CHANGING THE MOULD.. By Dotun GEORGE

The urgency of now....


It is only when farming truly becomes mechanized and a profession that wealth would be found in it, it is then we begin to talk about serious economy . In the developed societies, farmers are wealthy as everybody depends on their production for existence. Nigerians should not be an exception. Above all, they are employers of labour besides wealth-creators.

This special position keeps farmers kilometers or miles away from poverty. The lackadaisical attitude of Nigerians and we the youths towards embracing farming as a profession is a “borrowed–culture” from the Government, it has not avail us in any way . Instead, youths look for white collar-jobs which are unavailable. Idleness and restiveness among our youths should be checked through agriculture.

A situation where there are more hotels, beer parlours, pool betting centres, casinos, native wine drinking joints and film centres than libraries, factories, palm and banana plantation and farm settlements have shown the direction of the country in few years time, and that is why Nigeria is still poor and continue to be poor until there is paradigm shift . Worse still, the rate at which Nigerian youths have turned into mobile sales dancers for herbal drug sellers because of unemployment is alarming. The rate of fraud and prostitution is alarming because of poverty. This is a disheartening development and wrong type of empowerment.
Every Nigerian should always remember that his chickens are not safe when his neighbours are hungry. It requires wisdom to understand wisdom and the music is nothing if the audience is deaf. Quo Vadis (Where are You Going) Nigeria?
We can salvage this country, we have all that it takes to turn the tide, it is time to break the mould and re write the ugly story of this once upon a time giant of Africa.

The time of redemption of this country is approaching provided we can begin to do the needful at the leadership level and more than never before at the followership level. The people who are ready and determined can surmount any mountain.