The state of the Nigerian Nation is not a state that was inflicted on us by outsiders, rather it’s a self-inflicted condition occasioned by lack of personal responsibility and accountability to people.

Charity begins from home, states the old adage, but we have conveniently been able to twist it round that charity begins with the other person. Am sure this was what was in the mind of this present administration when they launched the Change Begins With Me campaign to change our orientation that change starts with someone else apart from me.

It seems though that the Change Begins With Me Campaign is yet to sink into our subconscious, not because we don’t understand the message, but rather, we are inured to the societal ills it’s trying to correct and remedy.

And the reason for this is not far-fetched.

We are simply used to the fact that we can do things with impunity and get away with it irrespective if a live is lost in the process. And this single thought of impunity has so much permeated our sociocultural life that we see it manifested in various forms, from the common and regular man on the street to the highest authority position in the land.

It’s not a leadership problem, but it’s a “We-People” Problem that we are not willing to recognize but rather point at the so-called leaders. But the reality is, we encourage this leaders to rule with lord themselves over us! A Governor would conduct a “rescue operation” to free a man who is inciting violence from his Pulpit and he feels there is a justifiable reason to do so. Or a Governor that obstructs the course of justice from arresting a suspect in a corruption case. Or a Governor that believes he does not owe students and parents an explanation on why their school as been locked for close to 8 months and his children school outside the country and party around.  Why would these Governors act like this, it’s simply because we gave them the power to do so and we are too timid and gullible to ask questions and call them to order and demand accountability!!!

Why is information about our President’s health condition not in the open space? Why don’t we know what our Dis-Honorable Legislators earn? Why is there a nucleus Kitchen cabinet in the kitchen cabinet of the President? We can keep asking all the questions, but they all point to one thing, lack of Personal Accountability to the people.

And its beyond the leadership, but about us as a people. If we are accountable to and for people around us we would do things differently. When we realize, we have people looking up to us as Role Models, we would quit acting with impunity and proffer concrete and pragmatic solutions to the mirage of problems affecting our country.

The Four Way Test of Herbert J Taylor needs to be applied to every conduct of ours either in Private or Public.

1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

 

This is taking responsibility and been accountable to and for the society. The Change Begins With Me needs to be a dogma that would sink deep into our hearts and apply it. We need to speak out against evil and wrong and stand for the truth.

We must take personal responsibility for our various Communities/Mountains; Family, Religion, Government, Education, Media, Arts and Entertainment and Business.

Surely Jesus Christ knew what he was saying in Mark 12:31 ” And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.” MSG.

Until we begin to love each other and do things not in self-interest but for the collective good and shatter the middle wall of bigotry, ethnicity, nepotism and religion, we would continue to sink into the cesspool of corruption and rot.