USA Africa Dialogue Series - What has my country ever done for me?

The article below was published in New Nigerian Newspaper on June 29, 2010.

What has my country ever done for me?

A colleague posted this question on an online discussion forum. As I stared at my computer screen for some time pondering an appropriate response to this loaded question, I remembered a quote from John F. Kennedy's inauguration speech, "Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country". I thought it would be trite for me to simply quote the 35th US president as my contribution to the online discussion. Such a response would have detracted from the causus belli of my colleague's probe. So I shut down my laptop and took some time to ruminate over the issue.

And then, it hit me! The question is not just a random thought of a future Nigerian doctor but probably a shared musing in the conscious/subconscious domain on the mind of our generation (Nigerians born in the 80s). It all started to make sense. Majority of my peers share a common belief- a belief of self-interest which by itself is not so bad. After all, humans as a species have been successful largely because of an innate love for self over others which has ensured the 'survival of the fittest'. But this is 2010 AD, we have evolved and we have survived therefore such innate selfishness should be tempered with altruism, patriotism and service to humanity. Today, when you listen to discussions amongst our youth, you would think the nation was at war and rules no longer applied. There is an overwhelming determination to amass wealth by any means necessary, often times to the detriment of others and the country as a whole. And if you ask them if they are fully aware of the consequences of their intentions, they will say, "yes, but what has my country ever done for me!"
Before we start pointing fingers or casting stones, let us take a minute to understand where my generation is coming from. Our story is akin to a group of that came late to a party only to discover that all the wine had been consumed by the incumbent group. To make matters worse, those group members who came before us drank our own portion of wine in addition to theirs. Now, their drunken-mouths ramble uncontrollably, telling us how delicious and rich the wine was and how we had missed out. Frankly speaking, how many times have we been told about the 'good old days'? How many times have our parents boasted about the time when we had 24hour electricity in Nigeria. How many times have we heard about the time; when public schools and universities were state of the art; when people could go out and roam the streets at 10pm without fear of criminals; a time when naira to dollar was 1 to 1? Those were times that could have been preserved, times we could have met. Unfortunately, we (victims of chronology) can only use our imagination and fantasize. But again, that only makes us thirstier.

For those who remain unconvinced and still cannot empathize with our generation, I will switch from the use of metaphors and anecdotes to a more real-life story. A friend of mine had dreams of studying in the United Kingdom after secondary school. In SS3, his uncle, who was supposed to be his guardian in the UK, came home to celebrate Christmas as many people do often. Unfortunately, he was killed by armed robbers that year and my friend's hopes went up in flames. He had to go to a Nigerian University. Six years later, he finished a 4 year course, thanks to the interruptions public universities frequently enjoy. Two years after graduation and youth service, he is still unable to find a job. He decides to go for his masters but again he falls victim to the ills of our society. His father is involved in a ghastly car accident that happened due to the terrible condition of our interstate roads. The man was rushed to a nearby general hospital but passes on after 3 days as a result of some internal bleeding that was undetected at this 'general hospital'. Today, my friend is in a state of despair, anger and confusion all mixed together. Now, you can imagine such a person (fictional or real) ask the question, "What has my country ever done for me?"

For clarification, I am in no way trying to justify the lack of patriotism and the dogged parasitic self-interest in many of us. I am merely trying to elucidate and rationalize the origins of such feelings. In order to speak credibly on such sensitive topics, I think it is important to acknowledge and appreciate pertinent undertones. And yes, I am aware that I have still not answered the topic question myself. However, I think I have made a fairly decent attempt at analyzing the origin of the question and I will now try to take a stab at the question itself. My answer is: Nigeria has given our generation a rare opportunity to make lemonade out of lime. What I am trying to say is that our generation has the chance to stand out in Nigeria's history and possibly in the annals of world affairs.

In addition to the unique circumstances of our time, Nigeria has also given us the necessary tools to effect this change. All we need to do is to look around us and also look within ourselves. We are Nigerian, a group of people with a rich heritage. A group of diverse people forced into a sometimes inconvenient marriage by our colonial masters almost a century ago (1914 amalgamation)—but we have endured. We have survived several military regimes, a civil war, countless assassination of our martyrs and scores of riots—all of these with the odds against us. We remain blessed with abundant natural resources and enviable human resources. Indeed, amidst all of these survival struggles, Nigeria might have unwittingly given us 'the fittest generation ever'. It is left to us to hear & heed the clarion call and rise to this occasion in history.
Nigeria's situation calls for more than one messiah. In fact, we will all need to be messiahs in order for us to navigate out of the stormy waters we currently sail. But this will require a significant mental frame-shift. A renewed sense of purpose is needed. A sense of duty to self and country and an understanding that the two do not have to be mutually exclusive but are indeed pari passu. Only when we realize that it makes no sense to amass so much wealth when our neighbors and fellow countrymen remain impoverished. If they remain hungry while you feed fat, don't be surprised when they come after your greedy throat.

When this frame-shift occurs, and we realize our destiny as 'the generation that saves Nigeria'; the topic question would be asked no more. It would have already been answered and we (those of us at home and abroad) would have realized that Nigeria has not only given us an opportunity to make a historical impact, but it has also given us the resources, tools, self-confidence, resilience and strength of character that will facilitate our actualization of destiny.

By 'Lanrewaju Y. Jimoh
Jimoh is the founding President of the Distinguished Nigerian Physicians of Tomorrow (www.dnpt.org).