Nigeria @ 52: Our Problem is not Corruption .

At 52, we still are very uncertain of what our problem is. Most people point accusing fingers to the grand mistake called amalgamation, which was intended for British colonial convenience. Others now hold this cliche- "corruption" to ransom. Blames are put on corrupt leadership, corrupt system and even corrupt-minded citizens. Corruption is what has restricted us from attaining the great heights we crave. My opinion in telegraph form: No! Corruption is not, lack of trust is!

This piece is not intended to be an epistle nor be as long as a Nigerian Committee's submission. It is drafted to be short and with a marksman's touch to give time for us to commemorate Nigeria's 52nd year of persistence. Now, to the crux- absence of trust in our unity has left our nationhood forlorn in the deserted shores of null and void. Even our founding fathers battled with this enigma, as the early post independence political parties were built on ethnocentrism. Political office seekers had to rally-around them people from their ethnic group hence, a show of undeniable distrust for "outsiders'" support.

This early beginning of now a grown monster was partially looked at as regional politics. Hardly was it decried to mean a hold back on parts of a whole. Nigeria continuously operated and sadly still, on structuralism (relationship between parts and a whole) and never on functionalism (relationship as relates to working of a system). It was on this pedestal that the 1967-1970 civil war was fought, and still on it we train our children. We can recount the stereotype story of the 3 main Nigerian ethnic groups, as false as the generalizations have been, clung to them, we still have.

Trust eliminates corruption and reduces the tendency to exhibit greed. Let us trust one another, trust that we all are under one sovereign nation, that we fight for same cause and are committed to our existence both as humans and as political beings existing in political milieu.  If trying to be one makes us non-existent, and surviving in parts complement our oneness, we may as well reconsider our inconsideration  But, we need trust. If we build trust, we will make corruption go extinct, for people will no longer think of stashing money that will up-keep their generations. Rather, trust will nourish the confidence that there will be a system which will make citizens comfortable to exist in a free society.

Trust is what we need. Long live the people in this geographical arrangement called my Country, long live its future and the nature of that future.