Let us not get carried away with the celebration of 2013. The earstwhile 2012 is worth been reviewed

There is a strong correlation between 2012 and 2013.
By Muhd El-bonga Ibraheem.

The world just clocked a milestone of another greogorian new year, we should not be carried away with the fun and enjoyment of this year as the previous year is also worth refelcting and review.

The president has said his speech that is full of nothing but vacuous talks as expected as usual though. He proclaimed something that left me in great bewilderment that Nigeria is in greater position in terms of economic growth and stability. This is preposterous in the sense that there is no way Nigeria will be in the top 10 growing economies in the world yet its people are dying of abject poverty, unemployment, hunger and the most important of all; the menaces of Boko Haram that has left many people dead and also with a corresponding destruction of lives and properties.

He has also forgotten to explain to the nation the reason behind another supplemntary budget in billions approved by the senate for fuel subsidy and many people have suffered without fule cueing up, some cue up kilomtres at various filing stations in search of petrol during the festive periods.

In 1970's, the United Nations predicted that Nigeria alongside Brazil and India will be in strong contention of becoming the top 10 economies of the world because of its population, good leadership, little or no corruption and a myriads of others to mention. As time flies very fast, Brazil and India rose up to the challenge and they begin to achieve their full potentials in the area of agriculture, manufacturing, science and techonology. Their acheivments and massive technonlogical as well as industrial success is very conspicuous for people to realise. Nigeria on the other hand is a different case entirely. As we move from one stage to another, so also our development begin to decline and move in a negative acceleration. First that erupted was the problems of leadership where various coup were experienced as such not allowing a leader to fulfill his promises if at all there was any. Coup is just an underdog problem to Nigeria's problems as of then, as corruption became an issue of national, regional and international concern. It is very appropos to mention the SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme) that was introduced in the 80's during the regime of General Babangida. Although I wasn't opportuned to be alive then, but i learnt it was that programme that introduced corruption into the country and also devalued the currency entirely.

While Brazil is now in the top 10 world fastest growing ecnonomy, they are also the best when it comes to plantation agriculture. The amazon forest is the best in the world known for plantation by the south Americans. They were abla to curb the issues of electricity by generating about 100,000 MGW with just $2 bill while Nigeria have been battling to generate 600MGW with $16 bill and yet to no avail.

Further more, India is the world best when it comes to medicine production and also medical help. Every world reknown personality travels to India as his last resort of medical attention and cure. They have huge nuclear weapons use for power and also for defence mechanisms. They even transgressed to the level of producing motor vehicles and planes with out help from any foreing countries but with their scientists and engineers.

Based on the above lucubration, it can be clearly stated that Nigeria has not achieved its potentials and all efforts geared to achieve that might prove to be abortive. The vission 20:20:20 by all parameteres is undoable. We're just 7 years away from 2020 and the issue of transforming our economy in 7 years to shoot us in to the world top 10 economy is nothing but a lampoon. The journey of a thousand mile begins with a step but i don't think we've taken the neccessary prerequisites that would guarantee us success in the long run.

From an environmental point of view, the year 2012 will also be remebered as a year of devastation, degradation, destruction of the Nigerian environment. The flood that ripped the regions of Kogi, and most importantly is very pertinent to mention. Even though flood is a natural phenomena, but there was a little bit of mismanagement and poor management skills from those controlling the dam. The signal came from the Lagbo Dam in Cameroun that they want to reduce their water level and so Nigeria should be at alert. But infelicitously, it was taken with levity and the dam was released and it kills many lives and properties. Many biodiversities were lost as well. The soil in those regions were completely destroyed thus limiting the chance of another agricultural practices. Mr. President mentioned in his new year speech that such issues of flood are going to be in contention for the year 2013. But for now, i'm going to cross my fingers as Nigeria is known for making vacuous and ridiculous promises. About N1 Trillion was budgeted for security last year without a corresponding success and improvement, we're still waiting to see what would happen this year in terms of our major and foremost problem; which is insecurity.

Nigeria keep on becoming old as every year passes by but the development attain is nothing to write home about after a very long journey from 1960-2013 (almost 53 years). The image of Nigeria has been tanished both at local and interntational level to the extent that the US recently prohibited its citizens from visiting Nigeria during the eartswhile yuletide.
Mr President also mentioned that we've regain our tanished image, something that proves to be a very huge slap on the face of Nigerians as its not true considering the fact that the UN recently named Nigeria in their books of terrorists. So who is deceiving who?

As i keep on saying, Nigeria belongs to each and everyone of us. Its very sacrosanct that we make sacrifice to make our dear nation better. We should view our country from a wholistic point of view not an integrated dimension. I'm quite optimistic that we shall see off the periods of social vices, corruption, unemployment, insecurity etc only when we join hands to work as a single entity not a different entity.