“Babe, don’t follow them to say bad things about Nigeria.” #ThingsMyHusbandSays –Yemi Adebowale
These are dark times in our nation. You turn on the news and its one news of death and despair after another. More questions than answers and even the answers filtering in are questionable. Our value of human life is so cheap. As much as we have the organized terrorist attacks it is almost equally balanced by one-on-one crime by citizens from the cases of jungle justice #Aluu4, police on civilian killings to gruesome ritual killings.
After the second Nyaya bombing last Friday, I struggled to get out of bed much less go to work. My thoughts were when will this end. I know it is such a struggle to feel God in times like these and religion is getting a lot of bashing but this isn’t about religion. This is about relationship.
I had started out writing a “Spiritual Essentials: Connecting with God”. A write up of sorts that showed ways to connect with God the creator. The list had loads of things on it like a buffet: Tithing, Giving offerings, Anointing with oil, Taking communion and so much more. And someday I may share the list but after Friday, I ripped the list apart and realized for me it came down to 3 basic things.
1 Faith: Irrespective of our religion or race, we have to believe that there is something better than this. That in the midst of chaos there is a solution. And believe that in my tiny corner of this earth I can make a difference. I have to believe in something bigger than myself.
2. Works: what we do speaks louder than what we say. We need to decide to do the right things. I dare to say that if you don’t pay a single kobo of tithe and offering, you will still enter the kingdom of Heaven I know theologians are about to stone me. But it is the truth. The things we do matter.
3. Quiet time: Quiet time is an essential for me because it helps to center myself, calm my mind and get clarity. It is a time to stop and breathe. My quiet time is twice a day. In the morning and at night and involves Worship, Prayer, Meditation, Journaling and Bible Study in varying doses.
In January I attended a revival with a friend. I actually requested for the opportunity. I can’t even remember why. We set off for TBS and the place was paaaacked. I mean overflowing! I left the event feeling really stupid and a little ashamed of myself. My friend looked around and said Zee, If everybody here decided to do the right thing every single day for the next one year do you know there will be a change in this nation? Because it will be contagious. Things are contagious like a virus.
So the question is how do I get on each day? How do I take the next step? Because of Hope, because of the belief that I can make a difference. That in my little corner of earth something I’m doing has a ripple effect that can reach even beyond my imagination. Even if it is just by keeping the tweet #BringOurGirlsBack trending so it doesn’t end up being another un-answered question as with a lot of things in Nigeria or with prayers for our leaders or by raising my children up in a way to prepare them for success in our society.
So while it is allowed to criticize our leaders, we also need to look inside and see how we as individuals are also using our hands to rip the country apart little by little. So please don’t follow them to DO BAD THINGS to Nigeria.
Holla back, please let me know how you are connecting in these trying times?
Love
Zansi
P.S
I had the privilege of attending the recently concluded #NIPHEC Nigeria Photography Expo and Conference 2014 .Do you realize that photography is an amazing tool for change? Photography is not only about taking wedding pictures while there is nothing wrong with that but it can also be a power tool for change. I will be posting some of my exerts from the event soon.
Zansi's Groove 
Yems is very right!!!
Trust me, it’s worse when you’re outside the country; you just want to hide the fact that you’re Nigerian. I frown at texts from friends like, “Bombing in Nigeria again”, “Secondary school girls kidnapped in Nigeria”. Sometimes I want to scream and say, “I know!!!” but they are Americans and they cannot reconcile the fact that a country can be so helpless.
I was scheduled to give a talk about Nigeria organized by international students; the first Nyanya bombing happened on that blessed day and I almost cancelled. I couldn’t bear having to explain to oyinbos why we can’t deal with terrorists and why we appear to be defeated; I’m so glad I didn’t. After the talk, most people could not believe Nigeria was that complicated and they couldn’t even think of a solution and then it hit me.
Our problem is that we know too much about Nigeria’s problems but little about the solutions. I haven’t heard from some of next year’s Presidential or Gubernatorial candidates about their manifestos on how to fix the country. If I were a Buhari or Tinubu, I would have since given a press conference on what I would do if I were the current president dealing with BH and the kidnap of young girls. Nada!!! We are quick to point the finger, politicize everything but slow to proffer solutions or accept the fact that we haven’t contributed anything to making it better. I agree with you, we blame everyone else for our problems but fail to acknowledge our contribution to the problem.
How am I coping? Researching (including watching 24 and CSI) and looking for solutions. I don’t want to be the president of Nigeria but I want to be able to say, we can do this or that and make my tiny voice heard somehow.
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wow Jibola, Thank you so much for shedding some more light on the situation from a different perspective. I honestly used to believe that being outside the country grants you some degree of immunity because a lot of Nigerians even ones living here in Nigeria still have the if-it doesn’t-affect- me- personally- it’s- none-of-my-business attitude but the fail to realize that things have ripple effects and that everybody has a role to play in the change we desire to see in our country.
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hi guys! there are people in Nigeria living with the if-it doesn’t-affect- me- personally- it’s- none-of-my-business attitude as well, it’s so amazing how complicated things are in governance, knowing what to do and implementing what should be. The thought most troubling in my mind is…….. is there is a vision for this country, what is the master plan?? if there is, then we need to do precept upon precept and line upon line rule, or else how do we build a sustainable society.
justmethinking
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I like the way you are thinking Ev. Everything starts with a thought and then discernment and execution.
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