Where did it start from?

Who was the First Nigerian President? When did Nigeria gain Independence? When did Nigeria become a republic? The above are typical questions for a Nigeria history exam. All the facts and figures must be right at your finger tips to make close to a pass mark. I watch in amusement how much and how well our youngsters cram these facts to pass their exams. Unfortunately, there is no lesson learnt and no value passed to these kids.

When Russians learn of their communist history and when Black Americans sit down to watch the tear-provoking episodes of Roots. As the name, 'Kunta kinte' sounds like the wake up crow of a red horned cock, the black American little boy remembers that he came on a ship to the melting pot of the world but he also knows , quite evidently by the recent US election that black or white, all men have rights . He resolves to tread those places that no black man has reached. It's the history that produced Colin Powell, Jesse Jackson and even Barack Obama. Those kids are filled with resolve to make their country better, to become better heroes than the ones they have read and heard so much about. Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jnr, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, and the endless list of those that make us marvel with awe.

What do we pass to our kids in a history class asides those details that can be summarized in a 40 leave booklet sold on the streets of Lagos? Those books are typically called' Current affairs in Nigeria' or better still, 'Passing your history exam in flying colours' . As parents buy that almost perfect collation of facts, for the simple purpose of passing a paper. As primary school pupils recite the states and capitals of Nigeria without flinching, and as I struggle to learn the new ministerial list that changes like card shuffle. As I Google the list of state governors just to appear to be slightly smarter than my colleagues. I wonder, so hard that I get wrinkles on my face, what history we have about our rulers in this country asides the creation of new local government councils, creation of new parastatals, impeachment of state governors, election malpractice, court injunctions, and even assassination in some cases. I weep because the colorful part of our history ended with independence and the God- given advocates that made October 1, 1960 worth remembering. And please don't take that for granted. It takes skill, patience, knowledge and maybe anointing to negotiate the future of a whole nation with the most powerful lady in the world at that time. I wish I had videos of those sessions, those patriots that put the nation above themselves. I would show my kids with pride what some Nigerians like Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikwe did on behalf of Nigeria.

But then again, that is where Nigeria history ends as far as I'm concerned. I imagine if I were to write Nigeria's Obituary

NIGERIA

Born 1960, Great potential nation

1960-2008 (nothing positive to report)

2009 (rebranding exercise)

Died…………

And just as I write, I see a news flash,' Controller-General of Nigeria Customs service may emerge today.' And another one, 'First Nigerian-made armored car being launched by president'. I can almost predict the next, 'Press conference by some state governor' or 'President travels to Australia to visit the Minister of Power and exchange ideas'. How much worse could it get? Why should it be news that Lecturers are being paid their salaries or that roads are being repaired. What then is the Nigeria's definition of normal events? What exactly is the job description of a NIGERIAN President or governor? Who do they report to? Do they get performance reviews? Am I asking too many questions?

Where did this all start? It's easy to blame individuals and add a corrupt tag to most if not all of our leaders but I refuse to do that. Leaders are born out of society and not the other way round. I laugh endlessly at people that say,' when they get into power , they change'. Change to what exactly? Our leaders are simply a reflection of the greater part of our society. We might argue that they weren't elected, they rigged the election. Trust me, rigging is not a one-man campaign. You, yes, you the ordinary man down the street that feels so upright and just cannot be absolved of blame. We, everyone that calls himself/herself Nigerian is to blame for everything that has gone wrong. And just before you frown your face as the pangs of guilt flow straight from this piece to the depth of your heart. Let's go back to those corrupt and dark moments that your children saw. The times you bribed the PHCN officials, the times you bribed for your children to gain admission into an educational institution. Yes, that moment when you threw the pure water sachet out of the car unto the road. The moment when little Dammy said, 'Daddy, why are you beating the traffic light?' You all remember those moments. That is where it all started from. The corruption, the lack of respect for law and authority did not start with policemen demanding bribes on the street, but started when you parked wrongly along the road. Generation, after generation, we multiplied the sin, the hatred, the corruption and here we are in 2009.