Recently I wrote that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria but things are wrong in Nigeria. If that is well digested, we will understand that rebranding Nigeria is not about going to the foreign media houses but looking inward and dealing with our orientation and value system as a people. This is not the time to wash the outside of the pot and leave the inside dirty. The monster called ‘the Nigerian factor’ must be dealt with this time for many universal, time-proven principles that had not worked to work effectively. Dr. Myles Munroe said that if we want a brand new world, we need a brand new people with a brand new mind and perception. Only Nigerians with brand new minds, thinking, perception and a changed attitude can make a New Nigeria.

Nigerians are indeed good people; they are very hospitable. They take good care of visitors and are ranked about the happiest people on the planet earth. What brings about wars in other countries of the world may only cause minor riots in Nigeria. Nigerians are one of the most resilient people around the globe. We are blessed with the best brains in different fields of endeavour. Our greatness can be measured in the number of mineral and human resources available but not in their utilization. Our great nation would have been about the greatest around but nations do not become great or grow by the virtue of their wealth but by the wealth of their virtues. We can attain real greatness if we change our value system and be more disciplined with governance and the quest for power.

The military administration led by Major General Buhari saw that we lacked discipline and introduced the War Against Indiscipline then. Discipline is having the ability to control what you see, say, touch and do. It is the bridge that connects your inspiration or thought with your accomplishment. Discipline can also imply taking the pain of today in order to hold the gain of tomorrow. When we as a people begin to do things right, the people’s perception would change automatically. If the rebranding exercise is about change of perception, then we only need to do the right things the right way starting from the top, because leadership cannot command influence without impact; there is no impact without input which requires discipline.

Many people have given different reasons for not taking active part in politics. Some excused themselves saying that politics here lacked discipline and is a dirty game or game of deceit. I have often said that men of integrity ought to go into politics and clean up the system. But many of my friends argued that the system is so messed up that many had lost their integrity in their bid to enter the system and clean up the mess. But I believe that if you close your doors and eyes because you do not want to see bad things, good things would pass and elude you all the same. Nigerians are good people, and can make a great nation but we need to instill strict discipline and adherence to the rules.

It is very obvious that we do not lack relevant laws but we lack discipline. Methods may change but principles foundationally may never change. We often change methods feeling that they would change principles. We have experimented different party systems but the experiments cannot change what a political party ought to be. A political party ought to be democratic, united, equitable, all inclusive, and a catalyst for the development of the nation. But for lack of discipline a political party over here looks like social club formed in beer parlours or eatery joints without definite goals and objectives. Political parties derive their powers from the support of the electorate but for lack of discipline over here they instead derive their powers from the numerous ‘godfathers’ scattered over the polity.

I have seen different electoral bodies from when I was much younger and now. From the days of FEDECO and Ovie Whiskey to the present day I.N.E.C and Maurice Iwu, the change in the name did not change the principles they worked with as bodies charged with conducting free and fair elections. I have seen that people here like eulogizing those who died, and left legacies behind. But we have a handful of leaders in different fields who are working to leave legacies behind. The emergence of the examination bodies from G.C.E, W.A.E.C to N.E.C.O did not instill discipline into students or upgrade the standard of education over here. Let us therefore leave all these change of name or Rebranding and look in the direction of gross indiscipline in the polity.

The Vision 2020 may just be a mirage if we do not reinvent ourselves. With any dream, there must be a plan. With any plan, there must be discipline. Nigerians are about the people who pray the most in the world. But I also know that prayer is not a substitute for planning and discipline. Even prayer needs planning and discipline to be effective. We need to follow through our plan with discipline and consistent policies. We are too quick in making policies and discarding policies even without reviewing them. We have had too many ceremonial talks. It is time to minimize school talk and chalk and get into the field. Impact is in the doing not in the talking. Talk is cheap, but doing and conviction is rare here.

Nigeria should not be renowned for irrelevance of precedents. The present administration of the "servant leader" has been preachy from inception without much impact. Let the purveyors of the ‘Good people, great Nation’ initiative know that this is not the time for school talk and chalk. Let them look at what the government had promised the populace before and after inception, and how far they had gone in the implementation of those promises. Let their campaign not be like pouring expensive perfume on rotten meat. There had been probes without results. There had been several arrests and arraignment of corrupt public office holders but no one is in jail for political reasons and calculations. Let us remember that discipline is the bridge that connects our inspiration or thoughts with our accomplishment. Therefore, when we begin to do things right especially from the angle of leadership, perception would change and rebranding may not be necessary to change perception. Nigeria can attain her position and purpose in destiny but not without discipline.

ARINZE ALINNOR A.

P. O. BOX 17985, IKEJA - LAGOS.

08033001782, 01-8964893

arinze198@gmail.com

www.arinze198.wordpress.com