Awards In Nigeria

This is one issue that has bothered me for years. There are times I sit in total confusion just trying to figure out reasons for certain awards in Nigeria. I know this my beloved country and the citizens are great and innovative people. But the problem is that we always use our strengths wrongly.

We have come to that stage in Nigeria where money says it all. There are nations of the world where education adds to people’s glory, but in our dear country, it is now a matter of cash. It is really sad that the people who should be recognized and appreciated are left to waste away.

People tend not to see anything good in the person of Rev. Kris Okotie, but I think I have regard for him more than many Nigerians. This man was able to give an award to the man called Chike Obi (sure that name sounds familiar).This man made so much positive contributions to Mathematics in Nigeria. I salute Rev. Kris Okotie for remembering a man forgotten by us. I was excited the day Dr. Eddie Iroh became my Facebook friend. I was excited exchanging mails with the man who wrote a book I was fond of as a child-Without a silver spoon.

But looking at the Nigeria of today, how many of our children have those great minds as role models? All they see in televisions and newspapers are thieves, abnormal people who make their living from looting the public treasury and pushing out their breasts in public. Ask these kids to tell you who their role models are and all you hear is one useless Nollywood Star or thief in Abuja.

I think our problem in Nigeria emanates from different angles-politicians, pastors, Imams, activists, and journalists. Like I always say; what is obtainable in Nigeria is nothing, but “Brown Envelop Journalism”. We now have our journalists do nothing to improve in their career, but they are all over the place doing everything possible to improve their pockets.

Why are they all over the place writing only about people who are able to offer some goodies in return when there are great minds and beautiful souls doing great things to touch humanity with no gain in return? The problem with us in Nigeria is that we are always too forgetful. We forget our roots and the people that actually matter in our lives. I remember going home during one Christmas period and creating time to look for my Grade one teacher. I will never forget this woman in my life because she taught me to be strong with so much love.

They keep telling us that the rewards of teachers are in heaven. I don’t believe this because we wouldn’t have been where we are today if not for our teachers. But look at awards flying all over the place and tell me if there is any for the teachers. I was at CMS Grammar School’s 152nd anniversary sometime this week when I saw myself in tears for the teachers. I looked at the old boys, even those that left in 1947 talk about their teachers. Friends, it was at this point I thanked God for our teachers. This is why I am strongly kicking against the so-called private schools because teaching has lost its value with the emergence of private schools. We no longer have trained teachers, but graduates employed because they speak good English and dress well.

Not just teachers, but people in many professions that cater for humanity. We often neglect these ones—teachers and nurses. Why can’t somebody come up to appreciate these ones for the good things they do in our nation?

There is no kind of name I have not heard when it comes to awards in Nigeria. I have received invitations from a good number of them, but in my usual manner, I turn them down because they are meaningless. I will begin to value those awards when they are given to the right people without anything monetary attached to it.

They always tell us to send a certain amount of money for the publishing of the profile. This shows me that these are just hungry people using us for the good of their families. If they are really serious with the awards and if what they do is out of selfless service, for the good of the nation, they should look for people who deserve those praises.

Some of the young girls, especially our Nollywood stars and sun are using their body to get those awards as they cannot do away with the award fee. I see people attend these events and even fight for cards to attend, but I see them as people without knowledge because if truly we reason well, we should have known that it is time we got most of those awards stopped.

Just like awards, beauty pageants are another “wahala” we have in Nigeria. One hungry man sleeps only to wake up with one stupid idea and I see our girls paying as much as N10,000 to get the forms. The organisers come up with very beautiful adverts and mouth-watering prizes. I met a Lebanese who told me he will never let his company sponsor any of those shows again. This is because of his experience with a Nollywood star who took a car from them for a beauty pageant only to sell it at the end of the day.

These girls are used by these wicked people to make a living. Have you noticed what happens in the beauty pageants? It is no longer the prettiest and most intelligent that wins, it has become “give me, I give you”. The organisers sleep with these girls in exchange for the crown. Some of them at the end of the day never keep those promises you see on the pages of newspapers.

Back to awards, I don’t know if you have taken out time to look at and access the recipients of awards in Nigeria. I have seen thieves being honoured by our media houses and journalists just because some cash will drop from their pocket. When did awards suddenly become a kind of merchandise? Nigerian awards have lost value as people now see it as just another form of money making venture.

Awards are now given to people who don’t deserve them. Why should someone bring a political thief, who has done nothing, but loot our treasury and then name him the politician of the year just because he has money to spend? What will make people nominate ritual killers and fraudsters for awards? Why should some Nollywood stars who add no value to Nigeria be given awards? There is no kind of nomination I haven’t heard in this award madness. It is really a pity.

If really we want to do these awards the right way, I am of the opinion that we should stop using them for our bank accounts. We should stop running to people and almost falling on the ground for them to step on us just because we need their money. I just wish Nigerians are like me and begin to ignore all these entertainers and journalists merchandizing awards.

There are people to be appreciated; remember the teachers who moulded you to become what you are today. What about our nurses and mid-wives saving lives? What about public servants who have refused to be corrupt? Where are those missionaries doing great things for humanity and feeding the poor in those remote areas? These ones have remained focused even in the midst of colleagues who feed their pockets with public funds. They deserve some pat on their back to keep them going.

Since you are genuinely contributing to the good of Nigeria, fish them out and let the awards be given to the right people.