Awa l’okan: A Call to A General Responsibility by Ismail Abogunde
In a vast land of riches of all kinds, where prosperity sprouts out in every nook and cranny, as evidenced in the abundantly sufficient availability of fortunes amongst her citizens, here comes a time where it’s almost impossible to believe that this highly revered land of milk and honey – as its present state denotes lack and anguish – was once an epitome of material and non-material radiance, a state of wealth bloom, upon which other regions look to be like.
Nigeria’s default, as perceived by her citizens and even external onlookers, can be better described as all that has to with BAD, in virtually every area of endeavor. Hope is a word that seem to have reached its abode of extinction in Nigeria’s dictionary. More hunger has now been used to quench the painful pangs of hunger of the stomach. Basics are fast turned into luxury, and it doesn’t seem that things are heading towards better. The question is how did we get here?
No doubt that our country is richly blessed, and, without doubt, the riches are still as abundant as ever, and enough to circulate the economy as many times as we can imagine. The difference between why we seem to be prosperous in the past, as compared to now, is the key players that possess the key to these fortunes Allah has blessed the nation with. These players is a totality of you, I, and the rest of the national stakeholders we consider at the helms of affairs.
As it’s a duty of our leaders to uphold a just system of government, so do we owe it to our dear nation to demonstrate integrity and honor in our dealings. Awa l’okan, and it’s not just one person. Imagine a corrupt and morally bankrupt person – in his own life dealings – tagging a leader as corrupt. More of the burden of straightening up a nation at its rough edges may be more inclined to the path of the known leaders, but being that the nation is a sociologically interconnected entity – where the affairs of one group affects the other – we all have a role to play in bringing back our nation to its visible and audible status of prosperity.
Our leaders are chosen among us, and Allah places leading figures on people from their midst. With a deep introspect, would we rate our own style of leadership in our various capacities high, with respect to the backlash we give our leaders?
A question to me first?
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