Ugoma Johnson
Nigeria @ 58. When I Clock 58, I will probably be on vacation in one of the most beautiful Islands on the face of the earth chilling with my husband by the seashore as we chat away time and enjoy the breezy atmosphere.
By then my triplet would have all grown up. Yes, you heard me right. One of my biggest dreams is to have triplet, I love triplet a lot so future hubby if you ever come across this post please take note and start prepping for work. *Winks*.
If my kids are all married they will undoubtedly be in their homes reaping the harvest of the solid foundation that my husband and I have laid for them over the years.
As we return home we will be greeted with a surprise party organized by our children, loved ones and everyone that our lives have impacted in one way or the other.
I will be the cynosure of all eyes because of how beautiful my life will be. People will look at me and wish to have my kind of life.
At that age, I may not have achieved all my dreams, but I will definitely not be a nobody. NEVER!
When I speak, the world will listen not because my voice is louder than that of every other person, but because I have treated myself with respect and carried myself with so much confidence that they will have no choice than to treat me with equal respect.
You see, at 58 I may have questions that are yet to receive answers.
I may also have some challenges that I am battling with.
I may even have some pressing issues that I have no solution to.
And I may not be the most powerful woman on earth.
But in spite of all that, my life will be like the honey that attracts flies because of the warmth that my life brings into the lives of the people around me and the radiance of kindness and love that exude from me to humanity.
Now, you have a glance at how stable and beautiful my life will be when I clock 58?
BUT
HOW COME AT 58, MY LIFE, YOUR LIFE, AND OUR LIFE AS A NATION IS THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF THE PICTURE PAINTED ABOVE?
At 58, I may not exactly be where I aim to be or have all that I desire to have, but one thing I know for sure is that I WILL NEVER BE LIKE NIGERIAN WHEN I’M 58.
NIGERIA……..
You have everything you need to succeed, yet you are stagnated.
You introduce yourself to someone as a Nigerian and the next thing, the person starts adjusting himself because he’s/she’s afraid of what you can do. Mind you this fear is not as a result of how powerful you are, but how terrible they think of you just because you are a Nigerian.
Nigeria, You are referred to as the giant in your continent, yet you wallow in the abyss of mental dwarfism.
At your age, you do not even know where you’re coming from, let alone having an idea of where you are headed.
you have exchanged your culture, values, beliefs, way of life and everything you stand with what the white man portray on your TV set. What a shame!
You are a bundle of talent, yet you shiver when the foreigner speaks because you have refused to maximize your full potential.
Out of ignorance and sheer iberibeness (stupidity), you have handed over to the foreigner that which nature have blessed you with, and shamelessly you have gone back to buy same from them.
Nigeria, It’s 58 years now since you became free from your colonial masters, yet a closer look at you shows that it is 58 years that you have become more mentally enslaved.
You have been rated the most prayerful on the phase of the earth, yet on the flip side, you are the most corrupt.
Nigeria, you have eliminated who you should protect and protected who you should eliminate.
Nigeria, we should be celebrating you today, but our joy is mixed with pain as we remember our co-sojourners on whom you opened the floodgates of blood. Also read ‘Welcome To Nigeria Where The Flood Gate Of Blood Flows.
Nigeria, you are a city built on a heel, your seat is with the kings, but you chose to feast among swine.
NIGERIA……
In spite of all your insufficiencies, I love and believe in you.
I believe that you can become the centre of attraction.
I believe that you can recover from this kwashiorkor that you have been suffering from.
I believe that we can grow beyond sentiments, individual and tribal differences.
I believe that you can become better.
Nigeria, I believe that you can become whole again if you want to.
BUT UNTIL THEN NIGERIA, I WILL NEVER EVER BE LIKE YOU WHEN I’M 58.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
