28th October, 2011
Africa was well known for decency; clothes were used for a covering. I used to think itâ€
Parents were more after the name of their children and the image of their family. Parents, in those days, wanted to know how their children made whichever money they had. I remember my father asking questions which church members were made to answer on how they got their wealth. I remember my grandmother telling us not to follow certain people because of their ill-gotten wealth.
The story is now different in my Africa. I donâ€
The pride of a woman used to be in her ability to keep herself pure for her husband. Chastity was admired and honoured above every other virtue in a woman. This is a generation in which morals have been thrown to the dogs. Chastity has suddenly become a vice instead of virtue. Girls now see their friends as fools just because they are decent. I have a forum on Facebook for singles and I can tell you that from what I hear singles say, this generation is far from redemption. Our society has suddenly become the Sodom and Gomorrah of our time.
Boys, even men, now wear rags as clothes all in the name of fashion. Sagging is now the order of the day and I keep saying it that real men donâ€
We have found ourselves in a situation where we believe so much in compromise. Compromise is good; I donâ€
Parents now send their children to a particular school, not because of the academic and moral standing of the school, but for their social status. How many parents still consider the future of their children before choosing their schools? We have suddenly imbibed the western culture of not flogging children even in schools. I beat my children occasionally and I donâ€
Our pastors and Imams are not free and I keep wondering what becomes of a nation and continent when those who should be crying out for the destruction coming upon the land suddenly find themselves guilty of what they are called and ordained to speak against. Our religious leaders are now seen as thieves and dignified fraudsters. Who will now cry for the redemption of the land?
Our politicians go the extra mile and do all sorts just to be elected or in the case of Nigeria, selected. They take oaths in some powerful shrines and commit their souls to the devil all for power. Is it possible for us to move forward as a nation when our leaders are mostly blood sucking beasts? How can we have peace in our land when sacrifices are made to unknown gods with blood of innocent citizens shed just for power?
What is happening along the Lagos-Ore road? Is it that our President and his advisers have not heard of the lives of Nigerians being wasted daily along that road? Have Babalakin and Bi-Courtney Company suddenly turned deaf? Is it yet another way to continuously suck blood of innocent men, women, and children of Nigeria?
Our leaders have failed and so have we. We have failed in our homes as we no longer desire to pass down the envied African heritage down to our children. The schools have failed to educate our children the African way. Our churches and mosques, as Jesus said, have suddenly turned to den of robbers. The shameless leaders we have donâ€
Who will save us from this mess? Who will open his ears to the cry of the masses and become a deliverer for our nation? Who will be that teacher and school proprietor to stand against the western education system that we have imbibed? Where is that preacher who will stand as the lonely voice in the wilderness crying out for lost souls? Is there any leader who will genuinely feel the pain of the masses and instead of flogging us with scorpions and iron brings us closer to his or her heart and help save Nigeria?
I have looked around, but I canâ€
You cannot do anything for your community, nation, and the continent until your heart is filled with love. Love is the only thing that can bring the difference that a dying world needs.