In this momentous occasion in the history of our country Nigeria, we are called as leaders to take the bull by the horn and change the trajectory of our people. As daunting as the task may be, our vision is: We have to change in other for them to CHANGE because the future of our people depend on us changing our mindset from that of Self-centeredness to a more robust one of general good of all. (http://www.yourgovt.com/)
It is obvious that the Federal Government do not have the interest of the Nigerian people at heart. We will do what we feel is necessary to emancipate our people.
We live in very interesting times, in the global village yet Nigerian families are finding it hard to make ends meet or send their ward to school. Our Youth are pressured to sometimes do the un-thinkable just to be able to survive. Anyone who is as attentive as required will agree that our Youth are now threading a path that their parents never tread. In the news we hear of Kidnapping, Prostitution, Armed Robberies, Cultism, Militancy etc. In spite of the God given oil wealth, there is penury and hunger in the land as never seen before.
The frustration has resulted in inter-ethnic and religion inspired killings and vices as enumerated above.
America and other Western Countries are well on their way to changing the world economy which is presently Commodity [Oil & Gas, Diamond, Gold, Uranium, Cooper etc.] to one that is “Knowledge Based”
Research and Development investment is critical as innovations in Medicine, Space Exploration, Information Technology and the Sciences will become the indices for determining which countries are rich or poor. Basically, Nigeria’s crude oil will be worthless if not from internally generated strife from the Militancy in the Niger Delta, perhaps from the very likely accomplishment of independence from foreign oil by the Western world.
Now this emerging reality challenges us to prepare from what appears to be inevitable.
To make matters worse, the revenue from the oil windfall has been squandered by a reckless, corrupt and mediocre leadership. To the extent that all sectors of our national economy are in shambles. Absolutely nothing to show for all the oil revenues except for a few billionaires who don’t know what to do with Money. What we have is pockets of individuals in ALL ethnic groups who have been hand-picked by a corrupt and criminal cabal to share in the loot.
The truth of the matter is that with all the proceeds from oil sales and with the abundant human capital there is no single city in Nigeria that has the basic public utilities such as pipe borne water, 24 hour un-interrupted power supply, mass transit systems such as electric trains or rail cars, or good and motor-able road networks that create the enabling environment for investment and development.
Moreover, in the new global village, building an airport or a few kilometres of road is not an indices used to judge development. Development is judged by the quality of life of the people. e.g. Do they have jobs? How many people are un-employed? Are they able to send their children and ward to school? Do the schools teach anything etc. Are the Govt. offices offering services to the people free of charge
Unquestionably, the current crop of leaders in Nigeria and, indeed across Nigeria is a colossal failure. For example, the reason why there is a rot right now is not because the government is not pumping money into the economy.
Their Greed and pursuit of Selfish Interest ONLY has prevented them to see the inevitable catastrophe. If anyone thought things are bad now, please wait another 5 years or so when some of these new advances in technology are rolled out.
I know that there are agents of the status quo who would rather we don’t do anything and wait but inspired leadership calls us all to act now to avoid what in my humble opinion will be disastrous considering that our educational, political and economic system in Nigeria is in crisis.
We need to take our message to the grassroots. The grassroots need to know the truth and they also need to know that all hope is not lost. Since the CHANGE we seek is from the bottom up, we will be asking for their help as we brainstorm on the way forward.
If we are committed to this Vision enough, we are confident that we be able to use TRANSFORM NIGERIA MOVEMENT as the vehicle to unite us under a common purpose; a purpose that puts the general good of all, over any self-centred interest. Furthermore, we are hopeful that we can brainstorm and come up with an action plan that would save Nigerians from the emerging reality of a “Knowledge based World Economy. ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Transform-Nigeria/)
Make no mistake about it, in other for any CHANGE that we desire to be attained and sustained, we have to have the ears and eyes of the grassroots. The vision is a deliberate vision that will not be hypocritical or pretentious.
If we don’t CHANGE the mindset of our Nigerian people first it doesn’t matter how much money is poured into any particular sector of our economy, good results will elude us.
Nigerians, please make no mistake about it, the road we are about to travel is going to take many turns and twist but with God on our side we are confident that we will reach the Promised Land. The Promised Land being a Nigeria where the children and adults alike rise above whatever adverse conditions to live gratifying lives.
Even though the message, we bring today is a message of Unity, Hope and Change, the major goal of the TRANSFORM NIGERIA MOVEMENT is to build an emergent Community out of the Nigeria internet Community that can learn, adapt and grow. An emergent Nigeria Community that is capable of honest dialog, one that enacts new forms of behaviour and is often at odds with corruption and hereditary hierarchy
We will develop a new social reality that will require ALL of us to make painful adjustment away from self-interested behaviour.
Make no mistake about it, the kind of CHANGE we seek is revolutionary because it is principle driven. Historically such principle driven behaviour challenges the status quo [Man know Man; Chop-I-Chop System] and forces people to choose between what is easy and that which is the moral thing to do;
Those who represent the status quo and are small minded may initially see the new VISION as a threat to their selfish interest but once the CHANGE agents show commitment and consistency these agents of the status quo will eventually change and see we face a common future which can presently be described as bleak; in other words, if we don’t CHANGE first, they won’t CHANGE. (http://www.yourgovt.com/public-forum/)
Our new emergent Community will be built on intense commitment that is voluntary. It is our hope that members are willing to join in this noble effort that requires them to make significant personal sacrifice that will ultimately result in their own transformation.
For these and other reasons, the Vision for TRANSFORM NIGERIA MOVEMENT is more urgent! (http://www.yourgovt.com/)
Our proposal is to start with membership drive and bring awareness of the vision to ALL Nigerians worldwide. To that end, we are going to propose that we create a forum that will be named the Transform Nigeria Leadership Foundation. A Transform Nigeria Leadership Foundation, in my humble opinion, will be in a better position to address such issues raised.
The initial members of this Transform Nigeria Leadership Council will consist of any Nigerian who feel the desire for CHANGE.
In order for the Transform Nigeria Leadership Foundation to accomplish its goals, it would be absolutely important that it has no hierarchy in its Organizational Structure. All members of the Transform Nigeria Leadership Foundation will be of equal footing.
It is time to CHANGE. We further recognize that CHANGE is not easy. Asking ordinary people to change is not easy but we ask you all to keep an open mind. There will be sacrifices but an easier way to look at the CHANGE that we seek is to see ourselves as being NIGERIA-CENTRIC.
Nigeria-Centricity means as Change Agents we will be Champions of the paradigm CHANGE that empowers us to be aligned with a Vision for the general good. That is NIGERIA-CENTRICITY!
As Trustees of the TRANSFORM NIGERIA MOVEMENT, our commitment to CHANGE is resolute. We believe this CHANGE has to be from ground up. Our Nigerian Youths will be the catalyst because they shoulder the burden of leadership tomorrow.
We are confident that we will in the very near future be able to impact the lives of all our people positively as it is my very strong belief that our best days as Nigerian people are still ahead of us.
Places where you can join the TRANSFORM NIGERIA MOVEMENT
1. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Transform-Nigeria/
2. http://www.yourgovt.com/
3. Facebook