By Jamiu Julius ADEBAYO
Nigerians often express admiration for countries like Singapore, China, Malaysia, India, the US, Canada, and the UK, aspiring to replicate their economic and social successes. However, there’s a glaring disconnect – we’re unwilling to undergo the transformative processes that made these nations great.
Singapore’s prosperity wasn’t instantaneous. The city-state’s strict laws, investment in education, and visionary leadership were forged through decades of discipline and hard work. China’s economic miracle was built on the back of sweeping reforms, massive investments in infrastructure, and a willingness to learn from failures.
Similarly, Malaysia and Indonesia’s growth stories involve strategic planning, human capital development, and prudent economic management. The US, Canada, and the UK didn’t become global leaders overnight; their progress was shaped by centuries of innovation, resilience, and adaptability.
India’s rise as a technological powerhouse is rooted in heavy investments in education, research, and entrepreneurship. Yet, Nigerians expect to achieve similar success without embracing the sacrifices and challenges that accompanied these nations’ journeys.
We want the benefits of development without the pain. We want to leapfrog into prosperity without laying the groundwork. This mindset is unrealistic and detrimental to our progress.
To truly transform Nigeria, we must be willing to:
1. Invest in quality education and human capital development. I’m seeing aggressive action by the FG to enroll more children into schools. Seeing greater efforts to revamp tertiary schools infrastructures with huge sums allocated. We must also appreciate the good work being carried out by @NELFUND on the student loan program.
2. Nurture and develop a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and resilience. This is where the Ministries of Communication, science & tech, trade & industry, youth development, Arts & Culture, and sports development must refocus their efforts and priorities.
3. Implement policies that promote economic diversification and good governance. The President is already boisterous on gas development as we’ve seen since the inception of the Renewed Hope administration. Gas is a better alternative to fossil fuels an Nigeria has it in abundance, in fact, Nigeria has the largest gas reserves in Africa with massive investments being made in that regard. He’s also driving massive reforms and introducing policies like the @CrediCorpNG of the consumer credit scheme, @NELFUND’ student loan amongst others. He must not be derailed.
4. Encourage transparency, accountability, and civic engagement.
5. Make sacrifices, accepting short-term pain for long-term gain. This is where we must all redirect our energies. It won’t be uhuru in the beginning but, between you and I, we know this is the price to pay to pave way for a utopian Nigeria 🇳🇬
Until we confront this paradox and adjust our expectations, Nigeria’s development aspirations will remain elusive. It’s time to confront the hard truth: there’s no shortcut to greatness.
We must fully support our President in order to embark on this journey with a willingness to learn, adapt, and persevere. Only then can we build a Nigeria that truly rivals the great nations we admire.