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Opinion: The Nigeria of my dreams

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“Describing the Nigeria of my dreams”

“All men dream, but not equally.” T. E. Lawrence

The topic “The Nigeria of my dreams” is one of the most talked about issues at different levels of education and at various spheres of age groups. Many of those who have contributed to these talks shared a characteristic of always telling “the Nigeria of my dreams” from their own personal individual standpoint.

With over 200 ethnic groups when Nigeria gained her independence – though I was not born then – the clips from the celebrations shown to us gave me an insight to the great expectation that heralded the event. If the likes of Sir Tafawa Balewa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo were asked then what, in the next 50 years, would be the “The Nigeria of my dreams”, I can say it would not be where we are in the present situation in this century.

But alas! Here we are and still asking ourselves “The Nigeria of my dreams”.

Nigeria today, where life expectancy is one of the lowest in the world; where the health sector is more or less comatose. Even our so-called leaders and lawmakers will travel outside the country to have their medical check ups and treatment. Whereas the fate of that child with a hole in his heart is fastened to such. The mother, probably a petty trader whose capital is not enough for a television subscription, hits a road block because she can never afford to save and send her son abroad for surgery. In her state of despair, if asked what “The Nigeria of my dreams” is, she will tell you that a free, accessible and quality healthcare system is all that clouds her thoughts.

Millions of my fellow students will graduate and have graduated without employment. It is so saddening and makes me wake up in the middle of the night weeping. If we are to ask each and every one of them, they too will tell you their own “The Nigeria of my dreams” story.

While someone decides to spend three billion naira of taxpayers’ money on feeding, some children are going to bed without hope of knowing where to find their next meal. Young Fatima has been robbed of her childhood experience because she has been turned into a bride instead of being allowed to be the child that she is. Some of these street children only have one set of tattered clothes. Meanwhile somewhere in Abuja, our lawmakers are fighting over wardrobe allowances.

Even when sleep became a luxury that some cannot afford because of the rings of poverty, they still keep on dreaming.

So if you still wish to ask me “The Nigeria of my dreams” I will tell you that it is the dream in the heart of that young girl who comes back from school every day, only to hawk for her mother so as to add more money for her to save and get her more text books.

I will tell you that “The Nigeria of my dreams” lies in the heart of that father who lost his house and belongings to fire because the fire service did not respond on time.

I will tell you it lies on the sleepy eyes of that young man who has to wake up 4 am to catch a bus going to lekki to get to the office on time, so that he would not lose the job and risk his ability to put food on the family table. He comes home so late in the night that he cannot help his kids with school assignments.

I will you that it lies in the tears of the old woman selling by the road side, who is so unlucky that anti-street trading officials came to seize her wares because she cannot afford a shop.

I will tell you that it lies on the sweat of the school gateman who earns a small salary as we walk by everyday without saying hello or getting him a chilled coke.

I will tell you that it lies in regrets of students that had to write university admission and matriculation tests four times because there is a limited capacity for enrolment that each public university can admit.

I will tell you that it lies in the pain of those who kept praying for a Nigeria that is free from all forms of terrorism. A Nigeria where the Muslims can go to mosque and the Christians can go to church without having fear of being blown to smithereens.

The Nigeria of my dreams is to live in a new Nigeria where everybody’s dreams can be achieved.

Reach me on Twitter @Simply_dayor

Image URI: http://mrg.bz/q6RndA

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

About me: I am from Nigeria, currently studying International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun state. I’m also the Editor-in- Chief for the department. I love travelling and singing, and have  interest in Management and Developmental Issues.

Aside from studying, I work as as the Chairman of my department’s magazine. I want to be a Manager-Human Resource & Conflict Management, and also hope to serve in the Nigerian foreign service.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response. To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit:  http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/

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The nigeria of my dream.

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Jeff Okoroafor is a leading member of a new generation of civic advocates for government accountability and democratic change in Nigeria. The Citizen Affairs Initiative is a citizen-driven governance initiative that enhances public awareness on critical issues of service quality in Nigeria. It encourages citizens to proactively seek higher standards from governments and service providers and further establishes new discussions in communities about the standards that citizens should expect and deserve from those they have given their mandates. Jeff is the Managing Director of SetFron Limited, a multimedia development company that is focused on creative and results-driven web, mobile app, and ERP software solutions. He is the co-founder of the African Youths Advancement and Support Initiative (AfriYasi), a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation that provides tertiary education scholarship for young people from low-income homes in Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative and the United Nations World Summit Awards. A Strategic Team member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, and a member of the National Technical Committee on the Establishment and Management of Missing Persons Database in Nigeria. Jeff holds a Bachelor and Postgraduate diploma degrees in Computer Science, and a Certificate in Public Administration from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, GIMPA.

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‘NIGERIA OF MY DREAMS’ BY OCHE CELESTINE ONJEWU

I dream of a land of tranquillity as our founding fathers did beget, Where I shall salute the national flag with zero regret, Where the green part of the flag actually means agriculture, Not some desolated fields where farmers lay dead as food for vulture.

I dream of a country that I shall call home, Where I am welcomed in every part of this dome, A land where I can work anywhere I am residing, Where value addition is better than certificate of origin,

A country where honesty makes sense and integrity holds water, Where elites enter politics because they have something to offer, Where an Igbo man will in sincerity rule Bornu state as he swore, And we shall hear the drums of war no more.

I dream of a country where ‘leaders of tomorrow’ is no longer just some song Making me feel that my teachers all this while were wrong, A country where the young are given due shots at leadership, And are not stuck in an endless loop of recycling politics.

I dream of a country where a child is accounted for And even before birth is cared for. I dream that Religiosity died on the altar of spirituality, Where federal character was sacrificed on the cross of meritocracy.

I dream of a Nigeria with love as its core, Where education is loved and catered for, Without any strikes and hate from the professor.

I dream of a nation where hunger is no longer on, Where the gap between rich and poor is closed-up on, Where due process everywhere is followed to the latter, So that, be you rich or poor, ‘first come, first served’ is our new character.

Finalist of the Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC) , May 2018

Shortlisted for the albert jungers poetry prize (ajpp) 2018, published in the bppc 2018 anthology — citadel of words.

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the nigeria of my dream

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ARISE O' COMPATRIOTS

Victor Fawole

Jogging down the memory lane, I could remember how full of fun, events, and experiences my childhood days were. I had to learn many things, many times, ranging from simple to complex. Some experiences were gotten unconsciously without any fixed teacher. Some others were taught, either in the classroom, church, or at home. There were lots of experiences that were routine in nature, while there were some others that I was compelled to garner. One usual example starts by observing family morning devotions, to brushing my teeth, to taking my bath, to dressing for school, to eating my breakfast, to going to school, and it goes on like that. One special routine takes place on our school’s assembly ground every 7:45am on weekdays. After singing and dancing to some entertaining and soul-lifting songs led by angelic-voiced seniors, the teacher on duty (for each week) would lead us in prayers, and then we would stand still to sing the national anthem, fac-ing the national flag that always danced in response to the direction of the cool morning breeze. Our teachers would always instruct us never to dance or move our legs while singing the national anthem, as we were meant to stand at attention. They told us to always sing the anthem with passion. Then, we thought passion meant seriousness, so, we used to frown our faces while singing. I usually asked my friends about why we must sing the national anthem every blessed morning (as I had not gotten enough audacity to ask my class teacher such question), but it is unfortunate that none of them could give me the reason. One day, I asked my elder brother (who was then in secondary school), and he told me, “Victor, we are Nigerians, and we must obey the government, because they told us to always sing the national anthem.” I tried to ask further questions like: “Who is that government?” “When did government give that command?” “Who taught government the song?” “How did government teach our teachers?” and so on, but I became speechlessly but inexplicably mute. Over a decade later, I began to have a clearer view of the national anthem. Technological advancements brought the internet. I made researches on the national anthem. I got many facts, and I was becoming a better thinker. Those things I learnt led me to thoughtful meditations. Sometimes, I would sleep with the thoughts of the national anthem in my mind. All these, sometimes, lead to dreams. A particular dream I will never forget came during my sleep in the early hours of Wednesday, February 20, 2013. I saw myself explaining the meaning of each word in the national anthem to some group of people, assumedly a set of students. After my final exams in Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, I began to make line-by-line analyses of the national anthem. I posted each of the analyses I made on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, and I also sent them to my friends on Whatsapp messenger. I got many reactions, both good and bad. Some people encouraged me, some praised me, some appreciated me, some argued against some of my points, some criticized me, and some said I was jobless, but I was never discouraged by anybody! Many people told me to put my analyses together and publish a book. I saw that advice-cum-suggestion as a challenge I thought I wasn’t having the capability to achieve. I saw it as an unachievable target I wasn’t prepared for. Coincidentally, I again saw a replica of the dream I had in 2013, this time in 2015 (February 9). I saw myself addressing a set of Nigerian youths, explaining each line of the national anthem. Then I saw the dream becoming a reality. I dared to dream, and I dared to live the dream. I got the confidence, and with God’s backing, supported by people’s prayers, I succeeded! This book, Arise O’ Compatriots, is not only a dream-turned-reality, but also a message. The messages that lie therein, if fully decoded, are powerful and inspiring. I have carefully outlined and analyzed my points. I have also meticulously addressed some issues that will help throw more light on my line of argument. I also made use of some quotes by different people in almost all walks of life. I believe no man is an island of know-ledge. More so, by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established (2Corinthians 13:1, Holy Bible – NKJV). You will enjoy every bit of the book. Therefore, I enjoin every Nigerian, in all strata, no matter his/her status, should lay his/her hand on a copy of this book, read it carefully, meditate on it, and live by it. My greatest joy would be passing this message across to as many people as are in your reach. Get many copies and pass them on. Give them as gifts. I want every 21st century Nigerian to lay his hand on this. God bless! FAWOLE Victor Olugbenga Hotline: +2348131048604 Email: [email protected] Blog: www.fawoleasegun.wordpress.com

Juliet Binitie

"Nations are not built by Angels or spirits; but by the deliberate efforts of the citizens who love their land" Juliet Binitie I realized that many of us do not have an understanding that Transformation of a nation is a journey, and not an event which is not automated, but nation building is a deliberate efforts of the citizens of the Nation. Nigeria has been going through a roller-coaster of a series of events from her independence and has not shown great Leadership in Africa as she should. She has made some strides and need to do much more than she has done. This write up is not academic; but more like a snapshot to show that the journey to transformation is within our reach. Our national anthem espouses these values that we need to become a better cohesive nation to build the nation of our dreams. The Transformation series is being developed further into an academic book and to give Nigeria a framework to understand that transformation is possible, but will require rigorous, deliberate work by her Leadership and citizens. We are low on the Patriotic index and we must do better as a people to love our land. Therefore, I took the Nigeria national anthem and pledge to show us that we can make transformation happen. This will require understanding that they are areas in our society that we must begin to work on as we journey along. I repeat, this is not an academic standard writing. It is simply a write up of some of the ideas I have gathered and I believe I should develop further. I look forward to your thoughts. I deliberately did not add references; because I am still developing it. However, books like Good to Great by Jim Collins; Buy the Future by Mensa Otabil; Seven Mountain Prophecy by John Enlow and From Third World to First by Lee Kuan Yew has provided me an inroad to my thoughts. Others thoughts came from years of research of other nations; especially England and how she became the nation she is today. I am an Oakseed Executive Leadership graduate from the Institute for National Transformation and now a faculty member of the Institute which has helped me find my bearing in understanding Transformation and Nation building. Your thoughts and ideas are welcome. God bless you.

If I lower myself to fight with an individual, I become an individual; and individuals can neither change nor save the world. The world needs ideas, the world needs movements. …………………………………………………………………… This book is about an idea, an idea called Raila; not a mortal earthling so named. This book is about either changing that idea; or changing that idea.

Louismary Ocha

Agada O Daniel

When the issue of development becomes a topic of discussion two facts come to bear; first is how the individuals within the underdeveloped nation or developing (as many prefer to call it) quickly blames the government for where they are on the struggle to attain development;. Secondly, is how quick most of the underdeveloped nations prefer to call themselves developing nations in other to avoid the embarrassment that comes with the former which is where they actually belong. this paper X-Ray the remote causes of African underdevelopment using the Nigeria society to mirror into other African society and suggested a way forward if the people must embrace growth

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The book of Isaiah offers a three-fold thematic scheme that supports the central claim of the Pentateuch, the claim found in Deuteronomy 6:4 and known to the Jews as “the Shema,” a verse that declares the God of Israel is one, true and living God, a theme that undergirds all of the prophetic books. Thus, the foundational theme of Isaiah is the central claim of the Pentateuch, a theme shared by all books of the Holy Scriptures. The secondary, structural theme of the book of Isaiah supports the primary theme of the prophetic books by offering the testimony of God’s covenant love to redeem Israel through the prophetic plan of the Messiah’s passion and atonement as supporting evidence that YHWH is the true and living God. The third, imperative theme of the book of Isaiah states that Israel loved the Lord their God with all of their mind by placing their hope in Isaiah’s prophecies concerning their future redemption through the atonement of the Messiah. The application of this third theme for today’s reader is for us to place our hope of redemption in Isaiah’s prophecies concerning the Messiah, namely our justification through faith in the testimony of Jesus Christ through His life and ministry, especially His atonement and resurrection. The Messianic Message of Isaiah in the New Testament - Since ancient times the book of Isaiah has been one of the most popular and inspiring books of the Old Testament canon. Its scope and breath in describing the divine Creator is unmatched in Scripture. Its literary quality is superb. One reason for its popularity among ancient Jews is the emphasis placed upon the coming of the Messiah in its prophecies, which hope was in the hearts and minds of the first-century Jews who were being oppressed under Roman rule during the visitation of Jesus the Messiah. This evidence is seen in Luke 4:16-30 when Jesus entered the synagogue of Nazareth launched His public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61:1-2. 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The Nigeria of my dream

PHOTO: STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

(‘Ala ni’ku, kadara kii ku’ – Dreams die, Destiny does not die – a Yoruba wise saying)

A Nigeria of my dream? Well, to tell the truth, I don’t care a hoot about dreams, I don’t take them seriously. And pray, why should I? I dreams, all sorts of ideas, beings, and things invade your well-deserved sleep. Uninvited –except, perhaps by your subconscious self- these things manifest to disturb your peace of sleep, or of mind, or of both, the latter particularly in your waking moments. Dreams can be so unnerving. But some – and this is seldom- can be sweet experience, this I must admit.

What is a dream anyway? A train of mostly wishful thoughts, fantasies, imaginations, ideas, abstracted imaginings that we experience while asleep. This is the general dictionary description. .Sigmund Freud, neurologist, psychoanalyst, and researcher of note on dreams said a few things about dreams that do not even recommend that I should take them seriously. And as I said above I choose to not. Freud is quoted to say for instance, that dreams tend to select their contents ‘in accordance with principles other than those that govern our waking memory, in that it recalls not essential and important , but subordinate and disregarded things…[and] tend to raise trivial and long forgotten details of our lives’.

‘Every dream’, said he, ‘reveals a psychological structure…actually a wish fulfillment’. Freud conclude therefore that ‘dreams are absolutely egoistical’. I want no part of such stuff! Even the great Shakespeare is quoted to say that ‘dreams lift up fools’; that ‘to dream is happiness, [I would say illusion], to wake is reality’, that ‘you can’t fill your purse with dreams’. But dreams, it seems, serve a purpose for many men. Someone said that ‘dreams are necessary for our survival’. Perhaps he meant sanity.

For me, dreams are not real but mere ‘empty words’ to borrow from physician and poet Robert Bridges. The Yoruba saying that dreams die admits that they are ephemeral. On the other hand, ‘Life is real! Life is earnest!’ said Henry Longfellow. By which I understand that reality is what is happening here, now. Not yesterday (that dreams dreg up) not tomorrow that is wishful imagining, but here and now. Indeed, ‘Yesterday is a cancelled check’ said Kay Lyons, ‘tomorrow is a promissory note, today is the only cash you have –so spend it wisely’.

My education tells me to stay in the present, for it is the only place things are happening. This is the reason lessons on Time Management –or more correctly, Self-Management-, emphasize that we should avoid procrastination like it is a plague. Never put off till tomorrow, what you can reasonably do today.

All these are to say that I don’t want to think about a Nigeria of my dream; of a country that exists in abstracted imagining, I want here and now, a country where things work, where, to translate a Yoruba saying, birds sing like birds, rodents cry like rodents, humans behave as intelligent humans, and society is on its normal trajectory of development and progress. I want, to adapt from Khalil Gibran’s poem, a country that eats the bread it grows, drinks the wine from its own wine press, and weaves the cloth it wears. I want a country. I don’t want a country that is ‘full of beliefs and empty of religion’, ‘that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral’, ‘that will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block’, ‘that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again’.

These are the classic traits of hypocrites, and this Nigeria is full to the brim with hypocrites. Hypocrisy is a great sin; it is synonymous with deceit, duplicity, two-fadedness, dissembling, insincerity and imposture. I want here, now, a Nigeria where the people live the life they enjoin upon others. Nothing is more terrible for a country but to suffer, as Nigeria does, from Gandhi’s 7 Social Sins.

I want today, a country of a people (leaders and the led) with (a positive) A+T+T+I+ T+U+D+E =100 toward themselves, their fellow citizens and their duty to their country. I don’t grant myself or Nigeria the luxury of dreaming, the serious and instant-minded peoples of the world have left us behind in just about everything that matters –except, for shame! consumption of others’ goods. Am I impatient? Yes I am. Am I angry with my country? Yes I am. I live in an age of the instant –instant coffee, business at the speed of thought, or nearly so. I am hungry for development, and in a hurry for progress. Why shouldn’t my country too?

Dreams die, but Destiny does not die. I want a Nigeria that stops acting in betrayal of its destiny, and that begins forthwith, to fulfill it. Mandela read the star of this country right by saying, in sum, that the greatness of the Black race depends upon how Nigeria conduct itself.

And how to do this? I borrow from Gandhi. One, Politics be played with principles, two, Wealth must be gained from honest work, three, Pleasure must be sought with conscience, four, Education must be go with character, five, Commerce must be practiced with morality, six, Worship must go with sacrifice, and seven, Science must practice with full respect for humanity.

These rules apply to every citizen, to leader and followers at all levels and in all fields of endeavor. Roman statesman and philosopher Marcus Aurelius said ‘let us put an end, once and for all, to this discussion of what a good man should be – and be one’. This I urge on my fellow compatriots here, now. And Nigeria will have set forth on its path to destined greatness.

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• Francis Onaiyekan
• Nigeria at 59

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The Nigeria of my dream

Like every patriotic Nigerian, who will wish to see a better Nigeria, I have dreams for this 61-year-old nation. This is a country that has been confronted with several challenges since its birth and till this day is still faced with numerous prevailing challenges that pose as hinderance to its desired growth and development.

I wish to see a Nigeria of tomorrow, a country that will guarantee the security of lives and properties of its citizens; where people of the North-east will sleep without fear of being attacked by Boko Haram; where people of North-west and North central will sleep and even be snoring without fear of bandits’ attack and kidnappers; where people in the South will sleep in their homes at night and go to their farms and markets in the day without fear of being attacked by heartless armed persons alleged to be herdsmen; where students will have no fear of being kidnapped in their schools; where citizens will travel by road from one place to another without fear of being robbed by armed robbers. In the Nigeria of tomorrow, I wish to see a united entity where diverse ethnic groups will accept and embrace themselves to live in love and harmony with tolerance among them; a Nigeria where citizens from any of the states in the South will not be addressed as southerners or citizens from states in the North will not be addressed as northerners but will be proudly addressed as Nigerians; a Nigeria where crimes will be given no religious or ethnic colouration; a Nigeria where problems of one part is seen as problems of all and people collectively work to solve them. In the Nigeria of my dream, I wish to see a country where elected officials will be held accountable for the campaign promises they have made; a country where there will be absence of selective justice and also a true independence of the judiciary; a country where one assumes elective office through a legitimate means; a country where merit and not sentiment becomes the fundamental determinant of who gets what and when; a country where one expresses his opinion about policies and programmes of a sitting government and moves freely without any fear of retribution. I dream of a Nigeria where there will be good governance; where citizens will be given what is due for them at a time when due; where corruption no longer becomes the norm and whoever is found guilty of it is stringently punished; where contracts will be awarded without inflating figures for kick-back purposes; a country where all monies that will come into government purse and go out will be accounted for; a country where public officials will see their positions as an opportunity to serve humanity and not a means or privilege to enrich themselves. I dream of a Nigeria where the last man in a village will feel the existence of governments; a country where governments place citizens’ welfare higher; a country where there will be good schools and quality education; where citizens will have access to improved healthcare at all times; where bulbs in our homes will never go dark; where one will not have to suffer to access clean and drinkable water; where news of deaths in auto crash will not be due to dilapidated roads. This is the Nigeria I dream and wish to see. It is my wish that before my generation ends, Nigeria will be better in a way that our children will grow and be proud to be called ‘NIGERIANS’ at all times and anywhere. Safiyanu Danladi Mairiga, Gombe, Gombe state

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About admin iii.

Win N200K in Nigeria of my Dreams National Essay Competition

Sana’a da Ilmi Foundation is pleased to announce an essay competition with the theme “Nigeria of my Dreams”. This is to encourage dialogue and younger Nigerians in reimagining Nigeria.

TOPIC: “Nigeria of My Dreams”. It should be about what kind of Nigeria you dream of and some ideas on how to achieve the Nigeria you desire

1 st Place : Two hundred Thousand Naira (N200000)

2 nd Place : Two hundred Thousand Naira (N200000)

3 rd Place : Two hundred Thousand Naira (N200000)

Entry is open to only Nigerians of less than 35 years..

COMPETITON RULES

• The essay is a minimum of 2,000 words and a maximum of 3,000.
• Entry must be in PDF format
• Send an ID with your entry

Send your entry in pdf by email to [email protected]

DEADLINE: 15 September 2022.

WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT : 1 st October 2022

We look forward to reading your entries.

>>>While this particular contest is open to Nigerians, we have vast of other similar opportunities open to Africans irrespective of nationality, Click Here to see them.

About Author

Ogbaga Sunday Thomas

Ogbaga Sunday Thomas is currently pursuing M.Sc. in Social Policy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a second B.Sc in Business Administration (Distant Learning Mode) at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

He is a talented writer with a flair for essay writing, storytelling, and academic research. He is interested in Education, Leadership, Social Entrepreneurship, and Peace-building. He can be reached via [email protected]

See author's posts

2 thoughts on “Win N200K in Nigeria of my Dreams National Essay Competition”

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An 11yr Old's Dream For Nigeria

My dream for Nigeria is for a safe country. A country where there are no armed robbers, where one can safely walk around in the night; gather together with friends and family without being robbed: a great and corrupt-free Nigeria. Without corruption Nigeria would be a great country, where things will work.

My dream for Nigeria is a country of hardworking and honest people – where its leaders do not enrich themselves with public funds: I dream of a Nigeria where politicians are not greedy or steal the country’s money. I wish for a Nigeria where politics is not a moneymaking business. I want our politicians to love us and care for us. My dream is of a Nigeria where the leaders care about the citizens and have programmes for them. A Nigeria where the leaders are approachable and are not arrogant, nor disturb the citizens with their sirens! I dream of a Nigeria where leaders do not detain those who advise them truthfully.

My dream of Nigeria is a country where electricity supply is uninterrupted. A country where I can watch movies, iron clothes – without fear of electricity outages. I dream of a Nigeria where streets are well-lit; and thugs and thieves do not harass innocent people: I dream of a safe country.

My dream for Nigeria is to have a good transportation system. That is one of my dreams. A Nigeria with good roads, and good rail roads. A Nigeria where traveling is pleasurable and not dangerous: a country with good roads and fewer accidents – I dream of a nice train journey around the country.

My dream for Nigeria is where being ill is not a death sentence – A Nigeria where hospitals do not dispense fake drugs; a country where hospitals are not for the rich only but for the poor on the streets as well. I dream of a Nigeria where universities are not closed half of the year; where the public school system still works, and where the children of the rich go to the same schools as the children of the poor. A country where children of the rich do not go to schools abroad, because of lack of books and teachers in the local Universities. In our schools today students cheat to pass exams. I wish this stops – so, that Nigeria will be known as a country with a high standard of education.

My dream for Nigeria is for peace between all the religions – Christians loving their Muslim neighbours and vice-versa. A Nigeria where there are no religious riots, conflicts and hatred. I dream of a Nigeria where there is abundant food for everyone – beggars will not be on the streets and everyone is gainfully employed. I dream of a Nigeria that will be as developed as other countries like: United States of America, Great Britain, South Africa and Canada. These countries are beautiful, developed and that’s the reason we visit them.

My dream is for a Nigeria where Nigerians do not copy American music and behavior. For example there are some Nigerian groups like ‘Styl Plus’ who sound like Americans. That is why people buy them. I want people from other countries to copy Nigerians too. My dream is for a Nigeria where Nigerian actors are as well known as American actors like Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise known all over the world. My dream is for our actors to be as well known and influence others. I dream of a Nigeria where the police is friendly – when on holiday in London, I noticed policemen were friendly and directed people the right way when they missed their way. But, in Nigeria – policemen stop cars to collect bribes.

My dream for Nigeria is for a strong and developed democracy.

I dream of a Nigeria where government provides better leisure facilities for citizens – in South Africa, there are lots of recreation centers, cinema, and lots of amusement parks where children play. But, in Nigeria all the spaces are used for houses. As a result the air is polluted.

And, my last dream for Nigeria is for its citizens to be proud of it.

Onyi Anyadiegwu, 11 Green Springs School, Anthony Village, Lagos.

Onyi Anyadiegwu

Onyi Anyadiegwu, 11 contributed this piece from Green Springs School, Anthony Village, Lagos.

Where Is The Placenta?

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Nice one keep it up

This is cool I hope u keep it up

This is incredibly beautiful easy.

wow!!! this is nice i support u

I love all your dreams about a New Nigeria

wonderful variety

i love every piece of your dream, but then lets not forget that we too owe our dear country cause every decision we take today ENHANCES or DESTROYS our dreams..think twice for our dreams to come true.

its good to dream, i hope you grow to not just being a dreamer, but to help actualize these dreams, good job!

Very educative

this article should be sent to our leaders so that they can include this in their agenda and make Nigeria a better place for you and for me and the entire human race…. heal Nigeria. very nice article

that was great i love it keep it up

This is nice and i hope this dream will come to reality

Keep it up Onyi, this is going to help us with our essay assignment on our dream for Nigeria. Taqwa Private Schools.

children are the future of Nigeria.This essay shows how much children are willing to learn

this is one of the best things i have read keep it up

de skys ur limit .keep up de gud wuk.dis is a reali emottional downpour of de kids feelins.Dis iz reali a highly recommended essay.Dis kid will go places.luv ur essay.;)

Keep the flag flying high we are very proud of you . It is challenging to us as chldren so keep up the good work.

i need the nigeria of my dream.

This is an excellent outpour of emotion from an 11 yrs old. it’s truly wonderful.

This is wonderful and am highly impressed with the write-up. Though, if wishes were horses, beggers will ride on it. The dreams of the founding fathers of our nation is excactly the way you x-rayed in your articles but greed has become a major challenge.

Unbelievable

If only d citzens of nigeria can join hands with onyi and bring our visions and dreams 2 reality nig ll be d best country

Fantastic. How i pray God will raise leaders indeed in this nation for the sake of our future, represented by Onyi. God bless you child.

Extremely proud of this young man. I have the same dreams about Nigeria. I pray that this boy and his generation will grow up in this kind of Nigeria AMEN.

This is beautiful…and its up to us, the younger generation of nigerians to help make these things come true.

Well done, Onyi

wow am so overwhelmed that an 11yr old can feel this way and i pray that more people who share this same vision will be realised and recognised in Nigeria and even by Nigerians who are not in Nigeria. God bless u child

This is nice and sad that a child has to experience these things. I wish that the current leaders of Nigeria would read your fine words and adhere this to their agendas. They say a child will lead the way..they are right. Keep up the fine work. I look forward to Nigeria changing soon. Your words are full of wisdom.

You have spoken well Mrs Kenna

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