NIGERIAN INTELLECTUALS, UNITE! What do we do as Nigerians to set ourselves free, regain our self-trust and sense of purpose and truly have a stake in
Quality public education, which is the weapon against ignorance, poverty and disease, has been forcefully snatched away from the commoners in Nigeria to ensure continued dominance of the ruling class and their off- springs over children of the masses.
The Nigerian has no voice. He/she cannot talk at the ballot; the kingmakers and godfathers select candidates and install them in “elective” offices. Public opinion is held with high disdain by those who control the instruments of power. The peoples’ “legislators” have taken sides against the people for selfish private reasons.
A leader who fails or refuses to provide quality education to their citizens has killed them: he has killed the innovator in those people; he has killed the great thinker; he has killed the great scientist; he has killed the great business thinker and developer. Business and society progress only at the speed of thought, and only quality education provides the fertile ground for the growth and flourish of developmental thought.
Nigerians must believe in their collective ability to initiate a new thing, an unlikely thing: a New Nigeria. Nigerians must not ask, “What are they doing?” Rather, we should ask, “What can I do?” We not only believe that Nigerians have tremendous abilities if we can believe, but we also know that Nigerians can know how to channel those abilities properly for a New Nigeria that works for us all.
We believe that Nigerians are not weak; Nigerians are not stupid; Nigerians are not cowards; Nigerians are not selfish; and, Nigerians are not unpatriotic. Finally, we believe at this significant moment of great urgency, that we must cast off all lingering falsehood about our vision and capabilities. Again, our nettlesome task must be to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power for change. NIGERIAN INTELLECTUALS, UNITE!