriye, Sir Udo Udoma (a Nigerian who became Chief Justice
in Uganda), the indomitable Chief Obafemi Awolowo, S.L Akintola, J.S Tarka, Prof Eyo Ita,
Prof Chike Obi (foremost mathematician
of his era), Prof Chinua Achebe, Odumegwu Ojukwu, J.T. Aguiyi Ironsi, Adekunle Fajuyi,
Murtala Mohammed, Shehu Musa Yar’dua and M.K.O Abiola, the hero of June 12.
We are brothers and sisters and friends and admirers of
living heroes like Prof. Wole Soyinka and the uncelebrated Col. Abubakar Umar.
These are men who have always stood to be counted on the side of truth and on
the side of the people.
We can revive that
---CAN DO SPIRIT-----It is who we are!!!!
It was Margaret Mead who said, “Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
THERE IS NO FREIGHT
TRAIN, THERE IS NO ARMORED TANK AND THERE IS NO FORCE ON EARTH THAT CAN
WITHSTAND THE POWER OF AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME AND THE WILL OF A PEOPLE WHO
ARE READY TO STAND THEIR GROUND.
The time has come for us--- the neglected, abandoned and under-nourished
child---- the young energetic unemployed youth----- the frail and old but
homeless elder----- the battered, the abused and under-appreciated woman----the
decimated middle class-----the great long-suffering people of Nigeria to take
our destiny into our own hands. We can do it and I will tell you how, if you
will come on a journey with me.
The first step in
taking action must mean that we think differently.
For many years, we
have blamed our leaders as if we, the people hold no blame. We clap our hands
and sing when a Minister, leader or Governor from our part of the country
steals and we complain that he is being persecuted when he is being prosecuted
because he is “our son”.
If Nigeria is going
to change, we the people must take responsibility and change the way we think
and see issues. As 2015 beckons, we must seize the moment to make an
attitudinal change toward building a stronger, character driven nation of which
all of us can be proud.
But, most of all, we must work together in a new spirit of
co-operation for our survival and progress.
In a book titled: The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O.
Wilson, the author states inter alia that species that have made progress on
earth are usually those that co-operate, the ones who unite to survive---Ants,
Bees, Termites and People. Nigeria is like a boat in troubled waters. We must
co-operate to steer it to safety. Unemployment ravages the land. Hunger
decimates the populace. Terrorism incapacitates the nation. Corruption hampers
the future. Will you fold your hands, turn your head and look the other way?
We have played in the junior leagues for 54 years. It is
time to move to the senior league where big boys play---- the G7. However, the failed politicians
and their failed methods along with our bad attitude as the followership cannot
lead us there.
Nigeria needs a leader with a big vision and big ideas to
put Nigeria to work and harness the good of the land. We’ve got the land, we’ve
got the climate and we’ve got the population.
What we need is a FOREMAN
who is not afraid to toil for his country and for history. Nigeria needs a man
or woman who understands the challenges facing Nigerians from all walks of
life; has the capacity to engage and has the compassion and skills necessary to
help improve our everyday lives. In 2015, you must vote like your future
depends on it. It does!
The task ahead is
daunting and I do not ask that you be not afraid. All I ask is that we must not
allow fear to paralyze us from taking action.
When I tell people I am running for President, I hear
disbelief, trepidation and sheer fright, but I want to leave you with these
words from the Poet, Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is
not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that
we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not
our darkness that most frightens us
We ask ourselves, who
am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous
Actually, who are you
not to be?--------------
My name is Michael O. Ovienmhada and I am running to be the
next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015. If you give me your
vote, I will work tirelessly and transparently for you--- EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT TO RE- BUILD CHARACTER, HELP SECURE
GREATER PEACE AND BRING PROSPERITY TO THE LAND.
I am well aware of the
issues and challenges of the times we live in but I am also aware of the
dangers of doing nothing about it and that is why I believe that we must this
time, work together to---RESTORE NIGERIA AND TRAVEL TO A PLACE OF PLENTY AND A
PLACE OF PRIDE AMONGST NATIONS OF THE EARTH. DO NOT DESPAIR. IF THERE IS HOPE
FOR A TREE THAT IS CUT DOWN AT THE SOUND OF RAIN, THEN, THERE IS YET HOPE FOR
NIGERIA. I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU--------------
HAPPY DAYS ARE COMING.
God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
omeekey@hotmail.com
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