Nigeria: Between a ‘purchased’ nation and a nation set apart

Photo Credit: Mike Asukwo

By Chikwado Uzoh

St. Peter, the head of the apostles wrote a letter at a turbulent time to God’s chosen/purchased people who were scattered throughout the northern part of Asia Minor. It was a letter of hope and encouragement and the title of this piece is influenced by 1 Peter Chapter 2vs9 wherein he wrote: But you are the chosen/purchased race, the King’s priests, the holy nation, God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.

Such letter is urgently needed in our country today for we are in situation that is akin to, if not worse than what Peter saw and consequently wrote to encourage them. There is no denying the fact that Nigeria is a ‘purchased’ nation- a nation bought in parts by people with selfish interests!

It is this part purchases by selfish individuals that have continued to hold us down. It is the singular reason why a problem like electricity which was solved by Europe over 100 years ago is still not available in Nigeria. It is the reason why we wait for the roads to completely break down before fixing it in order to get a bigger amount of money. We are a purchased nation, a nation set apart for the looters, greedy politicians and their cronies in the private sectors.

The amount of money that have been poured into the electricity sector is more than enough to solve our energy needs if we were to be the sort of chosen people St. Peter wrote about. Peter’s writing was hinged on hope- hope on the Christ whose death, resurrection, and promised coming is enough to make them endure their suffering.

Nigerians have had to endure sufferings for time immemorial and have even ‘suffered and smiled’ in hope for their Messiah. However, with the coming of each new ‘messiah’, the part auctioning of the country on sectional lines continues.

When Obasanjo came on board at the inception of the fourth republic, we felt he will end sufferings and put us on a steady part to development. But he simply continued on the purchasing and selling Nigeria to different people- those that put him on seat. Even after he finished, he sold us to Yar’dua for the singular reason of what the Senior Yar’dua did for him. On and on it goes, purchases here and there.

Even our hope that President Buhari’s victory would bring good omens to Nigeria have been dashed as the man is only interested in ‘selling’ to his kit and kin. It is this part purchases that was at the root of the 95%vs5% criteria for the distribution of ‘governance goodies’.

Even our hope that President Buhari’s victory would bring good omens to Nigeria have been dashed as the man is only interested in ‘selling’ to his kit and kin. It is this part purchases that was at the root of the 95%vs5% criteria for the distribution of ‘governance goodies’.

Whither Nigeria? The future is bleak given that we are even at a sorry pass now. The part purchases have made it possible that clear acts of criminality are being foisted on animals and we all laugh it off. The only way to get back on track is to retake our country from this set of politicians and their mouthpiece plus their counterparts in the private sectors.

This way, we will have gone a long way to being ‘purchased’ in the manner that St. Peter talks about. We are willing to suffer provided the government in power (not this present administration) shows ‘true’ efforts towards bettering our lots.

Chikwado, Uzoh is a graduate of Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is a humanist, social critic as well as an expert in contextual communication. He is based in Badore, Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected], or +2347038052721. He sent in this from Badore, Lagos.