In Christianity, we see drifting as a fearful occurrence. Fearful because men do not backslide, become atheists or swindlers at a leap. It is a slow occurrence. You gradually walk into it until the worst happens. In reality people who go adrift are nice, amiable and well meaning individuals with no intention of wrongdoing; with perhaps no very strong resolution to go right.

I have watched the activities of our leaders at close range for these past years. Like Nigeria, for instance, being a nation that is blessed with both human and material resources; with people who look very innocent physically as leaders, the people are still yearning for better leaders. Most of their past leaders, no matter how nice or ugly their physical appearances may be, with or without accolades, still see themselves as not qualified enough to lead the people to greatness. To them, they are only trying to keep the status quo, whereas what the people need is CHANGE. Though very painful, change brings out the best in people. With a good leader, who would not be intimidated by the evils of the past, Nigeria will become a sort of haven. Lack of vision on the part of so many past leaders and their non-agreement with other people’s ideas and programmes contributed so much in leading all of us into the myriads of problems we experience today. The proleptic pronouncements at various quarters concerning this great nation have indeed not helped matters.

Nigeria is a good land made up of great men and women, hence the slogan: GOOD PEOPLE, GREAT NATION. God created and blessed Nigeria greatly with so many good things, such that Nigerians would have no reasons to go to bed hungry. There would have been no need for any Nigerian to go to school and be paying fees through the nose or remain homeless. While praising the efforts of our founding fathers for an independent but yet to be united Nigeria, there is need to look critically into the foundation and structural balance of the country. Most people have ridiculed any allusion to the purity and tenderness of a united Nigeria, and apparently have no belief that nationals can be other than a toy or victim of their leaders, never their fellows or friends. Wrong foundation or structural design can wreck an empire. Wrong foundation established the class difference between the leaders and the led. While the leaders drift into extravagant expenditures of the resources, the led are busy burrowing into the debris, cashing in on bad governance to further make the nation ungovernable.

Bad leaders are those who boldly tell their followers that it is better to spend more than one can afford, drifting into debt, rather than living on oatmeal porridge and bread. This is why we are continuously fighting a stubborn corruption that refuses to give way. Corruption will not go if we continue to fill our hearts with anxiety, and are tempted to take money that does not belong to us so as to satisfy our pressing but selfish demands. The habit of gambling with our precious resources has left love and nationhood sacrificed on the altar of selfishness and greed. The business and allegiance we have for the people are neglected. People ascend leadership positions today because there is always the feverish hope of a windfall and of getting money without giving any service equivalent for it. Who says we are not adrift?

My second look into the milky atmosphere shows a people led by habitual gamblers who drink themselves to stupor with power. I see a people in the agony of delirium though pure, true and responsible, yet without direction. I saw people with beautiful appetite and desire to ascend the throne of being the mastership of life, yet they lack the common ingredients of love, peace, unity, faith and progress. The stage can never remain in bad light. Our lot as a people of this great nation in a day has but only 24 hours. No single day can borrow additional seconds to perpetuate itself. The darkest hour, people say, is nearest the dawn. I believe there is a way out of this mess. We, as a people, can choose to be focused if we can avoid the society of those who are familiar with the ways of darkness and impurity. It is not necessary to continuously yielding to temptation, but we can ask God today to help us overcome these temptations. Until we have done this, we will continue to drift from what is right and acquire a momentum that we cannot arrest.