NIGERIA AND THE TALE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

NIGERIA AND THE TALE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

By: Olawale Smart (penner Smart)

The prodigal son story is a very famous story among the holy book readers, story of a young man that resorted into collecting his own share of his father's properties and travelled to another city to lavish the resources that ought to be spent prudently.

To cut the long story short, the prodigal son was ridiculed and was demoted drastically from the position of a rich man's son to the dishonourable post of a beggar that shared foods with pigs, all because of the mismanagement of the resources at his reach.

After much brainstorming, I began to wonder if Nigeria is a descendant of this prodigal son.

Nigeria is undoubtedly a Nation blessed with so many mineral resources, best brains, best hands.  But, with all those qualities, we have been "successfully" led to a state of recession.

If we all can't manage what God has blessed us with,  if we can't manage those resources that are now at our reach,  then am afraid for the future for Nigeria, am afraid for the history that are gonna drown in shame!  Am afraid that Nigeria might have to beg for foods and feed together with swine of pigs i.e beg for loans from world power and share the same rank with the likes of Somalia and Zimbabwe.

One factor out of the many that is affecting us is,  Mismanagement.

So deep! How Nigeria citizen have to be begged to patronize "Made in Nigeria" products,  we (Nigerians) instead settle for imported goods. Wait!  Haven't we ever thought about the fact that all those nations we import from, also started from somewhere and it costs Nigeria a fortune to ship them in. With the low patronage of the "Made in Nigeria" products, ambitious investors are encouraged to inscribe  " Made in USA" on a product that is made in Aba. Is there a state in Nigeria called UNITED STATES OF ABA?

After patronizing such dubious products, we sometimes found out that they are cool and on some unfortunate days, the other way round. If we've been patronizing our own products, local investors will be encouraged to boldly print "Made in Nigeria" and you will be able discern good brands from the one that are not.

Am resting my case like a frustrated lawyer defending one of the biggest Criminal Cases,  I have contributed my quota in the quest to develop Nigeria.

Tell "Nigeria" to manage the Money, Money spent lavishly doesn't last long,  it will definitely finish!!!

Tell Nigeria to stop looting public funds and let us quench the looming storm of hunger!!!

Tell Nigeria to patronize "Made in Nigeria" products and let us make the best use of our brains, because, brains can drain away, let us manage the money spent on import, to avoid the looming storm of hunger.

Tell Nigerians that they are Nigeria,  whether, you are in Government, You are a student, trader,  farmer, artiste or whatsoever you might be, we are Nigeria, because without us there is nothing called Nigeria. Let us be prudent and maximize the best out of this current time and season that we are.

ONE NATION

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