Dear All:
Many of us are Nigerians at heart, even if we come from other West African nations! As for Ghana, it shares a similar fate with Nigeria, as what happens in one first, happens in the other later. The early 1966 successful coups d'état in both countries were typical examples!
The "crying baby" analogy is apt; even my own then 80-year old Baba Ijebu could be faulted, as he too would have said, "na government problem-o!." In spite of some visible problems in his two successful coups in Ghana, then Flt.-Lt. Jerry Rawlings helped to change part of "na government problem-o". I heard that Mr. Rawlings drove by houses with potholes in front of them to ask the house owners why the potholes were left unfilled or covered. The house owners reportedly said, "na that is government street..."
Mr. Rawlings would then ask, "Who is government?" the old man or old woman would answer: "Government is in Accra..." Then, Mr. Rawlings would warn: "You are government, I am government. Every Ghanaian is part of the government. By tomorrow, the pothole in front of your house MUST be filled, else..." He would leave, return two days later, and the pothole would be filled!
The "baby", our dear Nigeria, should not be orphaned with our extended family system, even if the real parents are gone! Abi?The next sore issue is: CORRUPTION! In essence, the "you chop, and I chop" type of corruption; free-for-all corruption that Baba Ijebu would call, "gyau, gyau politics"!!!
A.B. Assensoh
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2015 5:24 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The Baby is Crying
My view on this poignant stuff
This is our problem--talk, talk and talk--write, write and write. Ask Nigerians
to organize for a real change in our country and the answer, with a few
exceptions, will be: "I no dey-o! nobi my problem-o! na government problem-o!"
If "the baby is crying" why are we not ready to feed it or provide it with milk?
Civil society and Nigerians in the Diaspora can do something to change this
situation but are not doing enough in my opinion. Moreover, what are our
colleagues who not too long ago went on a prolonged strike for better wage--and
got it--doing to make our country better for those left behind? We need their
powerful support on this matter. In this way, we don't have to wait for London,
Washington and Beijing to "feed the child" and save us.
Let our people "suffer and suffer and suffer"--probably that's when we would
work together and change the situation for the good of all Nigerians. Let's stop
blaming PDP and APC and their leaders for our woes. We are the problem as many
have rightly argued on this forum!
I rest my case.
Ike Udogu
----- Original Message -----
From: Segun Ogungbemi <seguno2013@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2015 4:01 pm
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The Baby is Crying
To: "usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
>
> Dear All,
> The baby that is crying is not your own. It is a country call
> Nigeria.
> The country has become an orphan crying for food, clothing, shelter
> and security. But the people in authority are paying little
> attention.
> The baby is left to fate in the desolate hot and dry season.
> She regrets being in existence to be ridiculed, abandoned and
> profiled.
> What can save the malnourished baby? Wisdom, honesty, love, truth,
> justice, equity, devotion, commitment, courage, good leadership
> among others are the necessary and sufficient recipes that can
> remove the tears of the crying baby.
> The baby will not die like Sisyphus of old whose eternal punishment
> is to roll the stone to the top of the mountain and as soon as he
> does that, the stone rolls down to the bottom of the mountain.
> Sisyphus stole the secrets of the gods according to Homer hence the
> eternal punishment.
> But Camus explains the plight of Sisyphus in existential paradox
> using human existence to drive home his philosophy.
> The question that follows is, is Sisyphus happy? In the case of the
> crying baby, is she happy and does life have meaning for her?
> Perhaps that is the kind of question or questions the Chibock girls
> captured by the Islamic militants on April 14, 2014 will be asking
> themselves.
> One day, and it may not be long before the tears of the crying baby
> will bring joy and happiness.
>
> Prof. Segun Ogunhbemi
>
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