I got a call from my tailor asking for a point of clarification on the length of a skirt I had asked him to make for me. In parting, as I reiterated the length; he said “if God allows, the length will be as you want it.” This response can only be interpreted in one way as it relates to this situation. I laughed; he had taken the measurement, he had a sample, he has sewn for me before in that length; why would God create a misstep in the sewing of this skirt?? How did God get into the length of my shirt??

I have really grown puzzled about how Nigerians call God in everything; the ‘Resignation and Situation game’; whatever happens we are resigned to the treacherous will of God. However, what became even more puzzling to me is this; with a country that calls the name of God at the drop of a hat, where prayers are offered, contracted out and paid for; God seems either not to be listening, answering or just taking His time! because we are in grave trouble.

Japan is an Island nation. 73% of Japan is forested, mountainous and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial or residential use. It has a population estimated at 130m inhabitants. As a result, the habitable zones have extremely high population densities. Japan does not have any natural resource. Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals; may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals most of which have a religious background.

Against this backdrop, Japan is located in the pathway of natural disasters; the most recent being the devastating earthquake of 2011 that caused the nuclear plant in Fukashimi to leak causing deaths and other long term effects. Let’s not forget the 1945 nuclear bomb drop. Despite all this Japan is the fourth largest economy in the world with equal export and import activities. It built the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge; the longest suspension bridge in the world referred to as a world engineering feat. In the pipeline; a Japanese construction company plans to build an elevator that can lift tourists in space, up to a quarter the distance between Earth and the moon.

Nigeria has a population of approximately 170m people of which more than half are in the ‘youth/working age group of 16-45years’; it has a varied landscape that makes our soil fantastic for agricultural, it has practically all the mineral deposits in its soil with lots of unexplored land, it is the sixth largest oil producer, and most populous black nation that houses the most religious people on earth!

We pride ourselves as hard workers (of what?), Yet when Cameroon warned us months before it released its dam into the path of the Rivers Benue and Niger, we did nothing to prepare for this MAN-MADE disaster. In light of the devastation of the 2011 tsunami and the anticipation of a future occurrence, Japan is planning to build an alternate city to Tokyo. The city, which has been given the functional name IRTBBC (Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business and Backup City) will house up to 50,000 people with provision for 200,000 workers. *clears throat* what plans do we have for anything???

The Scandinavian economies are the healthiest in the world and while they have precious little time for God, they are at the top of the ladder in providing a ‘life’ for their citizenry.

The major religions of the world assent to the fact that God created man and everything else, and gave us creative license over His creation. We are the physical inhabitants; it made perfect sense. Everything we need to make this world a place for us to live in; God has given us. It is all within us. We are all living witnesses to the feats and creations that MAN has accomplished and is still accomplishing. Nature honours creativity. God honours his Word. We have seen people totally devoid of the knowledge of God exhibiting and using their creative juices; did that stop their end product? NO!

Nigeria is so blessed and endowed with natural and human resource that it is an absolute, absolute shame that we are nowhere on any scale competing favourably with other nations. We have not even taped into our resources to make life heavenly for us talk more of impacting the nations. It is not up to God; it is up to us. The world around us has shown us that.

So where are we? We still use hoes to till the ground; mechanised farming is a thing of admiration when we see it; whereas in near and far away lands they are thinking of how to farm on the moon!! It is time we get off our behinds and stop blaming Government for everything!

The amount of time our youth spend in the social media basically doing nothing would have been used to brainstorm on how to acquire a piece of Agric land and start something, how to build upon the pre-existing social media platforms, build a network of volunteers tackling specific issues (like BEACONS_ng); we need more of such groups, being a change agent not in words only but action, tapping our creativity; even if do not invent something, let’s add value. There is so, so much to do, that we have no one to blame but ourselves if we live mediocre lives. That was not the intention.

A parting shot; money is everything and not; so be clear about why you are doing what you are doing. The Laws of Nature respect ‘what you sow, you reap’.

*UPDATE: My tailor brought back the skirt and he had absolutely butchered it!!!!!!