If falling were a sport, Nigeria and Nigerians would undoubtedly shine brighter than the stars in this game.
How do you describe a country that claims to be the Giant of Africa, which is always on the tumbling path as an affirmation of its greatness.
From being the number one economy in Africa...(yet hunger is a defining feature among millions) while it is jealously guarding its crown as the poverty capital of the world….and falling to the unenviable position of begging China for loans over the last decade.
From having a formidable army that was used to restore stability and peace, fight insurgency and armed militias in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and is unable to flush out armed bandits and religious terrorists hiding in the Sambisa forest.
From armed robbers stealing valuables from one house, we have graduated to bandits taking a whole community into a forest and holding them ransom, and then negotiating for their release for large sums of money
From having one of the largest oil and gas deposits in Africa, and producing millions of barrels of crude oil, to having the largest refinery located in the country, ….and unable to supply crude oil for refining, From having well-educated engineers and scientists renowned around the world and still cannot keep the lights on, and frequently suffer from total national blackout, while having the largest number of generating sets among its individual citizens for producing their own electricity.
From a currency exchange rate that equaled or surpassed the dollar to a rate that is embarrassing to even many in Zimbabwe…..to a minimum wage that can hardly buy a loaf of bread daily for workers.
From Olympic and African football champions to a team that can hardly qualify for the Africa Nations or World cup competitions, and sent packing by minors from Benin in a soccer world cup qualifiers.
We have undoubtedly demonstrated our abilities in falling, even having our own Presido show how to take a graceful stumble, and pass it off as a demonstration of greatness.
While we have returned to our old national anthem, hailing our country, we affirm our greatness in things that are illusionary, being as it were, things that baffle the art of magic. The more we look the less we see. Herein lies our greatness in producing ‘optical illusions’.
