OSUALA, AMAOBI NELSON
DEPARTMENT OF
PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR
PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR
e-mail:nelsonosuala@yahoo.com
nelsonosualaphilosophy@yahoo.com
I consider it apposite to begin this
piece of writing by asserting unequivocally that Nigeria today is being
confronted with some destabilizing problems as it regards its economic and
socio-political development. This seemingly supposed problem is to my mind due
to the ambivalent nature of man which according to professor Asouzu “… tends
toward self-preservation”. Such deterrent to the development of our nation is a
product of myopic view of reality and egocentric tendencies which Asouzu
purported is quite impelling as it has resulted in conflict, tribalism, nepotism,
sentiment, vandalization and all forms of decadence ( Ibuanyindanda 231-233).
It was on the above premise that Rev Chris Okotie did inform in an interview
over the media that “there cannot be a new Nigeria if there are no new
Nigerians”.
piece of writing by asserting unequivocally that Nigeria today is being
confronted with some destabilizing problems as it regards its economic and
socio-political development. This seemingly supposed problem is to my mind due
to the ambivalent nature of man which according to professor Asouzu “… tends
toward self-preservation”. Such deterrent to the development of our nation is a
product of myopic view of reality and egocentric tendencies which Asouzu
purported is quite impelling as it has resulted in conflict, tribalism, nepotism,
sentiment, vandalization and all forms of decadence ( Ibuanyindanda 231-233).
It was on the above premise that Rev Chris Okotie did inform in an interview
over the media that “there cannot be a new Nigeria if there are no new
Nigerians”.
It
is therefore the aim of this paper to argue for a mental deconstruction,
reconstruction and transformation otherwise known as ‘attitudinal change’ which
is closely linked to Asouzu’s noetic propaedeutic. This is what will result
into the progressive development of our nation as it refers to all its vital
sectors such as economic, social, political, industry, etc. we shall therefore
in subsequent paragraphs discuss some problems facing the Nigerian nation to
which attitudinal change could serve as a therapy.
is therefore the aim of this paper to argue for a mental deconstruction,
reconstruction and transformation otherwise known as ‘attitudinal change’ which
is closely linked to Asouzu’s noetic propaedeutic. This is what will result
into the progressive development of our nation as it refers to all its vital
sectors such as economic, social, political, industry, etc. we shall therefore
in subsequent paragraphs discuss some problems facing the Nigerian nation to
which attitudinal change could serve as a therapy.
First,
is the issue of tribal sentiment amongst various ethnic groups which have
resulted into crisis between individual rival groups. A nation where such is
rampant can seldom progress. If indeed we desire for national development which
is replicated in economic planning through the diversification of the various
economic sectors, budget surplus, high calorie intake, and availability of
basic and social amenities such as good roads, electricity, pipe borne water,
infrastructure etcetera. Individual orientation towards one another must change
for the betterment of this country.
is the issue of tribal sentiment amongst various ethnic groups which have
resulted into crisis between individual rival groups. A nation where such is
rampant can seldom progress. If indeed we desire for national development which
is replicated in economic planning through the diversification of the various
economic sectors, budget surplus, high calorie intake, and availability of
basic and social amenities such as good roads, electricity, pipe borne water,
infrastructure etcetera. Individual orientation towards one another must change
for the betterment of this country.
Also,
is the lack of love and concern for the youths who are supposed to be leaders
of tomorrow. The youths of this country have been neglected, rejected, and
deprived of the right to a fair hearing. They have no say in economic and
socio- political matters, not because they are not vast nor is it because they
lack the potentialities and capability to contribute positively towards her
nation but rather because their
supposed leaders in the corridors of power do not consider them as objects of
change. Unfortunately, this negative tag on them have led most of them to take
up unprofitable venture such as hooliganism, robbery, human trafficking, as
commercial sex workers and other moral decadence.
is the lack of love and concern for the youths who are supposed to be leaders
of tomorrow. The youths of this country have been neglected, rejected, and
deprived of the right to a fair hearing. They have no say in economic and
socio- political matters, not because they are not vast nor is it because they
lack the potentialities and capability to contribute positively towards her
nation but rather because their
supposed leaders in the corridors of power do not consider them as objects of
change. Unfortunately, this negative tag on them have led most of them to take
up unprofitable venture such as hooliganism, robbery, human trafficking, as
commercial sex workers and other moral decadence.
Another factor that cripples national development is that perpetrated towards
the vandalization of oil pipelines. The Niger-Delta issue is today an open secret,
as many Nigerians seems ill-concerned about ways to contribute to the good of
this nation and the progress of various sectors of the economy of which the oil
and agricultural sectors appear most important as they appear to be our major
sources of revenue.
Another
problem which has deterred national development In Nigeria is the problem of
incessant and illicit possession and display of wealth. So many politicians are
corrupt because they seek to possess material wealth to which they have gotten by
false means. A good percentage of politicians who occupy sensitive positions in
the corridor of power apparently seem to have ill-gotten wealth. Each of these
leaders goes into power with the intention toamass wealth through falsehood
applauded by theMachiavellian principle of “the end justifying the means”
thereby failing to understand in the light of the Ibuanyindanda framework that
“whatever exist serves a missing link of reality” as posited by asouzu.
problem which has deterred national development In Nigeria is the problem of
incessant and illicit possession and display of wealth. So many politicians are
corrupt because they seek to possess material wealth to which they have gotten by
false means. A good percentage of politicians who occupy sensitive positions in
the corridor of power apparently seem to have ill-gotten wealth. Each of these
leaders goes into power with the intention toamass wealth through falsehood
applauded by theMachiavellian principle of “the end justifying the means”
thereby failing to understand in the light of the Ibuanyindanda framework that
“whatever exist serves a missing link of reality” as posited by asouzu.
Other
issues that could serve as bottlenecks toward the development of our country,
Nigeria include: armed robbery activities, inequality in wealth allocation and
distribution, bad government policies such as deregulation of the oil sector,
lack of basic and social amenities, inflation, budget deficit, infant
mortality, early pregnancies, over population etc. All these have led to
economic recession and destabilization, thus these are the problems Nigeria is
faced with today.
issues that could serve as bottlenecks toward the development of our country,
Nigeria include: armed robbery activities, inequality in wealth allocation and
distribution, bad government policies such as deregulation of the oil sector,
lack of basic and social amenities, inflation, budget deficit, infant
mortality, early pregnancies, over population etc. All these have led to
economic recession and destabilization, thus these are the problems Nigeria is
faced with today.
Conclusively,
to curb this entire negative trend which has bedeviled our country, we have
suggested mental reformation and transformation which is couched as attitudinal
change or noetic propaedeutic. This will restore the public lost love for the
nation Nigeria that will make every individual contribute positively and
consciously towards the fostering of this nation. There is something to be done
for Nigeria! It was the late president of the United States of America in the
person of John. F. Kennedy who told his people “Do not ask what America will do
for you, but rather what you can and will do for America”. The above assertion focuses on the vital
issue of patriotism, a concept that relates to a people’s favorable attitude
toward their motherland. In a nutshell, patriotism must be regained by
Nigerians and that through a change of attitude of the people to what we know
as positive which seeks for the “oughtness” towards experiencinga sustainable economic
and socio-political development.
to curb this entire negative trend which has bedeviled our country, we have
suggested mental reformation and transformation which is couched as attitudinal
change or noetic propaedeutic. This will restore the public lost love for the
nation Nigeria that will make every individual contribute positively and
consciously towards the fostering of this nation. There is something to be done
for Nigeria! It was the late president of the United States of America in the
person of John. F. Kennedy who told his people “Do not ask what America will do
for you, but rather what you can and will do for America”. The above assertion focuses on the vital
issue of patriotism, a concept that relates to a people’s favorable attitude
toward their motherland. In a nutshell, patriotism must be regained by
Nigerians and that through a change of attitude of the people to what we know
as positive which seeks for the “oughtness” towards experiencinga sustainable economic
and socio-political development.
Work cited:
Asouzu, Innocent I. The
Methods and Principles of Complementary Reflection in and Beyond African
Philosophy. Calabar: University of Calabar press, 2004.
Methods and Principles of Complementary Reflection in and Beyond African
Philosophy. Calabar: University of Calabar press, 2004.
Asouzu, Innocent I. Ibuanyindanda: New Complementary Onotology: Beyond World
Immanenterm,Ethnocentric Reduction and Impositions. London: Liverlag Munster, 2007.
Immanenterm,Ethnocentric Reduction and Impositions. London: Liverlag Munster, 2007.
Osuala, Amaobi Nelson“Attitudinal Change: A catalyst to
National Development”.
An unpublished paper submitted to The National Orientation Agency (NOA),
Garki-Abuja, 2003.
National Development”.
An unpublished paper submitted to The National Orientation Agency (NOA),
Garki-Abuja, 2003.
