Inspiration corner: Be Focused

A ship that sails by every wind never comes to harbour. If you stop to throw stones at every dog that barks, you'll never get home. A life without focus is like an unsharpened pencil, it has no point, and cannot make a meaningful impact. The convex lens focuses sunlight on a spot of a paper and can cause it to burn through. The focused life is a life of power and impact. Focus has to do with heart fixation, prioritization, purposefulness, and persistence. Challenges are inevitable in life but the right focus will pull you through. If you aim at nothing, you'll surely hit it. A goal-less life is wasted existence. Have focus in life, but much more importantly, have the right focus - PowerLines.

Why Nigeria is making progress backwards

 Many reasons are responsible but 90% of the problem is due to leadership failure.

Abysmally poor leadership

Incompetent leadership

Corrupt leadership

Undisciplined leadership

Lying leadership

Lost leadership

Confused leadership

Divisive leadership

Oppressive leadership

Suppressive leadership

      Deluded leadership

Ignorant leadership

Visionless leadership

Thoughtless leadership

You may add your own.

“Good governance is the art of putting wise thought into prudent action in a way that advances the well-being of those governed.” 

― Diane Kalen-Sukra    

In other words, good government requires justice, and justice ultimately requires that people be governed by their friends. In a democracy, where we govern each other, we must all be friends, or the system will become oppressive.” 

― Michael Austin

Please show mercy and be considerate

 These are not the best of times for the economies of nations across the globe. But these are not the best of times for the economies of individuals and families as well. So, trying to fix the nation’s economy and to ensure that the nation stays afloat, should not translate to strangulation and suffocation of citizens.

©PowerLines 2020

Calm down? For how long?

 

The need to calm down has been impressed upon Nigerians following the viral video of the smart infant negotiating his way out of a parental spanking. Our leaders have seized the opportunity to echo the need to calm down to all and sundry. I think it is good to heed their advice. Unlike that smart kid, the negotiating power of Nigerians has been taken away and they have been reduced to a state of helplessness not knowing what would come next at any point in time. Nigerians are manipulated, oppressed, abused, misused, and impoverished.

Stay calm (PowerLines Blog 2020)

Without real leaders, Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria will remain backward

This region is the most economically backward in the world. It is the White man's burden. It comprises nations that depend on handouts from the West. Critical sectors of national life in these nations - Education, Power, Health - are comatose. The quality of life in these countries is very low. Nature has endowed many of these nations with wealth but they can not manage it for their economic benefit. Citizens from these countries are scattered all over the world like sheep without a shepherd. And the pitiable part, it's like the scenario won't get better any time soon. Reason: fake, corrupt and incompetent leadership.

The pain of a country called Nigeria

A nation so rich, yet so poor; so blessed, yet so backward. Nigeria is supposed to draw strength from its diversity and leverage on it to the advantage of the citizens. But what do we see? Instead of unity in diversity we have confusion and discordant voices in a forced unity. 

There is so much suspicion and mistrust. A lot of bitterness and ill feeling. Sectional and regional interests take the upper hand over loyalty to the nation. There is a lot of unfair dealing with one region/section shortchanging the other because of being in authority. 

When will Nigeria get it right?

With all the optimism being expressed in political and religious circles that Nigeria is almost there, the future of Nigeria is very bright, Nigeria is making progress, etc, I personally feel that as a nation, Nigeria is not making any positive, concrete and sustainable progress on any front.

Virtually every important sector of the nation, except politics, is neglected and in decay. Education is the worst hit. A government that does not understand that the quality and quantity of its investment in education determine the growth and development of the nation is one without vision. University funding is still very inadequate. If Nigeria is to compete with the BRICS countries and other developing nations like Malaysia, not to mention the West, it must be prepared to spend the way they do, on tertiary education and research.

The health sector is in a pitiable and pathetic state. Millions of dollars are lost in capital flight as Nigerians - both leaders and the led - scamper all over the globe to manage their health. Facilities for the treatment of cancer are grossly inadequate and Nigerians groan under the affliction of this terrible disease that is on the rise in the nation. The nation still depends on handouts from donor countries to finance most of its health projects and programmes. It is a shame for the so called Giant of Africa.