Where were we?

Where were we? When we look at standards all over the world and end up complaining about our status quo in politics, education, economy, culture, technology etc., we end up agreeing that advanced economies are far off, while we lag behind and it seems to me most times like the Scripture that reads “…For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:9 (KJV) And it makes me want to ask if we are very far off, while others champion the cause-concept of “global village”. I have been watching with awe how key actors in the British government are dealing with the outcome of the Referendum and I just keep asking myself, what is wrong in my country? For many days now there has not been power supply from the national grid, while it has become history in some locations and it makes me think, where were we, when leadership qualities were distributed among nations by God? I am still trying to recover from one daunting experience that occurred during the Ramadan period. It is not new, but I assumed a new perspective of the situation just recently that I have been struggling with it and find it convenient to add it to this piece as a secondary motivation. I got to the ancient town, Bida (for those who do not know where the Town is, which is where I grew, it is in Niger State, not Niger Republic #chuckles) and met a sad news of burglary in my mom’s store. They succeeded in destroying some parts of the walls and made away with electronics and I asked why, then I remembered that it is a usual occurrence. Days before the Salah break, it is usual to hear news of bugled shops around town and the reason is to be able to get enough money for the celebration. There are two things I have learned from this situation: 1. Nigerians like to “overdo”. If I do not have money to sustain a lifestyle, pressure comes to make me want to cheat another through any means to get it. (evidence from Fraud triangle theory); and 2. Spirituality does not translate in the slightest to morality or ethical behavior. I hear of people who feel it is good as long as it is satisfying an interest. What in the world is the essence of fasting, when you resort to bugle a store to break the fast? Where were we, when others sat to think of how to move their nation forward? Where were we, when others proactively charted ways out of depression? We only relish making quick cash from bad situations. We are mostly looking to feast on the fortunes of others, such as in cases of crashed tankers carrying petroleum products or trucks carrying beverages and we justify our responses well (rationalization in the Fraud triangle theory answers that as well). We need to move on; we have passed this stage that we are still struggling with and in… Each day, sincerely ask yourself: where was I?