Reaping without Sowing

Where is our Lee Kuan Yew?

It was former US President, Barack

Obama, who said that the problem with African countries is not corruption but weak institutions.

It is interesting, how success especially in the international arena excites Nigerians.

We sure can have more of such excitements if we realize that success can be planned, just like sowing and reaping.

Economics teaches about the invisible hand planning for a capitalist economy. But like Barack Obama pointed out, it takes strong institutions to ensure that the invisible hand does it's job.

How then do we get strong institutions? I guess it takes strong leaders with vision and the fire of patriotism in their blood to make this happen.

A people they say get the kind of leaders they deserve. I read a story about the governorship Election in Anambra State and the plethora of self made Politicians in the race.

As usual, the writer was excited but of what is the excitement borne? 

Perhaps the writer does not know that in politics, many there are who know they are not electable but fish for unknown persons to use.

There indeed is the real challenge. Those running in the Anambra Election for all you know may be self made, but the issue is are they financially committed to the race? 

Some Godfathers may be somewhere pulling the strings. A pointer to this is the fact that many of them are only gunning for Governor and have not run for any other Office before.

Chances are that, there could be sufficiently motivated candidates among them. That indeed is the dream.

In Nigeria, we need thinkers who will plan for the success we desire in different fields of endeavour.

If we cannot get these at the national level, sure at lower levels, every effort in this direction will be worthwhile.

A good school like Mayflower Ikenne under late Tai Solarin. A well run church to inspire members.

Churches are good places to build leaders except that the churches too buck under challenges. A desire to hit a financial target confuses men of God and make them as bad if not worse than our leaders.

Where then can hope be nurtured and realized? Business? Forget it, all traders are dishonest.

Can we get a clean financial institution? Maybe when virgins start attending antenatal clinic.

Estate companies? Money laundering may not be quite far from them.

The Judiciary? Freedom is so precious, people would go to all lengths to bribe judicial Officers. How insulated are they from such pressures?

Perhaps, they are but not from human greed and like they say in Economics, ' Supply creates it's own demand'. Once there are people greedy enough, there will be people willing to fund their greed at the expense of their honour and integrity.

The search is so necessary that it should be on. Sowing goes with reaping. Let's plan for a better tomorrow.