It is neither an understatement nor a figment of my imagination to assert emphatically that Nigeria is a rich country but indisputably poor. The aforesaid sounds ironical and tends to provoke rhetorical question as to why Nigeria is rich but apparently poor.

At this juncture, I make bold to state without any fear of contradiction that latter disturbing events that have cluttered our landscape had lent credence to my position that Nigeria is a rich country with indispensable and inestimable human material and natural resources but ultimately poor. Regrettably, some Nigerians have over the years been working behind the curtain to milk the country dry and plunder its hard earned resources to enrich themselves in no small measure to the detriment of unsuspecting masses.

It is neither an understatement nor a figment of my imagination to assert emphatically that Nigeria is a rich country but indisputably poor. The aforesaid sounds ironical and tends to provoke rhetorical question as to why Nigeria is rich but apparently poor.

At this juncture, I make bold to state without any fear of contradiction that latter disturbing events that have cluttered our landscape had lent credence to my position that Nigeria is a rich country with indispensable and inestimable human material and natural resources but ultimately poor. Regrettably, some Nigerians have over the years been working behind the curtain to milk the country dry and plunder its hard earned resources to enrich themselves in no small measure to the detriment of unsuspecting masses.

It is no longer news that the billions and trillions of financial resources being earmarked annually by governments at all levels for the purposes of development are looted and siphoned by some few greedy and conscienceless persons thereby fanning the embers of underdevelopment, poverty, corruption and monumental lost of Nigeria’s dignity.

It is unfortunate and utterly unacceptable that the leaders we have entrusted with the mandate of being in the helm of affairs to stabilize democracy and explore democratic good governance are the very ones taking us on a wild goose chase thereby making us feel as if we don’t have a government. Again, the inability of Nigerians to effectively and efficiently harness their God-given human and natural resources has gone a very long way in compounding the problems the country is facing and making it poor and seemingly retrogressive.

It is pertinent at this juncture to state unequivocally that Nigeria is a nation-state in dire need of change, progress, development and sincere leaders to mount the saddle and sail it towards a more happier and prosperous future.

True to the words of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu former EFCC chairman who stated that Nigeria is likened to a sinking ship. He spoke in Kaduna during a symposium. President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda will only be an illusion and fruitless if more frantic and concerted efforts are not intensified to block all loopholes and clear the barricades that are impeding us from realizing the Nigeria of our dream; a Nigeria anchored on sustainable national development and harmonious co-existence.

I am very optimistic that if Nigerians embrace patriotism and sincerity of purpose, poverty in Nigeria will become history and a long forgotten phenomenon. Again, if Nigerians harness their potentials for greater efficiency, then of course the country will move from third world to first. It will stand tall in the comity of Nations and be taken to a position of pre-eminence. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

by Dapar Satmak Alexander

Dapar Satmak is a mass communication student of the University of Jos, he writes for ViewPointNigeria from Jos, Plateau state.

He can be reached at the following email address: daparsatmak@yahoo.com

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Nigeria: Rich but poor by Dapar Satmak Alexander