Thankfully, we are already in that cherished season of the year when life gets festive all over. In a few weeks' time, the Christmas festivity will go into full swing with the attendant fulsome dining and wining, exchange of beautifully packaged hampers and greeting cards, hectic rush for shopping and traffic jams. It is an annual festival which catches everyone in its spin.
Like a dream, the year 2012 that started as if it was only yesterday has come full circle. By now, individuals, organisations and nations would be taking stock of their achievements and disappointments during the year. For us as a nation, stock-taking at this time is a mixed bag of sorts. Achievements are far and few between, while disappointments are legion. Is Nigeria moving forward or backward? Are Nigerians better off? Notwithstanding what our national score card is in 2012, the 2013 budget has since been presented by Mr. President and is being deliberated on by the National Assembly – an exercise that is more of an annual bureaucratic routine than a real transformation agenda.
But, despite the challenges, disappointments and failures, can the act of gratitude still be relevant in our case? In fact, will it be foolhardy for Nigeria to offer thanksgiving in the face of overwhelming misery, terrorism, sectarian crisis, bloodletting, poverty, infrastructure deficit, social ills and development? As we seek to salvage Nigeria, can the act of appreciation in the midst of national depreciation make any positive difference in our situation at all?
The fact is that our myriad of national problems and crises cannot be wished away. The challenges are real and daunting, and wishing they are not there would amount to false optimism. On the other hand, the truth is that we still have many blessings to be grateful for, and doing so may inspire real optimism for a better future. But we have to combine optimism with focused action to make headway.
For the moment, we still remain one nation in spite of divisive rumblings. That is one thing to be grateful for, because a case of Nigeria breaking up will have bloody disastrous consequences for us all. But this is not to rubbish the idea of a Sovereign National Conference by which all nationalities need to discuss and agree to the terms of sustaining the union.
Today, Nigeria is still one of the most naturally endowed countries in the world. That is another good thing to be grateful for. Our obvious natural resources are abundant in measure, to the envy of less endowed nations across the world. Crude oil, though now cynically labeled a curse because of mismanagement, is still flowing from our earth and pumping billions of dollars into our coffers. Other extractive resources like natural gas and precious stones are everywhere around us. Cash crops are common across the country. Fruits are in abundance all year round. Our weather is clement for productive agriculture. And despite recent flooding disasters and attendant threats of food insecurity, we are not experiencing famine and drought like they do in some parts of Africa. With all these blessings, shouldn't we be thankful as a nation?
What about the recurrent effects of global warming and climate change assailing other countries? Nigeria should be grateful for the benevolence of Mother Nature. Here, we only experience torrential rains and flooding every year. Elsewhere, more devastating natural disasters have decimated populations and resources of hapless nations this year alone. Compared to all those overwhelmed countries, Nigeria has a lot to be thankful for. We have even more blessings to express gratitude for. Bombs and rockets are not raining on us as in war conflicts or political uprisings such as are happening in the Arab world today. This year, countless lives have been lost and are still being lost to political uprisings in Syria, Libya, Egypt and Palestine. In Nigeria, we have our own share of bloody killings from Boko Haram, armed robbers and reckless police, but bombs and rockets are not raining on us to the extent that Nigerians will be fleeing to neighbouring countries as refugees. We should be grateful.
And, indeed, we can go on and on counting our blessings in the face of severe adversities. We only need to take a break and reflect that complaining alone won't do. For a moment and at a time like this, let us stop bemoaning our leadership crisis. We have cried hoarse enough about the endemic corruption in our national life and the compromising attitude of our government. Let's take a break from criticising and complaining on pages of newspapers, at newspaper vendors' stands, on television discussion forum, in beer parlours, at social gatherings, in political meetings and in our homes. Let us look and find positive things we can be grateful for in our country. According to personal development exponents, complaining will only continue to attract and worsen the very things we gripe about. Perhaps, giving thanks for the good we have can attract more goodness to help salvage Nigeria.
According to Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret and The Magic, "The nations who will lead the world in the future are the ones whose leaders and people are the most grateful. The gratitude of a nation's people would cause their country to thrive and become rich, would cause illnesses and disease to drastically drop, businesses and production to escalate, and happiness and peace to sweep the nation."
As America celebrates the fourth Thursday of November every year as a National Thanksgiving Day, maybe it would do us good in Nigeria to also have a dedicated National Gratitude Day. God bless Nigeria.
•Onifade writes from Lagos via adebiyigood@yahoo.com
