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Nigerians are proud to live in a country with a land area of 923,773 km2, with varied vegetation and types of soil suitable for various agricultural purposes.

In 1960 and the years following, up until the early 1970s, Nigeria's economy was between the agriculturally friendly ''grassroots'' and the ''white collar'' city-oriented center.

All that had to do with the production of goods was concentrated in the city, while a large percentage of Nigerians resided in the villages, with farming as their major occupation.

The villages, then, lacked major amenities of life.

Governance during this period was with a chain of challenges.

Then, most of the earnings from exports were from agriculture, while 65% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) also came from the sector.

Nearly 50% of government revenue in 1960 could be traced to agriculture.

Today, as in the 1960s, the provision of quantitative and qualitative education, quality health care delivery, and the absence of social and economic infrastructure are just a few of the long list of challenges that confront the government.

In 1973, when crude oil emerged as the mainstay of the economy, the government took a ''nap'', having noticed the 'light at the end of the tunnel.'.

That 'nap' was at great cost, as can be seen in the unfolding events of the present time.

In 1980, crude oil constituted 81.1% of government revenue and 96.1% of export earnings.

Indeed, the growth of the economy was tied to projected earnings from crude oil exports; this was despite the fact that signs had begun to manifest on the imminent collapse of crude oil prices in the international market.

With fiscal and current account deficits occasioned by unstable crude oil prices, resulting in internal and external imbalance, and the state governments contending with monetary challenges, Nigerians insist that those who are at the helm of affairs at all levels, presently, know little or nothing about governance. 

The cries of hunger and poverty has now become the chorus on the lips of millions of Nigerians.

Their only hope lies in the newly elected political office holders in the new dispensation. Shall they be able to deliver the dividends of democracy? Time will tell.

Those in security circles around the globe insist that a government that is responsible and accountable to its people does not give deadlines, ultimatums, and time limits to criminals.

They go on to attribute insurmountable insecurity in several countries to either the covert involvement of the government itself, its admirers, well-wishers, or agents.

These personalities stress that such a government must have identified and isolated fifth columnists within its ranks before it ever thinks of commencing a maximum cleansing of the criminals impeding good governance.

But sadly, this is not the case in Nigeria, as unfolding events have proven beyond reasonable doubt.

Nigerians have concluded that the government does not have ready solutions to the kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes, while they daily pray for God’s intervention.

Even the security summits that have already been organized in the past several days by some interest groups, with some state governors in attendance, have been seen by Nigerians as mere jamborees.

With the continuous spate of kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes not abating, Nigerians have come to the conclusion that the country is already in a state of emergency, though the government is yet to make such a declaration.

They attribute the agitation for the establishment of state police by a few self-serving individuals to the uninformed perspectives of these individuals.

Of worry are the great difficulties experienced by government praise singers and bootlickers to accept the hard fact that the present administration can no longer address the overwhelming insecurity in the land without reaching out to personalities and institutions it had hitherto ignored.

What is the situation?

The present administration continues in its condolence culture, for which the citizens have known it for.

For how long shall this go on? Nobody knows.

Those in security circles around the globe insist that a government that is responsible and accountable to its people does not give deadlines, ultimatums, and time limits to criminals.

They go on to attribute insurmountable insecurity in several countries to either the covert involvement of the government itself, its admirers, well-wishers, or agents.

These personalities stress that such a government must have identified and isolated fifth columnists within its ranks before it ever thinks of commencing a maximum cleansing of the criminals impeding good governance.

But sadly, this is not the case in Nigeria, as unfolding events have proven beyond reasonable doubt.

Nigerians have concluded that the government does not have ready solutions to the kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes, while they daily pray for God’s intervention.

Even the security summits that have already been organized in the past several days by some interest groups, with some state governors in attendance, have been seen by Nigerians as mere jamborees.

With the continuous spate of kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes not abating, Nigerians have come to the conclusion that the country is already in a state of emergency, though the government is yet to make such a declaration.

They attribute the agitation for the establishment of state police by a few self-serving individuals to the uninformed perspectives of these individuals.

Of worry are the great difficulties experienced by government praise singers and bootlickers to accept the hard fact that the present administration can no longer address the overwhelming insecurity in the land without reaching out to personalities and institutions it had hitherto ignored.

What is the situation?

The present administration continues in its condolence culture, for which the citizens have known it for.

For how long shall this go on? Nobody knows.

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Hold on to the teaching and commandment of God. When you embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, then you are already with the power of God unto salvation.

It is mandatory that you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ so as to 

to be able to ward off false doctrines.

You can only grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

The word Christian means people who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. 

Therefore, a true believer is a christian you who practices and does the will of God.

Psalm 55-22

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.''

Discouragement is a life threatening state of mind, as it renders an individual vulnerable to attacks by enemies of the soul.

In most situations, discouragment is inevitable in the life of a believer, however, Jesus Christ is the solution.

It destroys the faith of a believer and wrecks havoc on an individual's will power to live.

The enemy always makes use of the weapon of discouragement, but it is left for you to ward off same, by having a mindset devoid of resentment and bitterness.

The devil makes use of discouragement to destroy initiative and render an individual useless and disillusioned. For these reasons, you must be strong in faith and reassure yourself that all things will continue to be good.

 The first term of a new session across private and public secondary schools is underway in Nigeria. Parents and guardians are out there, doing whatever it takes to ensure that their children and wards continue their education.

Curiously, in a number of major cities and state including Ibadan, Oyo state;private and public school proprietors, proprietresses and owners of schools are still in urgent need of qualified and experienced teachers to justify the ridiculous fees  they charge.

Nobody knows what happened to the workforce.

However, the underlying challenges could be traced to the action and inaction of the government, staff of the ministry of Education and the law enforcement agencies among others.

Indeed, the policy of education of a number of state governments is defective, this is in addition to the unwillingness of pupils and students to learn.

The behavior and activities of pupils and students on the streets of Ibadan are a good reflection of the bleak future that lies ahead of young people in Nigeria.

The consensus among Nigerians is that the arms build-up in different parts of the country has its background woven around the aspirations of actors in the socio-political scene in the land.

The arms build-up festers side by side with poverty, hunger, and brigandage, while the land has over time become fertile for trading in illegal arms with evil deeds as the major focus.

Indeed, state actors are familiar with the negative effects of injustice, inequality, nepotism, and favoritism, but are, sadly, handicapped by self-centered interests and incurable greed.

Interestingly, the competition for power and privilege has resulted in the loss of precious lives and the wanton destruction of the properties of innocent and harmless citizens. The debate among Nigerians now is on what constitutes the major functions of state actors.

The illegal influx of arms and ammunition has continued unabated through constitutional and unconstitutional channels with the active connivance of those who ought to be well-informed on security matters.

As violent crimes soar nationwide through the use of sophisticated weapons, Those-in-Charge have adopted the position of spectators to the amazement and chagrin of Nigerians.

Believers are not only friends of Jesus Christ, but are also friends of one another.

At the present time, in Nigeria, only a handful of civil and public servants take their duties seriously and wholeheartedly.

Their attitude is directly related to the position of government in the three tiers on issues of workers' welfare and conditions of service.

Indeed, the focus of those on government payroll in any given line of duty or assignment is what is in it to gain and not what ought to be done. In other words, selfless devotion to duty is no longer there.

Assigned tasks in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies are no longer done properly and promptly. A sizable number of workers no longer possess a sense of responsibility. Who is to blame ?

For several years now, the monster of indiscipline has continued to fester, with due process as the major casualty. The struggle for ''power'' among government workers is the most prominent activity going on in most offices.

Sharp practices are the order of the day. This is partly as a result of the sectional democracy in vogue today.

At the federal, state and local government levels, workers, who are co-opted to generate revenue for the government, make good use of the opportunity to protect their future.

The source of inspiration for this category of workers includes stories of government workers who retired in 2010 and are yet to be paid their gratuities.

 Workers ought to be devoted and committed to duty, to avoid negative reports from their superiors.

The worrisome question everywhere at present is : has the insensitive attitude of government ensured workers' devotion and commitment to duty ?

 A Disturbing Community Leadership

For a while now, the chairman of the Molusi street, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo state Landlords and Tenants Association, one Akeem, alongside Indian Hemp smoking hoodlums, who operate from the unfenced IMG Schools 1 and 2 Ibuko, Molete, Ibadan, attacked and dispossessed innocent residents of their valuables.

Just on Tuesday, at about 6.15pm, the chairman alongside his boys, attacked and dispossessed a resident of his personal belongings a few metres from the primary school, along the road.

Similarly, a police rank and file serving with the Oyo state Police Command, has for long operated a brothel, where questionable characters hibernate. The brothel located along Oyegbami street, Olorunsogo, Molete, has been a subject of worry for the residents in the community, considering the status of the owner.