THE AFRICAN REBIRTH PROJECT 2010 – TARP 2010[1]

“Every noble dream is at first impossible.”… Thomas Carlye

The African Dream

The silhouette of the African continent today is at best a mirage and in reality a far cry from all that she could really be. I sincerely believe that the potentials of the African continent are not an unfortunate mistake. It is my dream that one day, Africa will be a continent known for excellent, inspiring and transparent leadership. It will be known as a continent of nations that give priority to the rule of law and the demands of equity. It will be known as a continent full of diverse cultures and tribes all co-existing in harmony. It will be known as the continent that hold the world’s greatest natural recourses and her people are better off for it. It will be known as a land for the dreamers, a home for the achievers and haven of happiness, peace and prosperity and mostly, as her people’s most invaluable possession held in trust for the future; for the continent will no longer be a victim of her people.

This article will delve into the obvious shortcomings of the African continent, with particular emphasis on Nigeria. However, it will major on the solution rather than the problem. This solution is what we have branded The African Rebirth Project (TARP).

The African Story … An Irony called Africa.

“My Brother, weep not for the crippled that begs alms, but rather weep for the able-bodied man, with strong feet but refuses to walk for his more sufferings begins from the Day of Judgment.”

There are issues in life that could make you cry; of which Africa is one of them. “When I visited Africa” said a reporter “it felt like they were really a people that God had turned his back on.”

Around Africa, you only need to leave the comfort of your abode and a few blocks away, you would find a man who has not had a decent meal in a week, a homeless woman abandoned with her innocent children, a young girl to whom prostitution is the only means of lively-hood, a little boy with a fly infested tray on his head hawking for his daily bread, or babies unaided who would not live to see this world because they were born with AIDS. Then, you would know that the African story is no fairy tale[2].

As a world leader described her, “Africa is an embarrassment to the civilized world”. Although I may not entirely agree with the extremity of this statement, there is no gainsaying the fact that Africa has given cause for the utterance of such statements as this. Of the entire seven continents, her future, in the view of social experts, is the bleakest. Her nomenclature has now changed from “Africa the Black continent” which connotes a reference to her skin colour, to “Africa the Dark continent” which connotes a reflection of her hopelessness.

As captured from the quote above, tragedy of the Africa story lies not in any paralysis but in the painful fact that she has got feet but would not walk.

In spite of being known for its beautiful environments, exotic wildlife, and diverse cultures, Africa has the ironical distinction of having some of the poorest nations, largest populations, and harshest living conditions in the world.

Despite its immense natural resources, the yearly incomes of Africans are some of the lowest in the world. Nearly half of its people live on less than a dollar a day. Conflicts, harsh environments, and corrupt governments have devastated economies, forcing countries to borrow for goods and fuel.

The population of the continent is approximately 800 million, and these increasing numbers have endangered the environment and further strained already weakened governments[3].

Africa is arguably the most endowed continent on earth. She is the proven possessor of the world’s greatest natural resources; from the gold mines of South Africa, to the diamond belts of West Africa, to her rich oil lands and arable soils. No two continents put together can match her inestimable wealth.

Her location is the most favorable on the globe; hence she has a blessed climate and is relatively free from the natural disasters that ravage other parts of the earth. She has rich culture like no other and is rich in tribal diversity.

Moreover the intellectual soundness of her people in not in doubt as many Africans have brought unique dimensions and dynamisms into world technological advancement, the Arts, scientific research, leadership and economy all over the world.

And there goes the African story full of promise, yet embroiled in suffering, rich yet poor; blessed yet accursed; full of light yet called dark; adorned with flair but living in despair.

In almost all African countries, there is deprivation and despondency in the air. Even the elite, who have amassed wealth, luxury or comfort for themselves live in the fear of the terror daily unleashed by frustrated people who are in the majority. Hence, there are civil wars and continuous bloodshed. Over two-third of he countries of Africa are engulfed in a state of unending misery and instability.

Africa and her 800 million people may not be able to come to terms with her own story. Her future may seem so scary if THE AFRICAN DREAM does not soon interrupt it.

Every society needs a visionary but sometimes when Africa is studied critically, one may say in sarcasm that Africa perhaps needs a soothsayer who can warn her as Shakespeare was warned of his doom to ‘beware the Ides of March[4]’

Spotlighting on Nigeria

It there is a mirror for Africa, it is Nigeria. It is estimated that one out of every six Africans is a Nigerian. With an estimated population of 150 million people and over 250 ethnic nationalities, Nigeria is the heartbeat of the black race.

It there is a Nation that would redeem the image of Africa in worldview, it is Nigeria. Her acclaimed status as Giant of Africa is well justified in the sense that she is the giant statement of all that Africa is. If Africa has a problem, Nigeria is the Giant of Problems; If African seems ever unable to live up to her immense potentials, Nigeria is an apropos case study on how not to live up to great expectation.

The facts again speak volumes.

Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of crude oil but ranks amongst the world’s poorest nations. In fact, the recent UNHR reports shows the Nigerian nation projected to be amongst the five most populated countries in the world, occupies an unenviable 158th position out of the 177 countries ranked for prosperity[5]. Nigeria has the third weakest infrastructure in the world. She has the third lowest life expectancy; she is the third most corrupt and third most insecure place in the world map. For a country that raked in over $320 billion from oil sales alone since 1970[6], having such an alarming retrogression is a sickening irony. There are many countries, for instance in Europe who do not have up to a tenth of Nigeria’s wealth but her citizens live in conditions ten times better than that of Nigerians.

It is a glaring, albeit painful case of servants riding on horsebacks while kings and princes stagger wretchedly on naked feet.

Reading the Minds of our Heroes Past:

“History, the mysterious strength of the future”

It is imaginable that the present youth and the future generations have nothing to look back to in Nigeria. It appears that there really are no models, no real reason for nation and as a result there is hardly a reason to find pride in the nation and respect for the nation. This is even more believable judging from its history; it appears that Nigeria was nothing more than a by-product of colonial greed. Hence, the required glue of culture and history that holds a nation together is lacking in the nation. It is no more than a geographical expression of a people, it lacks in soul and in spirit.

However can her soul be found and her spirit formed? At a point just a little over 50 years ago, the diversity of culture and history in the nation was not strong enough to deter members of different tribes bound by nothing more than geography, to find more reasons for bonding together, to find her soul[7].

But may be they are, but we are not taught about them. Most of what we see in the curriculum of our schools is stories on the different ethnic groups, the different tribal empires, and really little or nothing on Nigeria; a curriculum whether consciously or unconsciously that has been prepared to emphasize ethnicity and de-emphasize nationality. Little wonders why most Nigerians are more patriotic to their tribe, than they are to their Nation.

What is the purpose of our Nation? What were on the minds of our founding fathers?

Articulating the purpose of our nation is pivotal to our response to our duties as citizens of this great nation. The only meaningful link between a nation and her people is having a common purpose. When we have discovered the purpose of the nation, we must then align ourselves to it.

Without a strong national ‘Why’, every one creates his or her own ‘Why’. These well intended ‘Why’s would certainly result in utter chaos and anarchy.

We need to know our history.

DIAGNOSIS

Africa, and particularly Nigeria is not a mere geographical expression, it is a people the state of the Nation a reflection of the attitude of her people and governance. When I say governance I do not mean exclusively those holding public offices but her citizens as a whole.

Someone once said that madness is doing the something time and again yet expecting a different result[8].

If we continue to be as impassionate as we have always been, if we continue to think as are have always thought, if we continue in our insensitivity to indispensable values, if we do not explore new terrain of thoughts, it would be rather amusing to expect a new Nigeria.

The sorry state of the nation would never change until her people speak out for a change. We have been silent for too long, allowing the cold hands of fate chat the course of the nation to an irreparable national wreck.

I read a quote in a book by John Mason that said, “silence is golden, but at other times it is pale yellow”[9]. The silence of the Nigerian people at the state of the nation is unattractive.

Nigerians today has cultivated some anti-progressive habits that would only plunge the nation further into her abysmal state.

They are-

1. Lack of Sense of Ownership

I was in taxi in the city of Port Harcourt one sunny day. In the heat of the traffic, the lady by my side bought a pack of ice-cream from one of the hawkers on the road, when she was through with it, she threw the wrap out of the window and I said “you shouldn’t litter our environment with your waste”

Politely she answered me “Na your house?”

And I got the message.

Nigerians feel irrelevant in the scheme of things that pertain to how their nation is run. Apparently, it appears as though there is a selfish cabal that controls the nation’s affairs to the detriment of our own well-being.

There is no sense of ownership amongst her citizenry. Everybody is of the opinion that the “Government” owns the nation and the “Government” is wholly responsible for her failure or success. The “Government” is in debt of a good means and state of lively-hood to the people. They may be right, but those in the government are not aliens, they are Nigerians with the common Nigerian’s ideology and problem.

Yes we have a right to proper governance, a dignified peaceful and healthy lively-hood but in the words of Finola Bruntun, the wife of the Irish Prime Minister John Brunton “Now is the time to recognize that for every right there is a corresponding obligation.”

We all own Nigeria but for administrative purposes, some of us hold public offices but primarily no Nigerian has more right of ownership to the nation over the other. Therefore we all share equally in the blame or praise for the failure or success of Nigeria.

As inspired from the book by James Allen “As a man thinketh”, we can only become a great nation when we the people of the nation would cease to whine and revile and begin to seek for that hidden justice that controls all nature. We ultimately get what we deserve.

It is obvious, that when an organization is privately owned, it soars higher than one that is government owned. Nigeria has become a no mans land. And so nothing works. We so easily forget that the nation is not tangible, each one of us are the objects of her existence, each one of us are the only prove that there is Nigeria, for there really is no Nigeria without Nigerians.

So we are vital to the very existence of the Nation. And we must be aware of the injustice we do to ourselves when we relegate “ourselves” to the background oblivious of the potency of our relevance to the nation. For when nobody works consequently the Nation can’t “work”.

2. An Attitude of Selfishness and Disregard of Servanthood

On the first hand, Nigerians act according to personal interests without regard to those of others. Selfishness is a trait that comes with Myopia, we can barely see beyond our nose. This is what is reflected eventually on a very large scale when we hold public office.

Even when we at the helm of affairs in organizations Nigerians hardly have the interest of the organization at heart, they just generally exchange services for a mere mercenary fee, utilizing their positions to exploit their organizations. It is this selfishness that it is the root cause of nepotism and tribalism, it has thrown merit out of the window, “connection” now plays a more vital role than “qualification” This has the compound effect of low standard results and no body cares.

It is this selfishness that caused Nigerians to disregard the pain and the inhuman conditions in which their fellow men exist in. The government may come up with policies and cause irreparable damage to the present people of the nation while a chosen people benefit from it. The masses, in order to get comfort for a while whether in terms of food or other material things, careless as to what they do even if they have to deprive each other from what they already have through any means possible. It is this same selfishness that makes us not to stand on the queue and wait for our turn. Because of this self-centeredness we think every thing comes in short supply so if we don’t beat the queue we won’t get it. It doesn’t matter who else doesn’t get it as long as we get it in spite of how much time they might have put into getting it.

This myopic sight of the Nation as a result of her selfishness has led to Nigeria parading herself in dance to the ridiculous melody of ignorance.

There no doubt that Nigeria is a land of promise. By virtue of her inherent greatness she ought to be an economic giant of no mean repute but rather she has been caricatured as A land so fertile and wealthy yet her citizens are dressed in rags and in a bid in partake in the small good they can see they grab one another’s throat through the antics of tribalism, corruption and robbery. There is enough treasure for everyone buried in the ground, but for lack of knowledge, Nigerians have become content with killing themselves to get the little that the short-sight can see. Opportunity abounds but instead of bonding together, till and cultivate the rich field called Nigeria, we fight over unlimited resources. Hence Nigerians disappoint God and embarrass the world and advertise their ignorance. We celebrate ignorance and mediocrity. In a bid to be selfish, Civility has been slaughtered on alters of ignorance, Nigeria prosperity is daily crucified on the trees of selfishness fostered by illiteracy.

Another trait that selfishness comes with is unjustified pride and disregard for servant hood, every body’s concerned about being served, but no body wants to serve. Nigerians actually pride themselves in the acts of being served and despise those that serve. We have a thwarted perspective on leadership, we tend to rule and not to serve, meanwhile the truth is that the higher the leadership position the greater the obligation to serve. We re all looking out for what Nigeria would do for us, what Nigeria would make out of us. It is my opinion that, great nations come from great people; they don’t necessarily make great people. In the words John F. Kennedy “Ask what you can do for your country not what your country can do for you.” So let us begin to think of how we can serve our nation and make it great and not join the thoughtless majority in ravishing her, because the truth is that our nation can never rise above the collective personal greatness of her people, for the rewards of an almost general greatness of the Nigeria people would accrue to all.

3. Insensitivity to Values

There are certain values that are sacred and indispensable if a great nation is to emerge. Such values are dignity, integrity, honour, loyalty, honesty, equality, selflessness and fairness amongst many others. In a few words having a Dignified National Character; a new Nigerian Culture is imperative.

The whole purpose of this article not merely to eventually make Nigeria socially comparable with other nations, this may be a kind of success, but it would be short-lived if that is all our Goal, added to this is as a Goal, a pre-requisite for durable success is having these values as our watchwords.

These values are woven into the fabrics of every civilized society throughout history and comprise the roots of every institution that has endured and prospered. These values should be the very essence of our reforms and existence as a Nation.

These values are obvious to any one who cares to see their presence or absence, they surface time and time again, and the degree to which the nation recognize and live in harmony with them moves them toward either survival and stability or disintegration and destruction. These values are not esoteric or mysterious, they are self-evident and can be inculcated by any individual, and they are supposed to be part of our conscience and consciousness.

Fairness for instance, is the very foundation of justice and equity these two offspring’s of farness have been neglected in our nation, and so many personal interests have interrupted the course of fairness.

Integrity and honesty, which are the basis for trust, have been relegated to the background absolutely, thus mistrust rules that even well meaning attempts by well meaning Nigeria are received at arms length from the public at large at first few instances.

When people hold public offices, without prejudice to the exceptions, they handle it with no sense of responsibility, transparency and accountability to the public and to conscience. Therefore the word “Accountability” has no meaning anymore.

Excellence his been mortgaged for undue personal gain. Corruption, embezzlement of government funds and company funds, kickbacks on government contracts are practiced by many Nigerians are perceived as normal. People get into business transactions with so much suspicion. Civil servants are neither civil nor servants, because of this lack of responsibility, laziness has now become accepted in guise of bureaucracy. So nothing works at all, or even it works it works at snail speed.

Dignity is another value that his been despised, Nigeria as a nation has become a beggar and almost a parasite to the other developed nations, her citizens have no shame anymore, the police have no shame in public display of corruption and brutality, even university lecturers have no shame either. Our sense of dignity have been so thwarted that we actually take pride in begging and despise work. Every work that earns a man a decent wage should be done with dignity, but it is not so, hence we have our young men, waiting on uncles to send money or help get a job in some already established firm, and no sense of entrepreneurship, because they see the initial teething stage of any business as not dignified. This is a Misplacement of values.

We would love to compromise on integrity to have “our” way, rather than have “a” way gallantly with dignity even though unfavorable.

Most important of the aforementioned values would be Honour, which is a word that sums up almost all laudable virtues such as integrity, honesty, dedication, loyalty etc. Men’s word being capable of taking to the bank is not the case anymore. Men have no value for their words, promises are made to be broken, words are spoken to be dishonoured and nobody cares.

We need to give voice to our conscience, and reawaken these values, for a national character is not merely an ingredient of the success of the nation, it is foundational and catalytic. It is character that communicates most eloquently. In the words of Emerson “What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I can’t hear what you say”.

We must kill selfishness and become more sensitive to certain values, we must build a value-cultured nation.

ANTIDOTE

Against The Thorny Spiral of Silence

“In an unjust society, silence is a crime”

It there is one thing Nigerians are very aware of, it is their problems, they are very analytical about the problems and who is to blame but that as far as they go. They remain silent about the solutions and accept the situation as status quo. This is the reason for THE AFRICAN REBIRTH PROJECT (TARP); challenging this bleak status quo and not aiding this unconscious spiral of silence we have formulated by our mute response to the National irony. TARP is strongly perceived by us as Africa’s last sacred cow. In attempt to build a new face of Africa we would have to assume multi-dimensional foci.

The reason for these multi-dimensional foci approach is because these problems of the Nation encapsulate a disparity of society sectors. And so her solution would lie in a merger of constructive minds spotlighting on the various issues of the nation one after the other through research i.e. drawing from the wealth of precedence and formulating workable strategies for drastic changes.

“Right now what we need is to think all thinkable and possible way to cause a change no matter how stupid they may seem, intrinsic in them might just be that atom of wisdom that we have all been waiting for”

So we ought to come together and salvage this nation from this unpleasing scrimmage she has found herself.

The soul of this great nation can be delivered from its coma, her eyes from the tears and her feet from stumbling again and falling apart.

This is the essence of TARP. Looking at the various sectors of the Nation, including Education, Health, Security, Civil Service, Power and Steel, Police Industry etc, TARP has come up with an attempt of introducing a common value-based culture in these sectors. Putting certain autonomous measures in place with the aim of bridging the gap between our ideals (the Nigeria dream) and our realities (diagnosis).

Though we may focus on the Nation as a whole in terms of campaigning for certain National policies but in the actual rebuilding of the National character, our focus is on the young people of the Nation, changing their paradigm, and putting in alert the voice of their conscience, in the word of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome “it wont be long before the ‘Men’ of today would become ‘Men’ of yesterday and the ‘Boys’ of today would become “Men” of tomorrow. It’s only a matter of time and that time is short.” This suffocating senility as expressed by these “men of today” would soon be history, but what would be said of the next generation to take the baton of the race.

TARP in a matter of time will be perceived as a “soothsayer” but our ability to predict the future would not lie in any spirituality of some sort, but in the simple truth that we so predicted because we partook in inventing the future. We merely are enforcing the blue prints of the master plan, for the blessings of our nation have never been intended by the ‘blessor’ to be a curse.

THE AFRICAN REBIRTH PROJECT (TARP)

“TARP is the womb through which a new Africa would come to existence. It is the very existence of the unthinkable hope for a new Nigeria.”

From the quote of Steven Covey in the book 7 habits of highly effective people “A thousand hackings at the leaves of a tree is barely equal to one single strike at the roots of the tree.” The solution of the nation lies not in an overnight overturn of the various sectors in the nation but rather in the instilment of the indispensable value in the character of every individual in the Nation. It is a demand on our rights from the Nation as well as a demand from ourselves on the carrying out of the responsibilities that come with those rights. It is a very enthusiastic campaign for the individual redemption of our pledges to Nigeria. It is an attempt at pricking the deadness of our conscience and callousness of our hearts as citizens of this great country. These would inadvertently result in the restoration of sanity and prosperity in the various sectors of the nation.

This is not a mere skirmish; it is a big fight, a big fight wherein the players would make history, a history that would be written by the spectators and read by our children with a smile on their faces.

The magnitude of this fight that TARP initiates lies not in any redness of blood to be shed, and it requires no weaponry of swords nor guns, but rather, it is the Miracle of a Mind Revolution. TARP is all about a National Mind Revolution.

In the words of Group Captain Samson Omeruah in November 1984 “the mind an interesting phenomenon, it usually makes the body perform miracles of endurance far beyond its prescribed limit.” Also Oke Madubuike, Director of studies, psychology school of thought in 1979 said “sound mind breads a sound people and a sound people breed a sound nation.”

The sad reality of this Nigerian epidemic is that it leaves no ground whatever whereon any hope of some sort can lie save for the similar situations in the History of some other Nations of the world, so if Singapore could come from the state of a third world country[10], then there must be hope that Nigeria can come out of this quagmire not she has found herself.

The status quo is strengthened by history, and given credence by longevity. This sad position is what our fathers unenviable thought patterns have offered us, leaving us little or no option but to accept.

However TARP is a conscious derailment from business as usual. TARP would not succumb to the unfortunate realities rather TARP would place a demand on the ideals.

This is a call to all young Nigerians, to stand at the crossroads and look, ask for the ancient path, take note of it and do not follow it, then ask again for the good and right path, and however crooked and full of gallops it may be and have, we should walk in it and then and only then would we find true rest for our souls.

It is a call to young Nigerians, to have courage and hope for a great nation and then resolve to bring about a great nation.

It is a call to Nigerians to pray, to think and act, and if it does not work, to pray again to think differently this time and to act again for we must try again and again and again till the Nigeria dream is a reality.

It is a call to all young Nigerians to think of the National ‘Pledge’ not as a mere recitation, but as a debt that we owe our nation.

That when we talk of pledging faithfulness, loyalty and honesty we mean nothing less than faithfulness, loyalty and honesty.

When we talk about serving Nigeria with all our strength we mean selfless service, continuous mind throbbing for the improvement of the Nation.

When we talk about defending her unity, our patriotism would go first to our nation before our tribes; that we would think of the kinsmanship of all Nigerians.

And most importantly when will talk about upholding her Honour and Glory, that the word ‘Honour’ would have its true and undiluted meaning; that the word ‘Honour’ would be our watchword, and our ever present guide; that the Nation Nigeria would be a Nation of Honour and Glory.

As Steven Covey would say ‘we could spend weeks, months or even years laboring with trying to change our attitudes and behaviors and not even begins to approach the phenomenon of change that occurs almost spontaneously when we see things differently. If we want to have significant quantum change, we need to work on our basic paradigm.” For before our values would change, the way we see Nigeria has to change first.

In the works of Thomas Kutin in his book “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” shows how almost any significant breakthrough in the field of scientific endeavor is first a break with tradition, with old thinking, with old paradigm.

So we most stop and look at the lens through which we see Nigerian and Africa, as well as the Nigeria and Africa we see, cause that lens it self, shapes the way we interpret the world[11].

If we are ever to respect Nigeria, the way we see Nigeria must change. Such demeaning phrases as “is this not Nigeria” in the negative sense cannot stop until we see Nigeria differently. Our society is one that has an imbalance in favour of an orientation toward the past and a deep responsiveness to the dictates of that past.

Even when there is readiness to initiate social reforms, the ultimate rationalization seeks to establish contact with a stinking ‘sacredlized’ antiquity. We must seize to be cynical and determine to hope against hope. TARP is iconoclastic, therefore our effort is to move Nigeria and Nigerians from a pre-occupation with the past and also to some extent from too narrow a perspective on the exigencies of the moment and the future.

Hence we must not look at what Nigeria is or has been but rather at what she ought to be and what our roles are in bringing her to that point, rather than running away from the mess.

We have only one Nigeria, and we must stay together and salvage it together. When we see where we ought to be; when we see ourselves differently; when we see Nigeria as a victim of the selfishness and greed of her people, as a wounded soul counting on our mercies; when we see ourselves not as the victims, but as a solution to the Nation, then our attitude will change.

The reality is Nigeria has become the victim and Nigerians have become the culprits. Nevertheless, Nigerians feel inferior, we have a victim mentality, we see ourselves as victims of the government, thus most Nigerians have an escapist mentality, they want to travel out and secure a better future for themselves and probably their immediate families.

Hence the polite arrogant attitude of the High Commissions of different Nations to Nigeria, it all boils down to the fact that our attitudes have amplified our inferior mentality. Fine, our circumstances many not be so favorable, but ‘who’ we really “are” is internationally sound and competitive. We must change the way we see our Nation, our responsibilities and ourselves.

This change in the way we see our Nation, our responsibilities and ourselves would change everything, soon we would develop a dignified and honourable National Character.

So TARP is not superficial, it is not merely filled with social -image consciousness, techniques and quick–fixes that addresses the acute problems and appearing to solve them temporally, but leaving the underlying chronic problems untouched to fester and resurface time and again, rather, among those quick-fixes is largely the fostering of a National Character Ethic, restoring National Values amongst the “Young Minds of Nigeria”

ORGANS OF TARP

People are thirsty for change. However what more often than not is in issue is the revolutionary approach. TARP however is a merger of a variety of revolutionary approaches. Nevertheless her primary focus is on Research and Development (R&D), and re-orientation, but in spite of the variations in tactics there is one goal, which is inspiring the African dream.

The gesture of TARP might not be welcomed by some ill-meaning Nigerians who are thriving on the ignorance of the people, living on the coffers of the Nation and unconcerned about the state of the victimized majority; however for such people their misfortune might be to our delight and in the best interest of the Nation. For this is the unpleasant truth about the callousness of some Nigerians and our reactions to them. However in the words of Samuel P. Hutton in his book Political Order of Changing Societies 1968 “A truly helpless society is not one threatened by a revolution but one incapable of it”. We are capable of revolution without violence.

TARP is a ten-year plan for a total reformation of the Black African Continents. Although we are starting with Nigeria when Nigeria is fixed, the rest of the Black African continents would be as good as fixed.

There are different organs with which we are going to use to foster the revolution and other positive measures are welcomed. Some of these measures are:

1. Nigerians in Diaspora Arm (NIDA)

2. Institute of Celebrating Individuality (ICI): subdivided into Primary, Secondary, University Outreach and the uneducated community (rural) developments. It would be responsible for our seminars on Re-orientation, building leadership, Excellence, National Values and Inspire Research i.e. people should think of what they can do to better the Nation, branding Nigeria in our Arts, fashion, organizing community theaters etc.

1. The Policy Initiative, Implementation and Monitoring Arm (PIIMA): This will be geared toward campaigning through TV programmes, Marches, Articles on National dailies and Programs (shows) for new polices inspired from the research of ICI and also working out practical means to see that the policies are implemented, “who guards the guards?)

2. The Tarp Open House Arm (TOHA): Among all these is also an open ear to the entire public at large to see that their ideas for achieving this golden change is highly welcomed because the TARP project is a coming together of good-meaning Nigerians to proffer a solution to the chaos we have found ourselves.

This is because the reality is too complex and multi-sided and so far away from the ideals, that hardly any one man has a total view of it. So the best approach is to be willing to listen to each other’s view, contribute to a constructive dialogue and to make allowance for others opinions on National Affairs.

1. THE NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA ARM

The Nigerians in Diaspora

For fear for life and assets, investors know there is a great deal of untapped wealth in Nigeria, but rather stay away. Even her citizens have lost faith in Nigeria. Almost every young Nigerian would love to join the increasing number of Nigerians in Diaspora. Thus the saying “ if you want to see Nigerians in their best behavior and most humble dispositions, go to the Embassies of different western Nations in Nigeria”.

But why would Nigerians flee their own Goldmine called Nigeria? The answers are not far-fetched.

As earlier said, many Nigerians feel irrelevant in the scheme of things that pertain to how their Nation is run.

Secondly, it seems there are hardly any opportunities owing to the harsh economic and political conditions. The unstable economic conditions forces established firms and parastatals to lay off workers rather than employ. Thousands of young Nigerians graduate every year into a society that offers them no jobs. The social conditions are much worse; crime and corruption pervade the system. The judicial ineptitude and mutual suspicion has not helped matters.

Therefore, Nigerians in Diaspora have obeyed the law of concentration- “people move from a place of less security and comfort to a place of higher security and comfort.” What gives Nigerians an edge when they flee to other countries is the quick-wittedness and resilience, which is very typical of the Black race. Hence all they need is an opportunity (legal or illegal) and they would by sheer gumption, turn the seed of opportunity to a forest of fortunes for themselves, this should be re-directed.

Ultimately, the fundamental cause of Nigerians fleeing this blessed nation and not wanting to come back is that they have lost faith in Nigeria and do not see the role they need to play in reviving the wounded nation. To most Nigerians in Diaspora, their fatherland cannot progress into the land of opportunity, peace and prosperity that they want, hence they would rather be second class citizens in another country than waste away or be less productive in their land of birth, after all where is the pride in being a first-class citizens in a nation where there is hardly any hope and honour that comes with citizenship.

A call to the Nigerians in Diaspora

It is the belief of TARP that the solution for Nigeria lies also with the Nigerians in Diaspora. If those who are outside the shores of the nation can reinvent their confidence in the ability of Nigeria to rise and fly, then that spirit of National faith could be easily communicated to her inhabitants in Nigeria.

The truth is that there are so many Nigerians who are not aware that they are suffering. Many are complacent because they do not know that their Nation of birth is an under achiever. Nigerians in Diaspora are more exposed to the civilized world (and this includes better infrastructure, utilities, social and political condition and most importantly the state of values and the place of merit in the scheme of things). Nigerians in Nigeria need to be told this their standard of living is abysmal and that the hardships that we face are unnecessary. Nigeria can be developed through the exposure of the Nigerians in Diaspora, and certainly national prosperity would translate to individual prosperity. Nigerian in Diaspora can redirect their enormous advantages and resources to the economic and social development of their fatherland. This development of our nation is our obligation as citizens of the nation not duties exclusively for the government.

Hence, if we think our educational facilities are below international standard and we have the wherewithal in terms of finances and exposure to prop it up, then we ought not to wait for the government to do so, we can do it, because it is OUR Nigeria. That is what I call meaningful and transparent philanthropy. Not just mere disbursing of money for development but following through to see that indeed there is development. Putting facilities in place for National re-orientation based on their exposure. Re-emphasizing the importance of merit. The Nigerians in Diaspora, though in Diaspora need to be more involved in Nigeria, so as to make the Nation the haven, which we seek for without.

Thus TARP would have an arm in the Diaspora with the major purpose of using their exposure and other advantages to awaken Nigerians from their fatal slumber, for now is not the time to engage in the luxury of patience or take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism as have been previously indirectly suggested by International Monetary Funds. Now is the time for educated and endowed Nigerians to act. The attitude of “sit-down look” must be history. And a majority of this class of Nigerians is outside the Nigerian shores.

The Nigerians in Diaspora are a potential revolutionary army waiting for the marching orders.

Firstly, they must be made to believe Nigeria, when they catch that fire of faith in Nigeria, they can spread it to other Nigerians at home and abroad. Confidence, Faith and Patriotism are contagious phenomena, it would only take a spark to get a fire burning.

All through the history of the world, changes are birthed, not by a whole nation or by many, but by a singular unit of passionate people who bring hope back when it had long been locked in the dark shadows of despair.

The TARP Nigerians in Diaspora Arm (NIDA) would carry out her reforms attempts through the following ways-

1. Campaigning for a new National Character and International Reputation.

   1. Routinely symposia be organized abroad and also within Nigeria primarily for young Nigerians for age 46 downwards (i.e. people born from the date of our independence) aided by the general TARP curriculum herein annexed. These symposia would be organized in sector by sector i.e. schools and various agencies of the Government, the various Nigerian unions abroad. They would be aimed at bridging the gap between the present day Nigeria and the Dream Nigeria. Amongst reinstating the indispensable values in the Nigerian people, it would also educate Nigerians on their blessedness. The symposia i.e. enlightenment workshops and motivational seminar would build a renewed sense of ability amongst Nigerians. It would also be aimed at self-development, building the skills and self-belief of individuals.

   2. Organizing art concerts including musical concerts, theater productions, art exhibitions that would mirror the present ironical conditions in Nigeria as against the Dream Nigeria, so Nigerians in Diaspora and within would see the level of decay which an otherwise blessed people are subjected to and then also proffer the remedies.

2. Re-directing Philanthropy and Social responsiveness

We intend to re direct philanthropy and social responsiveness from merely creating a popular reputation to a sincere attempt at social development not merely as a duty but as a worthy obligation. This would be do through the following-

1. Organizing symposia for organizations and writing papers on what philanthropy and social responsibility should be focused at putting in to considerations the present state of Nigeria. Re-emphasizing the need for National values as a priority over other issues that take the attentions of Philanthropy and Social responsiveness. I may say again “a thousand hackings at the leaves of a tree is nothing compared to the striking at the root of a tree”, the fundamental problems of Nigeria is that Nigeria is a valueless society, her people have no sense of value, ownership or partnership and leadership and a majority of her people have indulged themselves in selfishness oblivious of its cancerous effects on the Nation as a whole. These are the major issues to tackle. It is from these issues that corruption, robbery, lack of excellence and accountability, even the well-dreaded HIV and a lot more other vices arise. So organizations rather than focus on the vices, it would be more effective to focus on the root cause of these vices, the fundamentals, then the rest desired changes would be consequential.

2. We would also be campaigning for Philanthropy and Social responsiveness to be focused on provision of facilities needed to obtain and sustain these fundamental changes, i.e. improving the educational environments by virtue of infrastructure and up to date technologies, facilities improvement in the various vital agencies of the government especially the ICI development centre annexed to almost all institutions and agencies in the government. The TARP curriculum should be a compulsory pre-requisite for advancing from levels to levels in all institutions in Nigeria.

1. Campaigning for Investors abroad to come into Nigeria and invest and encourage Entrepreneurship amongst Nigerians.

The co-operation of the rich Nigerians in Diaspora in re-distribution of empowerments is also a pre-condition for the actualization of the Nigerian Dream.

This is building a consciousness of leadership and entrepreneurship among the Nigerians in Diaspora.

An interesting trend to note is that when foreigners, particularly the Europeans, come to Nigeria they set up companies and enterprises but when Nigerians travel abroad they go look for jobs in already set up companies and enterprises. We lack a sense of responsibility and entrepreneurship. The sooner as we realize that much of our destiny is in our hands and not in the hands of the western world the better. We cannot continue to depend on Europe for everything, we cannot continue to look to Europe for help, and we cannot continue to borrow strength, for borrowing strength builds weakness. It builds weakness on the borrower because it reinforces dependence on external factors to get almost everything done. It stunts the development of independent reasoning and growth; it hinders the taking on of responsibilities.

So in TARP’s opinion, we should think of “giving-up” on the external world to a large extent and build our own Nation ourselves and there are no better-qualified people to do this than those Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The rationale behind this is that the reality of the world we live in reflects a thirst of superiority in the contemporary world politics which is growing in disguise stronger and stronger and there is no way of predicting its limits if any. The international worlds is not about to help Africa or Nigeria, rather they are concerned with putting Africa in a position to always need help. So we must help ourselves. We must promote our interest amongst the Africans and particularly Nigerians in Diaspora, which will eventually lead to less “romantism” and more “realism” on African affairs.

Certainly, foreign aid appears unavoidable if positive freedom in the sense of effective economic power of choice is to be created in Africa or Nigeria, but bilateral foreign aid and investment carries a risk of manipulation. So when we speak of ‘foreign’ we do not really mean ‘foreign’ but we mean our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora who have had a different outlook to life as a result of their “foriegnized” orientation. So it is a policy of external self-reliance as a way of reducing dependence on aid and support from others.

So this 3rd function of NIDA is to organize awareness programmes for the Nigerians in Diaspora, write papers on the need for them to re-direct their resources into investing in Nigeria, since the present government is creating platforms to make this possible as a result of the various projects of Bureau of Public Enterprise. This has its numerous effects, some of which is creating more job opportunities, improving our infrastructure and providing more Nigerian Branded services. The effect of Nigerians in Diaspora directing their resources in investing here in Nigerian through direct investments and not just portfolio investment can never be over-emphasized.

Also the NIDA would organize programmes for young Nigeria to realize their dreams of starting up their own businesses and practicing in their various chosen carriers by empowering them with the technical and the financial support.

2. INSTITUTE OF CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALITY (ICI)

This is the pivotal arm of TARP as it is actually responsible for implementing the curriculum of TARP. It is primarily re-orientation based the major burden of the actualization of the TARP’s aims and target lies with the ICI. It is the major tool for the National Mind Revolution. The following are the major points focus in her curriculum:

(a) The Nigerian Dream

(b) The Nigeria individual and Nigeria Branding.

(c) Aspiring for responsibilities (LEADERSHIP)

(d) The pledge… redeeming the pledge (HONOUR)

(e) History and Myth

(f) Values

(g) The cancerous Tendencies of selfishness

(h) Our Voting responsibilities

(i) National and Ethnic / Religious tolerance

(j) Celebrating individuality

The ICI would be established in the various sectors of the govt. they are:

I. The Educational sector

This would further be sub divided on to

- The Primary School Pupil’s Arms

- The Secondary School Students Arms

- The Young School Leavers Arms

- The Undergraduates Arm

- The National Youth Service Corp Members Arms

- The Uneducated Arms

- The Post-National youth Service Corp Member/ Young Workers in the society Arm.

1. Other Agencies of the government as the Police and Civil service etc

The ICI would be a kind of school that actually goes to the student to hold academic sessions and the primary purpose would be to inculcate the various virtues consequential of her curriculum as stated above.

It would organize routinely seminars, symposia and programmes. There would be serious campaign for the ICI to be highly recognized by the various agencies, institutions and establishment in the Nation.

We would also do a lot of campaigns for the instilling of the various virtues consequential from the focus of the curriculum. There would be a conscious attempt to win coverts through the ICI for the course of rebuilding our Nation. The ICI would have as its fundamental cornerstone, the ICI research arm, which would be looking more for ways to make the aims of the ICI more effective.

3. THE POLICY INITIATIVE / IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING ARM (PIIMA)

“Though the reforms may be possible a proper legislation is necessary to sustain the change”.

This is the third arm of TARP. Nigeria has never had a policy draught; however the problem is not having enough character to implement the policies and to monitor policies so as to do away with impracticable policies while replacing them with more pragmatic ones.

Therefore the PIIMA would be geared towards campaigning through TV programmes, articles in National dailies, Marches, word of mouth, Programs for new policies inspired from the research of ICI and also working out practicable means to see that the policies would be implemented.

Policies are made for the good governance of the people, so if the people are oblivious of the policies of the Nation and their benefits then the policies would be in themselves self-abortive. Therefore we would carry out awareness to programs with the primary aim of letting the entire public see the potentials of the policies, breaking down technical terms in the language of various policies into laymen’s language so that layman on the street would understand such policies and align himself with it. Nigerians generally are prone to seeing pitfalls in the attempt at change in government through policies. These awareness programmes would solicit profound support from the people for the policies.

One of such policies that we need as a Nation to ensure the Nigerian dream becomes a reality is to instill the ICI curriculum into educational curriculum of the country as a whole as this would gradually imbibe such desirous National virtues intended by such a curriculum.

Another would be imposing compulsory taxes on Nigerians in Diaspora for development of Nigeria.

Finally the PIIMA would be solely responsible for monitoring the progress of TARP, restructuring when needed and general feed backs.

1. THE TARP OPEN HOUSE ARM (TOHA)

We would organize regular public forums to re-appraise the nation and navigate a way forward.

Conclusion

‘We have only one Nation

We have only one fatherland

A Nation is a gift from God to any given people

Oh what a gift Nigeria has been.’

Our plan is certainly not to build a utopia, because a concern for utopia has sometimes led to excesses of in-humanitarian tendencies in Man as history has shown in the likes of the Hitler of Germany, American’s Vietnam War etc. Our plan howbeit is how best to achieve in everyday life an approximation to the ideals.

No society can succeed without the collective faith of her citizens in themselves and in the ability of that society. And particular for Nigerians and Nigeria, self-belief would certainly not be a misplaced virtue.

We have a task to do required of us by God and by History; even if God because of his mercies forgives us for not performing our task to our nation, posterity would never forgive us.

This is a call out to people who want to impact their world, change it and make a loud difference in their generation.

“This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, this is perhaps the end of the beginning.”[12] Now the baton has been passed to a new generation, in which we happen to be at the forefront. It’s just a matter of time, the Men of today would become Men of yesterday and the Boys of today would become Men of tomorrow

I dare say that the time is now. We need to build the leadership we want for tomorrow, a leadership that would bear the Nigeria dream because everything rises and falls on leadership.

The words of Michael J. Fox in the movie the American President “People want leadership, they want good governance and in the absence of one they would accept anyone that they see because they are thirsty for it, they would crawl to the desert when they see a mirage of it and when the find out it was all a mirage, they would drink the sand.”

Nigeria has for a long time taken what was available and not exactly what is desirable. But not any more, we are placing a demand on our nation; we are insisting of the restoration of sanity in her polity.

If Nigeria is to prosper and progress, she needs a leadership that would inspire and not merely instruct her soul and the soul of her citizens to greatness.

It must be understood that leadership like John Maxwell, the leadership motivational speaker, would say is not a function of positions or titles, but a function in influence and impact.

The Nigeria today is the harvest of the seeds our fathers have sown in the past, now its seedtime again, what would be the harvest of tomorrow? The future is our responsibility. People derive leadership not from public office alone, but even more strongly from certain great persons that have decided to take a great cause and run with it.

We do not need public offices, we need the collective minds of the Nigerian people home and abroad, this is where her greatness lies.

And so TARP has picked up the challenge to build out new tunnels of hope through the mountains of despair, to turn our wilderness into promise lands and change the jangling discord of our nation into the beautiful symphony of brother hood, Nigeria can and would change.

Even though I do not see the change, I see it and anticipate it, even though I cannot really handle a New Nigeria with my hands as at today, I so strongly believe in it and live presently in it and how l am filled with such in expressible and glorious joy.

God has done his lot in blessing us, it is left for us to know it, believe it and cultivate her wealth. This would only be achieved in an atmosphere of collective faith, hope and love for our Nigerian heritage.

“For on the other side of the horizons of TARP is the Nigerian Dream. It shall soon be in sight.”

Thomas Paine wraps it up in these inspiring words “No tyranny of circumstance can imprison a determined will for too long.”

TARP welcomes you on board!!!

Glossary / References

1. This dream was birthed in 2006 and the first draft of this document was drafted in 2006. ↑

2. It is important to note that this is not all that is in Africa as there is also a great deal of sights in Africa that are a clear picture of happiness and the comfort of the good life. ↑

3. www.africanculturalcenter.org ↑

4. A message given to Caesar by the soothsayer to warn him of the his death which occurred in the hands of his close and trusted friend Brutus and the senators on the 15th of March ↑

5. http://hdr.undp.org/en/ ↑

6. National Economic and Empowerment Development Startegies (NEEDS), Nigerian National Planning Commision Abuja (2004) ↑

7. Nnamdi Iheagbu Colonialism and independence: Nigeria as a case study- http://www.southernct.edu/organizations/hcr/2002/nonfiction/colonialism.ht [Assessed 29/01/10], ↑

8. Megan McArdle, Chavismo Unleashed The Ttlantic Wire(2008) - http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/madness_is_doing_the_same_thin.php ↑

9. John Mason, An Enemy Called Average ↑

10. Lee Kuan Yew ,From 3rd World to 1st World, the Singapore Story, 1965-2000 ↑

11. Steven Covey Seven habits of Highly effective people ↑

12. Dele Sobowale ↑