MY VOICE

I have a voice, I know cos some people hear me when I talk. Some of you even take time out of your busy days to read when I write, so I know I have a voice. I am ashamed becos I havent always used it the way I ought. I am saddened by the culmination of some of the effects of assuming I was voiceless. I am ashamed that as an adult, I thought I was voiceless.  

I am an average Nigerian who has beyond-average dreams always, I suspected, but I only confirmed recently. I fiercely love Nigeria and desire good to happen in and to her but I am always surprised when the opposite happens and I am sitting here finally getting an understanding of why.

As a people, we are wicked. Yes! I said it! Sue me! (apologies, Ikhide) We are very wicked or why else would we see what is inimical to progress and do it and keep doing it when the consequences become clear to us and imagine that we can have a different result? Is that not the new world definition of insanity? Wait, so, we are even wickedly insane, all of us.

Today though, I am talking about my voice and how irresponsible I have been with it. I have tried to make change happen but only in tiny bits and pieces. I found out I should have been screaming whereas I was whispering! Whimpering even! I am ashamed and in pain. 

Let this serve as a warning, Adenike will no longer condone mediocrity! If you are a friend, please do the right thing or ensure that its well concealed from me! Where Nigeria is concerned from now, ok is no longer ok. If you are in my sphere of influence, please do the right thing or we will have words. 

I am about to morph into the politician's worst nightmare, the erring citizen's conscience and the misbehaving child's taskmaster. My voice is enough to be a cane, a query, and a reprimand and I will use it as such. 

I want the ordinary(?!@#) Nigerian to understand that they are Nigeria! No one is going to make this nation better except you and anyone trying to make this nation worse is your personal enemy! Stop waiting on anyone to make it better. You alone are the one responsible for the change that Nigeria will experience!

Assured that I will offend many, but guess what? I dont give a hoot! Nigeria matters enough to me that I truly dont care whose ox is gored as she is re-born. Being quiet has achieved nothing so am guessing that whatever needs to give requires some shouting, Nigerian style, to make it happen.

Postscript-

153 people reportedly lost their lives today in a Dana Air plane crash in Agbado in Lagos. My heart breaks becos that's 153 people more than needed to die today. My heart goes out to their families & friends. My anger is directed at all those who through incompetence on one level or another, made it happen. For starters, I would like to see Dana Air investigated and appropriately disciplined if its true that this same plane had been involved in some inquiry as is being widely opined on social media & whoever made it possible for them to continue operating after a license withdrawal may like to seize this opportunity to relocate to another country cos Nigeria will become too hot to remain in soon. Mr Prez, please stop the theatrics, mourn if you must, we are used to mourning and have been doing so as a nation for the past one year of your Presidency. Do whatever you wish, as usual. In addition though, the thing to do is not set up a committee (1), instead, call the Aviation Minister and ask that a resignation be sitting on your desk in 3days if someone does not appropriately get the blame for this (2), tell Abati to talk to the press and speak truth about what you will do or better still, call Abati & sack him (3).