Time, seasons and the lessons for Nigerians

By Atim Nkese Nkpubre

Wow! It’s incredible to think that the last quarter of the year 2013 has already rolled in. For some of us, it seems like only yesterday that we said “Happy New Year” to our family and friends. Where did the months go if I may ask? Into the abyss of history, I reckon.
But, the reality staring us all in the face is that the famed year 2013 is already on its way out. Phew. It’s truly amazing how time flies.
Yes, time, really, does fly just as seasons come and go.  Since 1960, the 1st day of October had always been a joyous occasion for Nigerians. This is because the day marks the anniversary of the country’s independence from British colonial rule. And, but for the knotty issues all around us, this year’s independence anniversary would have been quite momentous because aside celebrating her 53rd independence anniversary, Nigeria is also marking its 50th year as a republic.  In times gone by, Nigerians would have rolled out the drums in celebration. In my younger days, the pupils and students would all have trooped to the stadia across the length and breadth of the land in our well ironed uniforms to partake in the match parade and all the merriments of the day, after weeks of careful practice and rehearsals. I recall with nostalgia the feats of my alma mater on such occasions and the healthy competition that ruled the season. I belonged to the band brigade of Mary Hanney Secondary School- an all-girls school –. We would practice on end to make sure that the girls shone like a million stars on the big day. “You can do it, girls”, our principal would always say. And we didn’t disappoint her. Oh, yes! We had to do it for our school, and for our country Nigeria, our dear fatherland. It used to be so much fun to be announced as the overall winner of the match parade or traditional dance or just any event of the day. It was one day we earnestly looked forward to with so much pride. The day meant a lot to us.
Whatever I had experienced as a student was to be upgraded to a higher platform during the country’s Golden Jubilee celebration in 2010. Never before had I seen so much enthusiasm and hope on the faces of some Nigerians. It was quite an experience for us to be a significant part of history. My husband was the Chairman of Urue Offong/Oruko Local Government Area  of Akwa Ibom State and it was his responsibility to “take the salute”. I watched with effusive pride as my husband mounted the podium to read his address as well as take the salute from an endless stream of school children at the same venue we used to throng as kids, and tears of joy welled up in my eyes. The series of events for that day are still fresh in my memory, three years down the line. Apart from the hilarious performances of kids in the nursery section, the spectacular performance of the National Youth Service Corps members stole the show. Corper shun! The parade of the Uyai Iban -a socio-political group of women in politics in their double wrappers and gele to boot also caused quite a stir! Even the celebratory display from the local masquerades added brilliant colours to the epic event and everyone had fun to the hilt!                            
All that is history now. But would today’s event be the same? No, because nothing stays the same, really. Are Nigerians in the mood for celebration? I have my doubts. For how can we celebrate in the midst of so much blood-letting and orchestrated chaos in the land? Only yesterday, according to news report, no fewer than 40 students of the College of Agriculture Gujha, Yobe state were Shot dead by men believed to be Boko Haram terrorists in an attack on their school hostel. After the cold blooded murder, the gunmen also set the school building on fire as they retreated after the attack.
As if that was not gloomy enough, seven people were killed in Makintamari village in Kaga Local Government in Borno state along the Damaturu/Maiduguri Road.  According to news reports, the travellers were beheaded with their heads placed on their lifeless bodies on the main road! What horror in the midst of supposedly civilised people? If the gloomy news reports that filter into our homes and offices are anything to go by, it would appear that Nigeria has become a horror field for senseless killings and wanton destruction.
But, why would anyone derive pleasure in killing innocent Nigerians? Since when did life become so cheap that scores of our brothers and sisters would be so mercilessly slaughtered at the whim some bloodthirsty demons?  Where did we go wrong on this journey and how did we as a people get to where we are today?  Who are the actors behind these dastardly acts? Question, questions and more questions, begging for answers.
I’m very sad indeed as these are ominous symptoms of a greater malady plaguing the nation. The House of Representatives recently became a theatre of war on the very first day of resumption from recess. My family and I watched in utter shock and disgust as “Honourable Members” fought like area boys in the full glare of cameras. Oh, what a shame. Shame of a nation in distress!
The hallowed chamber of the Nigerian Senate is not spared the highly destructive politics of bitterness that has pervaded the land. There is PDP and then there is the New PDP. Even though 2015 is still two years away, the All progressive Congress has already “uncovered an alleged grand and serpentine plot by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the presidency to rig the 2015 general elections, especially the presidential polls and also to destabilise the country”. Well, talk is cheap and we seem to excel in that. Nigerians must commend the opposition party for its “vigilance” Now they can take a step further to nip the evil plot in the bud. Certain things can only happen in Nigeria, sha.    
 As I write, our small Public Relations consultancy has run on generator all day so we can meet our commitments to our clients. It was the same story last week and the week before that. Electricity from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has become such a scarce commodity that the occasional flash of light is greeted with indifference. The situation is so pathetic that even the PHCN office around the corner also runs on generator all week. What is going on here? There are allegations of sabotage all over the place. The giant of Africa cannot continue to suffer like this. It’s quite difficult to break even in business in this clime but we all cannot relocate to Ghana to be able to run profitable businesses. Haba!
Whoever is the brain behind this organised confusion should know that payback time is around the corner because what goes around would, someday, come around. We’ve seen this before and this, too, would come to pass. To be a good leader, one must first be a good follower. To become the President of the most populous black nation on earth is not a do-or-die -affair. The lessons of time and seasons are indeed, enormous. After, all a man reaps what he sows.  I strongly believe God has a vested interest in Nigeria. We have been through so much just as our strength lies in our diversity. I’m almost certain Nigeria shall outlive its detractors. What has wiped out some nations would pale into insignificance when compared to some of the things that have happened in this our Naija. But the resilient and never-say-die- spirit of the average Nigerian always shines through the hurdles. Many had predicted we’d go under in 1993 but here we are still standing. What’s more, we are scientifically rated as the happiest people on earth, in spite of the litany of problems confronting the nation. My beloved country will emerge stronger after this storm. All will be well because  God is on our side. God bless Nigeria