About This Proposed National Dialogue

When A People is Given To Playing The Ostrich

So much talk is going on now about discussing our continued existence as a people. And many people are even blaming the day we were brought together to be a country, as well as suspecting the agenda of the actors in that fact.

I am constrained to never speak with ulterior motives, not to side anyone, but to let all see that there is only one side - the side that is good for all. I am not a politician, and I am not a leader with interest to protect in any area. Except, that I am hoping that people should turn their eyes from things and others they think are the problem in our country; and look at themselves.

Yes, let each person look at himself or herself; and say whether you are a good human being. Humans are not humans until they relate or interact with other humans. Selfishness, manipulation and always taking advantage of others as a policy of interaction hardly makes for good relations.

Human beings make the country, not the geographical demarcation. Most grown-ups today are failed children, failed projects of their parents. And the world is now reaping the bad harvest from that failure. But we all see ourselves as not being the problem, that some others are. So we think, if we could just take out others that the world would be a better place.

Those who by their selfish and anti-social disposition make a multi-tribe country un-viable, will make a single tribe nation equally so when they find themselves in one; and they are everywhere . It is a very selfish world we live in today. Do we call our parents to a meeting to discuss our conditions of staying together as a family if there are erring members, or those who have become embarrassment to the family?

In a situation as this, where for a very long time the confidence of the populace in governance has been worn to near zero, who will initiate a process to re-orient and re-invent the people? The failure of the people in government over time has given growth to this culture of selfishness as many have written off the hope that there is something good in it all for us.

So who will start this ethical revolution? The terminal nature of incumbency, I can see, would make it difficult for any particular administration to want to. This is because good conscience demands that we practice what we advocate. The one who starts it must of necessity refrain from doing all the wrong things we have done that got us thinking we needed to talk - such as corruption, nepotism, aggrandizement etc. If he initiates it, who is to ensure the next man continues? Herein lies probably one of the the most thinkable causes why leaders in Africa tend to want to sit tight, to facilitate continuity. But, they just can't stay on forever and become living national monument in order to guard a reform.

Times indeed change, and a people must suffer the conditions of the times they permit to come upon them. As a little boy I remember my late grandmother often telling me that one cannot escape bad people just by changing location. They were sure to find one sooner or later as they are everywhere. 

Our country has a people problem, and it cannot be legislated. You can't force a person to be a good neighbor. You may take him to court, but you would have made a worse enemy than you started with. It is not the fact that we are from different origins that is our problem. It doesn't even come to mind in any interpersonal contact. It is our institutional unfairness to ourselves that is the bridge-breaker. God knows that those who disappoint us the most are those we call our own. But whilst there are others to blame, we like to keep from thinking about them. As soon as the fall guys are removed, if ever, I assure you all hell will be let loose.

There are families in which members do not see eye to eye, yet they relate with outsiders like angels. If affinity is indeed a guarantee of harmony, then what went wrong with those ones? Lets not belittle the life we have been given as we can't relive it; at least not in this time frame. Would you have your life another way, another place? Really?

We have been gradually losing our values and thus, our humanity through the years. We abuse each other and steal from each other. We even kill easily now, where we used not to be able to look upon a corpse. What we have is a crisis of conscience. 

God can heal us, though. But I know the religious ones would be at loggerheads with each other over which religion is true. All I can say to them is that their adherents should seek God in spirit and truth, and He will reveal Himself to them. A godless people will not be established. A statesman I am admiring from afar said recently that what is morally wrong cannot be politically right. But living by God's standards is way beyond morality. 

We would surely die if we, knowing the truth, kept pretending that we didn't. What I hate in this my life so far, is seeing people with power and in position to make a positive difference, but they do nothing. They don't want to rock the boat. Well, like it or not, someone else is rocking the boat; but you'll be held accountable by He before whom all men must give account. Why? You had the power, but you were busy trying to be a nice guy to the wrong crowd and someone usurped it. We are not to live for ourselves. We have a duty to God and to man. We will not all hold offices, but those who do should do a heavenly job of it, so that the rest of the world could actualize their purpose on earth. 

Why therefore this deceit about holding a national conference? Are politicians seeking ways to kill time for lack of ideas as to what to do about our many challenges? Why are we electing to bury our heads in the sand when we know obviously what is wrong with our land? Shouldn't governments at every level be working, rendering sincere and efficient services to the people so that we might see and perhaps, begin to turn around?

If we do not change the way we are, splitting into a thousand units will not make things right. People are disenchanted because of the failure of government through the years to meet their expectation. Therefore, as long as we have this notion of holding office for self aggrandizement, the few who rule will always seek to corner power for their own benefits no matter the setting. 
         
So, please, leave that deceiving proposal of a discuss alone. You are already over-paid for whatever you do, do not go on holiday too when you are supposed to be working. Govern well first. People will see when you are doing right. In darkness light does not need to announce itself, it shows from afar!