Big and good for nothing!

Whatever is big is either in size, scope or height or in depth. If animate, the flesh is a factor in judging its size and if in animate, it has to be large to be known as big. Countries are described as either big or small on the basis of their population and then, land mass. In which case, China and India are the two largest countries in the world, each having over a billion in numerical strength. Both are also nuclear powers with diversities in ethnicity and geography and equivalent to some continents. In spite of devastating typhoons, earthquakes, tsunami and countless natural disasters, both China and India continue to make steady growth and are developing in all areas as scientific and technological powers. Brazil and Indonesia are some other countries whose numerical size is not in anyway a hindrance to their progress. In fact, Nigeria is supposed to be in the same league with Brazil and Indonesia in terms of size and most other indices. India is as multi-ethnic as Nigeria even as it is just as multi-religious. Several Indian Prime Ministers have had to die or were killed by gunmen, motivated either by religious or political differences, yet the country enjoyed smooth succession and painless transition. India has many languages as there are ethnic groups, but it has managed to make one a lingua franca spoken by most Indians. China is a leading industrial power today as most of the electronics we use comes from that country. It also has one of the strongest economy and are speedily over - taking many European countries in the area of investment in Africa. We are trying to prove that size is not necessarily a disability and to committed people, size is a valuable asset. However, I know some individuals who are huge, tall and stoutly built. In most cases, they look handsome and respectable, and you are most likely to differ to them by reason of their sheer stature. In movement, only a few of the giants are smart. Many are drab, dull and drag themselves along in an uninspiring movement. They are not great athletics or are they enthusiasts of athletics. Forget about fashion freaks who have choose slimly built Suzie as models as against their plump counterparts. In dress sense, giants have little choices and so, the question of fitting or fitness is out of place. In all these, I have no quarrel with the individual giant because they probably have no choice or play no role in their growth or swell. While growing up, I made some assumptions that often disappointed more than they elated me. I was stupid - in many instances - to assume that six footers has extra brain than others and so, while dealing with them, I took too many things for granted believing that they possess more sense than normal - given their huge stature. So, whenever I was disappointed, I felt like asking God why couldn’t the giant, no, some giants exhibited more sense than the ordinary. Why are many of them sounding dull headed, looking demobilized, except in the area of consumption? Why? Well, God has not directly answered my question although He has graciously granted me a glitter into the country called Nigeria. Nigeria, not its French neighbor Niger, is my country. She is known as the giant of Africa both in numerical strength and geographical size. In human and mineral resources, Nigeria has no match in the continent as her numerous natural endowments suggests. Nigeria is so big, as good and possesses unimaginable potentials that inexplicably amount to nothings! Her image abroad is so ugly and odious that may need rhinoceros as a beastly comparison. You bet that I do not enjoy this image or comparison, yet if I must be honest with you, a more compact and movable entity would have been my first choice if I had a say in the matter. How can a country be so big, so good, so rich and yet, so poor? Why are our numerous human, natural and mineral resources become a curse to us? Or is the root of our problems in the psyche of the human hand that amalgamated us? Is that god-forsaken Lord of a Luggard hearing me in or from his accursed grave right now? I am more than amazed by the maze simple choices and opportunities available to Nigeria but which we threw into the sack, and so, forced into looking for a needle from a huge haystack? Where are the visiting foreign flatterers who often come here to praise us to high heavens only to disparage and condemn us back home? Well, since some swindlers with the mask of leaders have decided to reject every progressive measures to move Nigeria forward, we all must be prepared to endure and accommodate all improvised explosive devices which enraged ethnic, relgious or regional groups care to throw at us B-a-s-t-e-r- - - - -!