2018 - IN RETROSPECT!

In less than 15 hours, 2018 will be gone and gone forever. There are however lessons to be learnt at individual and societal level.

Indeed, there are so many events that shook the nation. We started the year with fuel scarcity. It was one issue that held the nation spellbound for several weeks. Thank God, the government seems to have learnt from it.

The kidnapped of the Dapchi Girls (110) and their release with the exception of Leah Sharibu is another issue that shook the nation.

IPOB's threat and the Operation Python Dance is another issue that almost brought the nation to it's kneel.

Incessant kidnapping and the eventual arrest of Evans, a notorious head of kidnapping gang in Lagos is another major issue that made the headlines.

Arrest and re-arrest of political gladiators like Dino Melaye, Fayose, Fani Kayode, Deji Adeyanju, among others also made the headlines.

The National Assembly leadership tussle cumulating in the stolen of the Senate Mace and the suspension of some senators must also not be forgotten in a hurry.

The Shites movement and confrontation with the police and the army also made the headlines for several weeks.

Incessant killings by Boko Haram is one issue that remains with us in 2018.

Added to this is the farmers / herders clashes which for several months held the country down.

While unemployment and poverty is not peculiar to this government, it is the fact that available statistics suggests an increase in the number of people who are unemployed and living below poverty line such that many people embarked on suicide mission as never seen in the history of the nation.

The Third Force Movement and the springing up credible presidential candidates like Oby Ekewesili, Fela Durotoye, Kingsley Morghalu, Sowore, among others equally made the headlines.

We also have the #NotTooYoungToRuleMovement that led to the reduction in the age requirement for various political offices.

There was also the clamour for restructuring for several months, and the intriguing it generated.

The Ekiti and Osun Gubernatorial Election also made the list.

Unarguably, the list continues but what lesson have we learnt from these events? Do we take them as one of those issues that happen by chance and with nothing to gain from them?

Nigeria is in a mess today and may continue in the years to come because we have failed to learn from history. We merry-go-round on the same issues from year to year, hence, those issues and problems remain with us.

For instance, what security architecture is the government putting in place to address the insecurity in the country? It has been said over and over that our intellegience department is nothing to write home about in recent time. How many of the officers have been sent on refresher course? 

What lesson has INEC learnt for instance from the conduct of the Gubernatorial Elections in those States? Hope they will be useful in the conduct of the 2019 General Election?

At individual level, we have made some missteps, have we put them in perspective, and what are we willing to do about those mistakes such that they don't repeat themselves?

The successes we made, how can we build upon them. What did you do right, and how can you reinforce them in 2019?

The New Year holds a lot of promises, but we have a role to play to appropriate them to our lives as individuals and as a nation. May we not missed any opportunities in 2019.

Happy New Year to you and your family in advance. See you in 2019.