My Nigeria

I believe in God and I know he is perfect. No mistakes then in my being born in Eastern Nigeria, schooled in the South and acquiring native intelligence in the creeks of the Niger Delta. I treated my first patient in the North and married a beautiful bride from the West and now live happily after in the land of our colonial master as a dual citizen.

For these and more reasons, I must confess, I love Nigeria (warts and all). In 1970, as a school boy in Ogoloma, Okrika, I learnt to sing many songs. I'll list some of them:

1. The day is bright, it's bright and fair..
2. We go to our classes ...
3. Punctuality and regularity...

There were folk songs, hymns from Songs of Praise, sad songs, happy songs but there is one song that reminds me about my motherland: 'Ojukwu wanted to separate Nigeria, Gowon say Nigeria must be one, we are fighting together with Gowon, to keep Nigeria one!'
As I grew older and wiser, I was still determined to fight "on Gowon's side" but I became acutely aware of the problems of the Niger Delta and the marginalisation of its people by successive governments both local and national. I saw firsthand, how the oil destroyed the land while it made millionaires and brought development in other parts of Nigeria.

Then, Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged on my wedding day.

Successive military and civilian governments institutionalised kleptocracy and it seemed all hope was lost. My love for Nigeria waxed and waned but it never died.
In 2006, I was elected 'Chief Servant' of Nigerian Community Leeds, UK. One of the activities we organised was a Prayer for Nigeria event. On that day, I joined other Nigerians to put our country in God's "in-tray". Since then, I resolved never to be negative about Nigeria because I cannot expect Him to put Nigeria where it should be if I didn't do my part. It dawned on me that changing Nigeria had to begin with me. For two years, we tried hard to practise servant leadership and honesty. The people responded and NCL went from a community organisation to a charitable company before the baton of leadership changed hands.
That was a turning point for me. I realised that it was not an illusion. Nigeria can, and will be a great nation if we put our best foot forward.

Six months ago, we shared the idea of a website completely dedicated to postive news about Nigeria. The reason is obvious. You don't have to make effort to hear bad news about Nigeria but you'll have to drill a bore hole in the desert to hear a cheer about the country. GoodnewsNigeria celebrates Nigerians and other nationals anywhere in the world in the public, private, voluntary and community sectors who have made a positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
Do you have such a story to tell? Do you know such a person, company or organisation? Are you doing good, or the beneficiary of someone's benevolence? Tell us about it.
Do you have a great idea or know about a community project or a public, private or third sector initiative which is making a big difference in Nigeria? Send a summary of the goodnews including your name and phone number to goodnewsnigeria@gmail.com

If you want to join our team to search for and/or verify goodnews, please send a short CV.

CS
https://sites.google.com/site/goodnewsnaija/

Microfinance - My Community Experience

Poverty, ignorance and disease are tripartite ills. The best way to

keep a nation healthy is to reduce poverty. Five years ago, an attempt

was made to get members of my community (Ogoloma in Rivers State),

resident in UK and USA to contribute funds towards establishing one of

three projects:

1) Interest-free loans to petty traders

2) Scholarship schemes - primary, secondary, tertiary

3) Skills Acquisition programme for young people.

Unfortunately, no one responded. I reasoned that 'the vision is for an

appointed time'.

A year later, I went home for my mum's 80th birthday and gave NGN

100,000 (£400) to an honest lady who runs a non-governmental organisation to

start the microfinance scheme with some women.

To 'cut a long story short', three years later, 'Ama ibi gose' Project

('for the good of the community') now has a budget of 5 million naira

(£20,000) and is currently giving loans to nearly 200 women in the nine towns

that form two local government areas. 27 children have been given

scholarships in 2010 (pix) and plans are underway to support restive youths

in the community through a skills acquisition programme in 2011. Most

of the funding for these projects has come from Wakirike Washington,

Inc., one of our community groups in USA.

The more exciting thing is that we have now established Wakirike

Developmental Coalition (www.wakirikedevelopmentcoalition.org).

Membership is by subscription only and made up of Wakirike (Okrika)

people in Nigeria, USA, UK, Asia, etc. Funds raised by these

individuals and their community groups will be sent back home to

strengthen projects in the years ahead, (see waiting list).

Nigerians send billions of pounds every year home to family members

and friends. From my community experience, I imagine that it would be

a great idea if every Nigerian community group abroad could do

something similar and raise funds for educational, skills acquisition

and/or microcredit/wealth creation schemes. We can have platforms to

share good practice online and learn from each other's experience.

These little drops of water in our villages and towns will someday

make a mighty ocean.

Do you have a similar experience? Please share it. Would you like to

initiate something similar in your corner of Nigeria, let's talk...

CS
https://sites.google.com/site/goodnewsnaija/