It is true that there are homes and there are homes, but front or back, home is the best.
But far from that literary translation however, the type of home being described here doesn’t necessarily refer to a structure, in which one lives, that is, one’s own dwelling place. The home in focus here is a country, one’s native land, otherwise known as one’s own nation
It’s a common saying that there is no place like home, and that dry bread at home, is better than roasted meat abroad. These are becoming fallacies in our land, with great number of people leaving Nigeria on daily basis! It is now popularly referred to as ‘Japa’ syndrome.
When talking about good destination, otherwise called home, and considering all that we are experiencing, reverse can be said to be the case in many ways.
Among several other noticeable factors, the present state of the Nation’s security where lives and property are no longer secured. We also have the social, economic and political crisis.
Everything seem to stand still as if nothing is moving, embarrassingly in a nation, so blessed with human and material resources, and once a time, the giant of Africa. This exactly is the situation we find ourselves in Nigeria of today and quite worrisome.
In the past, till the present moment, many Nigerian youths, used to travel abroad, in search of greener pastures, especially when they find it difficult to secure job after graduating from Institutions of higher learning.
If you ask why they left their father land for a foreign land, they would simply tell you that they had to leave since they couldn’t find job after graduation, so that they could get something doing to keep body and soul together.
The situation has been so terrible than unemployment these days and is becoming almost unbearable. Even though, unemployment problem still persist, insecurity has been the major challenge confronting the nation.
Kidnapping and killings here and there are also prevalent. It is the prayer of everyone going on a journey not to embark on the journey of no return. Kidnap cases are being recorded almost on daily basis, while travelling in the past, either inter or intra state travelling, day or night, we only prayed against only two things on the roads, which are mishap/accident and armed robbery, but now, things have aggravated.
What people now experience on the roads while in transit these days have sadly gone beyond issues of accident and armed robbery. There is insecurity everywhere in the land. It only takes the grace of God for one to travel and return safely.
Cases of kidnapping have been so rampant across the country and no one knows when there will be an end to it. Every moment of the day, people are being kidnapped. The security chiefs in government circle have made a lot of promises to tackle the menace and salvage the situation. But we are yet to get there. Lives are being wasted anyhow. If one’s motor breaks down around bush areas, it’s a huge problem these days.
Unfortunately, things are not getting any better as far as security is concerned in Nigeria. When cases are reported to the security agencies, they would tell you they are on top of the situation.
At the end of the day, the victim or victims as the case may be, would be killed or injured, if not rescued on time.
The situation keeps degenerating. We have seen and heard situations where Soldiers, Police and some other security agents are also being kidnapped and killed. Just as some people in the position of authority are being attacked and molested by the masked men most times. How much more the common citizens?
It’s high time we went traditional to combat insecurity in our land, instead of spending so much money on security votes every month without much positive results.
If we try traditional options, which can come in different forms without needing to carry any physical weapons, if government at all levels can embrace the local hunters, the vigilante and other security networks in each state, working in collaboration with others, the situation will change for better.
We have heard of situations whereby ordinary eggs were used to bomb places!
By the time the eyes, ears and the entire body of the perpetrators of those wicked occurrences are covered with bees, biting them every seconds or have their bodies covered with leprosy, with chronic pains, the situation will turn to normalcy.
Nigeria has lost highly skilled Nigerians who are professional in their various fields to the foreign lands, due to the situation of the country and they could not come back home even when they are most needed, simply because they have access to all the basic facilities they ought to be enjoying, but which are lacking in their home country.
Both the cost and standards of living in some parts of the country are very high. House rent is very expensive in some States. Cost of building materials is also really alarming, there is no steady electricity supply for people to work in the offices, run their businesses or even to enjoy themselves while at home relaxing. No water supply also. Above all, cost of feeding and transportation cannot be overemphasized.
This is the situation we all find ourselves in this present day Nigeria which wasn’t the dream of our forefathers. Every state of the federation can be made glitter like those streets in America, United Kingdom and Canada, if only our resources can be well managed and make good use of our indigenous architects and engineers.
If our leaders can pay adequate attention to the problems and challenges being faced by the citizens, everybody will be glad to remain in the land and have that sense of belonging.
We have the resources except we are just trying to deceive ourselves. Enough of kidnapping, enough of killing of innocent souls, enough of injustice and corruption.
All of these challenges can be firmly tackled, if we all desire it. If the home becomes homely again, as Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged, all our citizens that have become the pride of other countries will be happy to return home.
There is no gainsaying the fact that BAT is the answer. Nigerians must therefore, vote wisely.
Charles Abere, Director of Media and Communication,Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council, Ekiti State Chapter writes
