Not a few times have we heard citizens express displeasure about how things are going on in the country. To many, there is no hope for a better Nigeria. Try all they can, with all the tales of how government in power has worked wonders and has surpassed all previous administrations, government functionaries cannot convince this set of people to think otherwise. And woe betide you if you hold a contrary opinion and want to persuade to believe that all hope is not lost.
A scene played out at a computer/phone repair centre otherwise called GSM village, in the nation’s capital. Some young men were lamenting how those in government (both past and present) had milked the nation dry and made life hellish for many Nigerians. One of them narrated how despite having graduated with Second Class Upper from the university nine years ago, he had been unable to secure a job.
Another recounted how terrible the nation’s roads were which makes road travels a nightmare in spite of the billions of naira budgeted annually for road construction and repairs.  “Since l was born, l have been hearing that Nigeria will be better, yet things keep getting worse every year. There are no good government hospitals, no water, no electricity, Nigerians are being killed by armed bandits daily yet our leaders are getting richer with the money meant to furnish these amenities, infrastructure and security. As far as l am concerned, there is no hope for this country”, he insisted.
Hearing all these tales of woes, a middle aged man in an opposite stall, who apparently was there to fix his device joined the discussion.  He told them that their line of thought was wrong, that Nigeria was a blessed country, which would be better in the nearest future through the joint effort of every citizen. Certainly, that man will not forget in a hurry the invectives and insults he got for saying that.
Indeed, it is very patriotic to think good of our beloved country and to believe that no matter how heavy the storm may be, the sun will rise one day; that the issues of corruption, bad governance, selfish leadership at all levels and many others, which have held the nation spellbound and stagnant for decades will one day be a thing of the past and Nigerians will have reasons to rejoice in the land that God has placed them. However, truth must be told that should the recklessness, embezzlement of public funds, seeming lack of direction, and other forms of impunity that have characterised governance across board in Nigeria are not checked, the better days hoped for might just be a mirage.
In the past few days, we watched the scandalous drama at the National Assembly during the probe into the alleged financial improprieties in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Those entrusted with the responsibility of developing the impoverished area couldn’t account for how about N40 billion was spent in a few years. Members of the commission were rather enriching themselves at the detriment of their fellow Niger Deltans who have suffered the devastating effects of oil explorations in the region for many years.
Painfully, that may be all we can hear about the case just as similar probes yielded little or no results. Already, the Senate has recommended that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC be made to refund the N4.923 billion alleged illegal payments made to staff of the commission and contractors in breach of the procurement process among other soft landing recommendations and that might be the end of the story. Nobody gets punished for the great crime.
Ours has become a country where the “connected”, those who can fake fainting , those who can mesmerize the lawmakers, the highly placed ones, are given a part on the back and told to go that their sins are forgiven while the poor and the less-privileged, people not in government, are punished for even the slightest offences. Consider the recent disclosure by the Defense Headquarters (DHQ) that 603 repentant former Boko Haram members would be re-integrated into society next month.
During a media briefing on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Thursday, penultimate week, DHQ spokesperson, Major General John Enenche, said the 603 former combatants had completed the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Re-Integration (DRR) programme of Operation Safe Corridor and would be pushed into the society.
Reports have it that the “repentant” terrorists would be provided with psyche-social supports and continued religious admonitions in order to make them good citizens of the country and of course starter packs to help them practice the skills they acquired in the camp.
Does one have issues with the authorities being magnanimous to forgive criminals who have killed over 30,000 people in the country, rendered thousands homeless and caused many people grievous pains?  Not at all.  But the worry is how will such a generous act aid the fight against insurgency and give hope that the nation will be victorious in her war against Boko Haram and other insurgents? What hope do we have that the senseless killings in southern Kaduna and other parts of the country, the kidnappings, banditry and other forms of criminalities going on across the land will abate when the culprits are not tried and punished in accordance with the law?
A great concern has also been raised about the consequences of such reintegration on those affected in one way or the other by the dastardly acts of the insurgents and what plans to ensure that such act does not lead to breakdown of fragile peace in the recovering communities and cities mostly in the North East.
What about the morale of the military men and women that have been risking their lives in the fight for many years? Again, what incentives are given to the law-abiding citizens to encourage them to remain on the right path? As Martin Luther King Jnr puts it, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension. It is the presence of justice”. Again, in the words of the American Writer, Terry Goodkind, “Pity for the guilty is treason to the innocent”.
It therefore behoves on those in authority to inspire hope in the millions of hopeless Nigerians through words and actions. Many of us have no other country but Nigeria and to make it better for us and the future generation, we must all resolve to play our roles efficaciously.

Calista Ezeaku