Nigeria, My Country.

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My country is a funny one and I can't stress it enough. It's funny how the outside world sees us because of the kind of image we have created for ourselves. Some individuals like most Nigerians are trying to create a better image for our country but we are being overshadowed by those at the helm of affairs due to the growing influence they have and the global attention they command.

There is no need to beat around the bush, a lot is wrong with this country despite the abundance of wealth and resources that we have. We have amazing human capital too and this is why you see most Nigerians growing bigger and better the moment they step outside the shores of Nigeria because we have that inherent trait in us never to be handed anything on a free. We have to work twice sometimes for whatever we want in this life.

It's sad that despite these amazing traits we have as Nigerians, it's our political scene that takes the center stage and the cursed leaders we have are not making things any easier too. They know the wrongs they are doing but they couldn't be bothered because they have the power and the money. They are puppeteers more than leaders. I wouldn't even call them leaders but politicians.

Nothing matters to them, not even the citizens. Oh...forgive me, they surely have things that matter to them; fame, power and money and they would do just about anything to have it and keep it even if it means shedding innocent blood to get there. With elections, they know they have access to these aforementioned things and if it means they have to go against their initial plans like banning Twitter, they would.

It was surprising then when the Nigerian government banned Twitter all because the whole world supported the Nigerians against the indecent killing and victimization during the popular October 20 peaceful protest. These politicians don't like anything that threatens the power they hold because they never wanted to be accountable for anything. They speak about checks and balances but they never want to be checked for anything. They want the citizens to accept whatever they do as if they are ruling over dummies. They are power-drunk and grossly insensitive too.

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After 222 days, they finally unbanned Twitter and they failed to understand that they have robbed some people of their source of livelihood for the same duration. There are some people whose lives depended on Twitter and this isn't even about diversification but having a source of income cut off even with diversification. They banned Twitter because they felt threatened that they are losing power or control of things. Good leadership shouldn't worry about losing control if you are doing something right.

It's not surprising that the ban has been lifted, it was never a matter of IF but of WHEN because they know how important this Twitter campaign would be for the upcoming elections. They were being strategic about it so they decided to do it earlier rather than wait for just a few months to elections. They knew a lot of citizens are also angry about this whole Twitter thing and they don't want to leave anything to chance so they can get as much support as they can from the coming election.

They also know that Nigerians are quick to forget things and with a year left into the coming elections, most Nigerians would have forgotten the anger they felt during the Twitter ban and be swayed again by the sweet words based on empty promises.

We keep repeating the same mistake over and over again during elections. These politicians don't care about us because they know all they needed to do is to give a few stipends to some youths who will vote for them, to some hoodlums who can run away with the ballot boxes and some packaged envelopes for those who can influence the results but still, they knew that they would focus their personnel on Twitter to give inaccurate results by inflating their polls just to make it unchecked when the final results are released.

I am more pained for those who allow themselves to be used by these people. They sell their future for money that is just a little over a dollar and this is why these politicians would never take anything serious since they know they can buy their way into anything.

The future is for the youth and yet those old people would never step aside for the youth to be in governance. They won't even bring the youths under their wings to understand what leadership means but they see youths to be good enough to be bribed, taught the art of politics; looting and being used for errands. A lot is wrong with this country and the corruption is taking deeper roots which is now overshadowing the hardworking Nigerians like myself and many others.

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This post also appeared here and it's my original work on my blog on Read.Cash.

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Thank you for your time.

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My pen doesn't bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.

Still me,

My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.

Olawalium; (Love's chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor's order.