LOOKING AHEAD - BEYOND 2015

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” 

~ Nelson Mandela

BEYOND 2015    

Today July 18^th the World marked Nelson Mandela day, the first since the passing on of the Great Icon of the liberation struggle December 5, 2013 at the ripe old age of 95. In this Historic day, Archibishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Malala Yousafzai, Graca Machel, Bono, Mo Ibrahim and Muhammed Yunus joined forces to sound a warning that 2015 is a year of huge opportunity, but also of huge risk.

At a time when individuals and countries are strategizing for the future, it is such a pity that all our Politicians and leaders can think about is 2015. I have stated in another paper that we have reduced everything in Nigeria to “WE” vs “THEM” a mentality that is killing our Creativity, our Passion, our Drive and Outlook. We are a Nation of critics (see http://tinyurl.com/ntavv2c)

I have asked this question a million times “Must someone be in Government to contribute to the Growth and Development of the Nation and the World? The fanatics of the APC had unfortunately made all to believe this lie and it’s trending.

Do we realize that there is a World beyond 2015? As UN Secretary General puts it “Nelson Mandela Day is a Call to action” I pray Nigerians from all works of Life, Religion, Tribe and region will heed that call and take a cue from the late Global Statesman and contribute our quota to National Development.

The call to action on Mandela Day is for each of us to go out and do something. It is fitting that these Nobel laureates, Moral and Religious Leaders and Campaigners on this day are urging Politicians to be ambitious. They are demanding goals that will build on the dramatic progress we have seen in some areas and guide us on the path that gives people everywhere a chance to live a life of dignity.

In a strongly worded open letter, they are calling on World leaders to make 2015 a transformative year in the fight against poverty, inequality and climate change. They wrote “What is at stake here could not be greater, for it is not less than the future of our human family and the world upon which we all depend”

The letter drew attention to two global processes – the replacement of the current UN development framework and the conclusion of the new climate treaty –to culminate within Months of each other at the end of 2015. This will lead to with concerted effort on the part of the leadership and the lead to more progress in eradicating extreme poverty, hunger as well as put an end to preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and in so doing the letter continues we will give everyone everywhere opportunity and the right to lead their lives with dignity without jeopardizing our planet’s ability to provide for its people now and into the future. This is an entirely possible outcome if we do the right thing. This is the path of hope the letter says.

The other possibility is to adopt the business as usual approach to 2015, then we would harvest injustice of poverty, hunger and pandemics to spread. A growing insecurity caused by unequal access to increasingly scarce natural resources which will inadvertently  lead to tragic conflicts from which nobody – no elite, no matter how rich – can hide.

The letter urges all of us PDP, APC, North, South, West, and East to be inspired by the words of Nelson Mandela: “Like slavery, like apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome by the actions of human beings.”

This movement for people and planet the letter concludes, will lead to accolades for those leaders who rise to this historic occasion. It will hold accountable those who fail to help secure a better safer world for all. It will speak up for the marginalised and disenfranchised, and demand justice for all.

An old saying goes "you are not a failure, until you start blaming someone else" we must stop the blame game and work together to solve our collective challenges. seeing an issue as a PDP or GEJ issue has never and will never produce a solution. you are first a Nigerian before your Party affiliation, it's only when we work together that we can overcome every obstacle on our way to Nationhood. We must Take a Stand for Nigeria

The list in case you missed it includes the 17 year old Malala Yousafzai the Girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban. In the run up to the 2014 council polls in Delta State and in Burutu Local Government Area to be precise our leaders will rather turn justice in its head (see http://tinyurl.com/ole6u29) and ensure that qualified or not an anointed son emerges the Council Boss.