- Nigeria tends to make myopic assumptions of its oil production wealth and capacity. It’s worth noting that Brazil has launched a ten year programme to become one of the major world oil producers. Angola is rivalling Nigerian in oil production. The United States of America has discovered huge gas reservesthat areto replace dependence on imported energy and is investing massively in green technology under President Obama’s administration. “So if you look ten years ahead, is Nigeria going to be that relevant as a major oil produce…while the world moves on to alternative sources of energy and other sources of supply?” (US Ambassador P. Lyman).
- Global warming and its ramifications for the world are no longer academic. They are manifesting in earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, encroaching desserts, scorching earth, drought, failing harvests, tsunami, bushfires, floods, changing weather patterns, and rising sea levels. From India through Pakistan, China, Russia, Australia, Antarctica and USA the carbon footprints of global warming are evident.There is limited UN disaster and emergency response aid to go round. Donor nations’ ability to contribute to disaster relief funds is now constrained by the fact that they are equally vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Governments are making contingency plans and developing disaster prevention and management strategies in the interest of their countries and peoples. Nigerians and Africans in general need to be well informed and prepared against our share of the global warming impact; else we extinct like the dinosaurs.
- Finally, the level of inequality, injustice, unchecked political corruption, open display of unmerited wealth, unemployment and human sufferings in Nigerian society is no longer sustainablyfree of unintended consequences. “Somalia is mono-religious, mono-ethnic; they only have clans (but) they have one tribe. What has happened there? It’s a failed state because the elite in Somalia were so disconnected from the people that once they had some money, they bought houses in England, Washington and all those places. There was such a disconnect that even till today, they cannot bridge it. Let me tell you, the last recognized President of Somalia is buried in Lagos-Siad Barre.We are multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-problematic” and over 150 million people. If we fail to take the necessary actions now to build a better future, “we will fail like Somalia; in Somalia, half of them are in Kenya, Ethiopia, and a few are in Europe here and there;..The reason why most people worry about us is if we explode, who will contain us in all of West Africa and Central Africa?” (Donald Duke, ex-governor of Cross River State).The Mo Ibrahim Foundation jointly compiles an index of governance in Africa with the prestigious Kennedy School at Harvard University. In the 2008 report, Nigeria was ranked 39th out of the 48 countries measured. “The index measures the so-called essential goods, which remain very scarce in Africa: safety and security; rule of law; transparency and corruption; participation and human rights; sustainable economic opportunity and human development… As one of the bottom ten countries, Nigeria was positioned alongside countries like Guinea, Eritrea, Cote de Ivoire, Central Africa Republic, Angola, Sudan, Chad, DRC and Somalia. All of these are outright failed states or countries at war or emerging from war” (Igwe – a Woodrow Wilson Policy Scholar).
- This is why all Nigerians of all regional, religious, professional, and tribal persuasionsshould embrace this first and last cultural, civil, and peaceful revolution being proposed by Openmind Foundation.
- Openmind Foundation is a voluntary and non-governmental organisation set up and registered under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to assist the Nigerian nation to enjoy the products of democracy: free and vibrant press, free and fair election, transparent governance, respect for human rights, economic prosperity, accountability, an enterprising civil society, rule of law, and freedom of religion, thought and speech.
- What form will Openmind Foundation’s proposed cultural, civil and peaceful revolution take? The revolution aims to introduce new nationally accepted cultures developed along the lines of eradicating those vices that have kept the nation from emerging a leading economic super-power. It will also eradicate those cultures that have been accepted as a national norm and for which Nigerians have suffered terribly. We admit, a change in culture in any society is neither easy nor cheapand demands long-term strategy and commitment. Reprogramming the Nigerian mentality through culture modification therapy will face resistance, apprehension, and in extreme situation – sabotage. However, it will be successful, and as a matter of fact, it remains the only viable exit to peace and prosperity for Nigeria at this point in its history and one that every patriotic citizen should firmly embrace.
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The strategy that Openmind Foundation (OMF) adopts in this cultural, civil and peaceful revolution will be implemented through its organise-4-Nigeriaprogrammes. Below is a brief description of a few of the programmes:
- Introduction of a central culture across the nation, through education and reorientation, of a society where market driven economy flourishes but with conscience; every single member of the communityhas equal opportunity; and a country ready and willing to develop and tap into the potential of every citizen irrespective of tribe, state of origin, sex, age, or religious denomination. In other words, the central theme of OMF cultural drive is “A REVIVED NATURAL PASSION AND PATRIOTISM DRIVEN BY HUMAN ORGAN-STYLE-SOCIETY”. In a layman’s language, the OMF cultural, peaceful and civil revolution mimics the importance and cooperation of every member of the human body in its drive to function.
- Nationwide campaign aimed at facilitating hope, reconciliation and unity particularly among the three main Nigerian tribes – Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba. The campaign is to drive home to the Nigerian people and tribes that “what unites the people and tribes of Nigeria is greater than what divides them”. Agreed we are 150 million people, 37 states, 923,768 square km of area space, and tribally, geographically and religiously divided. But countries like the USA, India and China are much larger, have religious and ethnic diversities and challenges, are united behind a common flag, and are enjoying economic prosperity. Together, we can change the world view of Nigeria, the world view of Nigerians and Nigeria’s view of itself.
- A massive educational and behaviour modification campaign aimed at drawing attention to the ills of the Nigerian society and geared toward a mass rejection of those vices. This will operate under the “SAYNO AND SEE” (i.e. say no to vices and see the impact on society, governance and prosperity for all) campaign slogan and through families, school clubs, televised soap-opera etc.
These outlined approaches and more have inbuilt automatic out-dated cultural rejections like corruption, tribalism, ethnocentrisms, sectarianism (especially religious), prebendalism, and nepotism.
Openmind Foundation shall be holding an invited press conference of all the Nigerian media organisations including print and electronic media on the organisation’s micro-detailed programmes for the nation’s cultural, civil and peaceful revolution.BE ON THE LOOKOUT.
Join Openmind Foundation and make a difference in the quality of governance and standards of living of our people. It is our last chance. For further information please consult our website on www.omf.cc.