Recently, I have found myself repeating words of the Serenity prayer over and over again. ‘Dear lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.’ Do I dare to be courageous about anything? Am I prepared for the consequences that could arise as a result of my attempt to do things in the right way? Do I realise that in facing the consequences I would most likely be standing alone in my ‘truth’? Or would I cower with weakness at the first sight of unimagined catastrophe as a result of my ‘good action’?
Sometime ago, I sat among a gathering of friends to discuss making a change in our lives and in our dear country and these where the questions that hit me and it felt like a stray smelly paper flying about the street landing on my face. Did I hear you say ‘Ewww!’ I am trying to answer these questions now and so should you. Anyone who wishes to do what is right must have courage to dare and face the consequences. The process of change is almost never a sweet one. Its demands are great.
The recent registration of vote for the upcoming elections made me more retrospective about the topic. I was appalled to notice that some Nigerians were trying to bribe the police officers and the defence team to help them get ahead of the long queue in other to register on time. Granted that the process was tedious and time consuming, it was the first step in ensuring that we could ‘do a right’ by voting (whether our votes will count is a different matter). These officers were there to maintain order; it was easier controlling kids than controlling people eligible to vote. During the process of my registration, when I was almost at the ‘promise land’, a defence corp member brought someone and fixed her right in my front. This person was way bigger and mouthy and I feared what would happen if I challenged them but I remembered the saying ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.’ So I stood my grounds and rejected vehemently the defence corp and his ‘evil’ plan. Amidst the fracas, I managed to stay in my rightful position and completed my registration. Once satisfied with my voter’s card, I looked at the defence corp member and said ‘I followed the due process.’ I left with a great feeling in my heart. But perhaps, it could have gone wrongly, the Defence team could have knocked me about and thrown me out of the line saying I was obstructing progress. The cheating person could have pushed me on the floor for daring to show the corruption that was taking root while we were registering to vote democratically in other to end corruption. It could all have ended badly and I would have faced some consequences for trying to oppose their wrong doing, but good Nigerians who were on the queue also supported the right thing.
I thought about the fact that we all have to display courage in every aspect of our lives, at work, home, church, streets, markets etc and we may not necessarily be vindicated. I thought about more grave instances where people have lost their lives for trying to demand justice and fairness, ending corruption and promoting goodness. I remember Tunisia and Egypt, their fights towards a better life. Victory will come when we step out in faith to defend a good cause.
We all want Nigeria to be a better place but what steps are we taking to achieve this. Are we going to keep talking about the right thing but never demanding and fighting for it? Are you going to stand in the market were you sell or the office were you work and demand progress, transparency and justice? My prayer is that we all have the courage to dare to do what is right at all times for the good of our souls and our world.
