POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY

The drums of war are rolling, the cymbal are clanging, the eagles are gathering. Where are you the people of the nation. Don't blame the politicians for the ills of the nation if you don't want to get involved. He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it, Seneca said.

Things are not just going to fall into place. A successful nation is not an accident. The failure of a nation is invariably occasioned by the failings of the middle class. My definition of middle class includes the educationally potential. Pretty much covers you. It is this group of people that can make intelligent demands on government. The uneducated masses lack wherewithal. They cannot appreciate their rights or place visionary obligations on government. They are thus exploitative fodder in the hands of unscrupulous politicians. They're the numbers needed in a democracy. Democracy as a game of numbers only works well when there are educated numbers.

 If you don't want to leave your fate in the hands of the ignorant you better get involved. The democratic tragedy of Africa lies in the fact that decisive voting power lies in the mass of the uneducated. If the continent must rise to fulfil its potential, education must be a priority for governments in Africa. If you build fantastic roads and install traffic lights and the people can't read the highway code what's the point?! It's all about people! Has to be about the people. There is a difference between running a government and building a nation. Buoyant economic statistics are useless when the lives of the people remain unchanged. We should be talking about Gross Human Development (GHD) not just Gross Development Product (GDP).

 Religion is big in Africa as you well know, but you can't even appreciate the person of God without sound education. Apostle Paul prayed: "I ask God to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally..." (Eph.1:15-19 MSG) How can religion then be opposed to education? Education is at the heart of religion! You can't even read your Bible without literacy. Spirituality does not preclude intellectual development.

 Education MUST BE a priority in Africa. When we build the mind we build the nation. God over-endowed the African continent. (Nigeria alone has 34 mineral resources). Yet the nations with the least resources are the most successful, and richest!

 They paid attention to the fundamentals- education being critical. They proved it's not the number of resources that matter. It's resourcefulness that counts. The purpose of resource endowment of a nation has to be the provision of means for the development of the people.

***** To be continued**********

From my Dad and Mentor, Mr Alder.