by The difference between a visionary’s eyes and the ordinary’s eyes lies in the ability to see beyond the present. While ordinary eyes perceive only what exists, a visionary sees what could be. This distinction mirrors the gap between acquiring knowledge and applying it.
Nigeria’s foundation was laid by leaders who lacked this vision. When the nation needed its brightest minds, it was denied, leaving a defective structure. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a towering figure, crafted policies that could have reshaped the country. He advocated free education, free healthcare, full employment, and integrated rural development—programs that addressed both immediate needs and long-term growth. Yet his ideas were undermined by Machiavellian actors—slick, self-serving politicians who prioritized power over progress.
Awolowo once said:
“While many men in power and public office are busy carousing in the midst of women of easy virtue and men of low morals, I, as a few others like me, am busy at my desk thinking about the problems of Nigeria and proffering solutions to them. Only the deep can call to the deep.”
His four cardinal programs remain timeless:
1. Free Education
Empowering citizens through knowledge reduces oppression and fuels innovation.
2. Free Healthcare
Ensures a healthy populace capable of contributing to national development.
3. Full Employment
Provides dignity, reduces poverty, and curbs crime.
4. Integrated Rural Development
Bridges urban-rural divides, curbing migration-driven social problems.
Had these ideals been upheld, Nigeria might have avoided the cycles of corruption, banditry, and terrorism that plague it now. Instead, successive leaders—“bulls in a China shop”—have mismanaged resources, leaving roads broken, schools underfunded, and hospitals in disarray.
In conclusion, Awolowo’s vision offers a timeless blueprint for Nigeria’s revival.
Yet, as long as oligarchy masquerades as democracy, the nation remains trapped. The path forward requires leaders who see with visionary eyes and act with integrity;only then can Nigeria transform its potential into reality.
