NIGERIA AND THE AVOIDABLE BRAIN DRAIN

Nigeria is a country of over 150 million people, a country of great minds, potential and future, Nigeria like many other world developed countries is undergoing progressive metamorphosis, we couldn’t deny that we’ve had our many challenges up until now  but so did the developed countries we look up to. Out of the many challenges we have and their many etiologies, I would like to talk to you about just one today which is

NIGERIA AND THE AVOIDABLE BRAIN DRAIN

It is a non-negotiable truth that nation building is not the job of one person, in fact when it is a nation, the singularity of that nation is based on the plurality of the citizens in number but their singularity of purpose. And the one purpose that is of concern today is development.

Nigeria is a country blessed with brains, evident to this fact is the number of Nigerian students that make waves every year, just in Ukraine, in your very own universities, you can testify to the mental prowess of Nigerian students. Across board every year Nigerians are recorded to blaze trails in every academic field, just last year a Nigerian Doctor Samuel Achilefu won the prestigious St. Louis Award for creating cancer-visualizing glasses.

But the question now becomes where are all these people in the picture of our nation building? The truth be told, this is one of our biggest challenge impeding the speed of our national development. In my research I’ve found out that there are two basic reasons for a national brain drain.

1.       Absence of opportunities

2.       Deficiency of Nationalism

The absence of opportunities truly is a backbone of the national brain drain as brain drain is not 

limited to people leaving their country but also include people switching trade just to survive, the banking sector today is filled with people who were trained microbiologist, geologist, and other non-bank related courses but upon receiving a crash training of 6 months they are recruited into the industry, these people hardly go back into their original field for which they were trained and contribute a large percentage to the number of the avoidable brain drain.

Also of importance is the orientation parent give their young ones, an orientation that if you are not one of either a Doctor, Engineer, lawyer or banker, you’ll hardly  find opportunities and hence be of little significance to the society when indeed the only reason we have few opportunities is because we have fewer people trying to create them, With the mentality that except you belong to these aforementioned fields there are not much opportunities in itself is an obstacle to self-discovery which is the mother of skills development. It is worthy of note that it is the plethora of skills and skilled persons that drives the train of nation building.

To avoid this particular cause of brain drain we must have some mind renewal, we have to grow from what we might have been told into the current realities of life. We must understand that creation of opportunities is not only the job of government but also that of citizens who have been enlightened and have discovered their paths.

The deficiency of nationalism is a worm that have eaten into the depth of our national development, aided by the seeming loss of opportunities, some amongst us have forgotten that the great nations they want to run to were built by two set of people the nationals of that country and other nationals who could have easily built theirs, the only place people could be easily regarded as heroes for their immense contribution is their home.

Countries are regarded as great based on the discovery, inventions and patents made in them, it is good that Nigeria have brains doing well outside but the better variant is that we have our people discovering, inventing and filling for patents in Nigeria,  you can be encouraged as the government of Nigeria is now ready to support and create conducive environment for you to create opportunities, I want to encourage you to return home after your studies, there will never be a place where you’d be a first class citizen outside Nigeria. I’d leave you with this

“National development does not exist without nationalism” no one but us can build our nation, it is time for our generation. Thank you

TRADITIONS, INDIVIDUALITY AND GENERATIONAL SHIFT (the unanswered)

One Friday, I had a chat with my surgery lecturer about the gastrointestinal effect of an Ukrainian food called горох (garox), history with this food for me dates down to year 2011, a meal after which I became best of friends with my toilet bowl. An experience that did not elude most of my friends I introduced to the food.

After the discussion my lecturer told me consequentially to me telling him that I had stopped consuming this product, that he also disliked some food even from childhood and hence refrained from them, one of which was Onion.As I was there sitting I got lost in my thoughts, the theme of which was TRADITIONS. Defined by merriam-webster dictionary to be a way of thinking, behaving, ordoing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time.
It suddenly dawned on me that being the head of his family, there was every possibility that one item called onion may be missing in the meal recipes and hence his children grow up not eating onions, and their children too.This trend can be passed down through generations without a particular generation understanding why.I have a taste of this myself, I just won't eat pork. It has was never served in household I grew up.I'm sure you also can relate to this with your experiences.TRADITION AND INDIVIDUALITYAlbeit I do not discredit the importance of tradition to some people, I do challenge it's grip on our freedom to choose. The question being should I be constrained by the choice of another man who could have chosen otherwise.In simpler terms should I because my father does not like pork not also eat if I'm ever want to? This I call the the problem of individuality.TRADITION AND GENERATIONAL SHIFT.As we well know that as generations come and go so does the changes it brings, hence the debate becomes that of Dogma and Paradigm.Is it not anti-normal if we do not flow with the generational shift, if we hold certain principles in dogmatism?How then do we preserve our familial idiosyncrasy if we do not?

3rd LAW OF DECISION

    PLAY THE PLAYER AN NOT THE CARDS


Ceteris paribus (all things being equal), all the choices you have in life even at a time may not be favourable, all odds may be against you, but here is one thing I've learnt from a poker game, a very strict rule "you do not play the cards you play the player" of course this does not mean you are not playing the cards. playing the player is just more important to focus on.
how does this apply? you must understand that the game and the player is constant while the card is variable in which case the cards represent your options in decision making and the player , in each case life, no matter what your option, choices are, life goes on. so you have to be smart enough to decipher the life around you, what is and what may be about it. the life around you is peculiar to you alone, though the options are the same, do not be surprised if we both pick the same option(card) but yet we have different result, the reason is clear, the players (life around) are different. learn to master the life around you , the options will then be just a compliment no matter what they are. in every decision you have to make , always remember that all you are trying to do is to beat what life threw at you. life is your competitor so learn to play the player and not the card.

2nd LAW OF DECISION

 

 

 

 

NEVER GO FOR THE SHORT TERM

 Sometimes after we've made what seemed to be the most brilliant decision of a life time, we just discover that the whole brilliant idea  is working against the purpose for which it was set up, this is not necessarily because the decision was bad but rather because it was not reinforced with a set up for futuristic purpose, its just like building a good road during the dry season, and not making a drainage, when rain comes it doesn't matter how good the road is or was, it just will be unmotorable due to flood. every time you have to make decisions always consider the long term conquest rather than the short term victories.

before you finalize any decision, try to ask yourself, what will be the impact of this decision on a long term?   

never be caught in the web of your own decisions

1st LAW OF DECISION

One vital thing you will agree with me that is a great challenge to you and me is decision. sometimes the problem lies in making them, other times in effecting them, either ways we get to points where we can surely say that the singular process of decision is just what stands between us and particular targets, be it who or what. decision is not just the result of a long or short term cognition but most importantly a reflection of ones personality. in a way to help you make decisions, I have come up with certain laws of decision
 
LAWS OF DECISION
1. DECIDETO DECIDE: your life today is a result of your yester-decisions, you may say "I really did not decide all these" yeah, I know exactly how you feel but you must understand that INDECISION IS A DECISION NOT TO DECIDE and so your decision not to decide is responsible for your state now at least, no matter what options life bring along, though they be variables but life itself is constant and time will always move so therefore when you decide not to decide. one of these options still becomes your reality, most times the ones we just really don't want. so it is better I think to make your decisions irrespective of how difficult it may appear, to be experienced I something you must partake in it, so never be afraid of making the wrong choice, it only teaches you one way it wont work.

you have to learn to be the driver of your own life because no one else knows your destination but you.

 so you must decide to decide thus making you responsible not just for but also in your life.


 

MASTER YOUR MIND

do you know that your mind is so powerful that the only person it respects is you? that it takes what you feed it, produce what you require of it? the mind is like a soil and your thoughts like seeds , when you plant a seed it grows to produce fruits, in which much more seeds abide. so therefore when you choose to dwell on a thing in your mind, it magnifies it that you can see it clearer, when you dwell, focus, think about impossibilities, your mind gives you a broader picture of it, when you focus on possibilities, your mind equally enlarges the picture showing you much more than you can ever imagine, those who have mastered the use of their minds, only sit back in the evening to enjoy the cool breeze while their mates get worried over the same issues or circumstance. 
like i said earlier the only person your mind respect is you, you must learn to instruct your mind, you must learn to talk to yourself, just like the farmer must plant the seeds, you must learn to feed your mind with the right thoughts, the number 1 best selling book, says "guide your heart(mind) with all wisdom for out of it comes out the issues of life. the author in his great all encompassing wisdom tells the readers to carefully guide their minds just because the result of the lives is attached to the working of their minds. 
in your mind lies the blueprint to your explosive reality, in there lies the unexplored individuality the world is yet to see, all you have to do now is to control what enters inside, so that you can be sure of what comes out of it. 
you are the master of your own mind.......be responsible  

CITIZENS OF NO CITY

Grace, after living three years in Russia could not wait to eat her first sushi. Tarrying patiently on the queue, she watched as people ate raw fish wrapped in seaweed. It finally came her turn. Her spoken Russian was awful she couldn’t even understand else she would have requested the sushi man to customize hers to suit her taste.

The view was beautiful, eating sushi on a beach, what could be more wonderful. “Быстрыe мпожалуйста” (be fast please) she said to him

Suddenly to her amazement, she saw the sushi man dropping his utensils and shouting some Russian she couldn’t place “Девушка отойти оттуда быстро!" (girl, move away from there quickly) She saw pandemonium, people evacuating the area where she stood. It was too fast and she was so confused

A vehicle was heading towards her with failed brakes. She said looking around “deliver my sushi or refund my money before you leave!”

Then like a flash she saw what they were running from. Before she could react, it was too late as she was hit into the ocean. Too damaged to struggle, she plunged down and deeper below sea level. The oxygen supply to her brain had started depleting.Unconsciousness set in. Her eyes shut and darkness took over. For ten minutes she kept sinking before the paramedics arrived.

Then instantly,she was no longer unconscious. She was out of the water and stood on the beach wondering what had happened and how she escaped such a gruesome death. She caught a glimpse of the sushi man and then ran to meet him for details.

“Sir what happened….and why are those people gathered over there with the paramedics” she said pointing at the area where she stood before the accident. No reply came from him. She then moved closer to tap him, but he didn’t feel her touch, neither did she feel his body. Alarmed she ran to another set of people, shouting “что случилось, что случилось, чтослучилось”……”what happened, what happened, what happened”…..”Listen to me! Why can’tyou hear me?”

It seemed nobody heard her, she was not even noticed. She ran to where people were and was shocked at what had kept them there. On the sand was her lifeless body. She then fought brutally for attention. “I am not dead”…..” я не мертв…..look at me!” She then moved forward to hold the hands of the paramedic guy performing CPR on her body. “Stop!”

Turning to the crowd, she shouted “stop morning am not dead, I was just going to buy sushi…” they could neither see nor hear her.

Without warning, a figure appeared and stood beside her. The figure was terrifying yet calming. He had wings and covered in light and everything about him radiated peace. He smiled at her and said in the most beautiful voice she has ever heard“you are dead” now be calm and follow me.

In a split second both started ascending to the clouds. She clearly saw as her body was being transferred into a waiting ambulance. The paramedics had given up and packed their equipments.

Most of her friends from school had arrived, some splitting their mouths in shock, some crying. Distance could not stop her from hearing them. Her course mate and closest friend said “but I spoke with her an hour ago! How can this happen?” Almost immediately another friend ran to the scene screaming “is it true? Is she dead?”

They kept moving higher. Both arrived at a place and the ascension stopped. All the while she kept mute, too scared to ask anything yet she felt calmed. This place is the most beautiful she has ever seen, no majestic scene on earth can come close to it, endless, solid and real. Vast jungles, parks, majestic mountains, oceans in size of earth itself.

They stopped ascending and started moving towards another being far beyond. As they moved along, she saw waterfalls a hundred kilometres high, mighty rivers packed with life, crystal clear waters, colorful and beautiful plants, each one unique and detailed.

Back on earth,her body had arrived at the morgue. Various people had arrived to view her and sympathise

The magnificent structures kept on unfolding before her eyes. “I will have to leave you soon, another will proceed with you” the angel said to her

They reached a greatly terrible building; the structure looked alive and in front of it stood a beauty full man. His beauty cannot be described with English or any other earthly language, his skin was so pure that it appeared transparent. He has no wings but had an air of authority around him. She felt a great urge to kneel before him, then realising she lacked a body to kneel with, she resisted. His eyes were so blue, green, gold….all colours.

“Are you God” she asked with much trembling

He looked at her, and then humbly replied with “I AM”

“Come with me Grace, I have a lot to tell and show you”

Deep down her, she was so determined to remain here forever.Nobody will ever dream of leaving once they glimpse this gigantic city.

Another journey started. They got to a bridge, with water flowing beneath it. She developed another urge to go swimming even without a body. There were souls down below,people, and children without tears. There were so many there, even considering the current rate of abortion.

They were all dressed up, some in modern clothes, some robes, some wearing nothing but light.Healthy, vibrant, solid and real. All were playing, laughing and jumping off the bridge, lots of laughter and joy.

To her amazement,amongst them, she saw her grandfather who died five months earlier. Her neighbourhood lost her life in a fire accident was there too, so many recognisable faces.

These are the citizens of no-city. They no longer belong to any city, race, tribe, country, continent on earth. All are citizens of heaven now. They are the saints.

The journey continued. They got to a fantastic place, it can't be described. The beings here are huge, tall, winged and powerful, yet gentle and subtle. Some citizens of no-city were there too. All were looking at a great light source which was the source of all the lights there.Their unflinching gaze was supernatural. They radiated happiness as it seemed they had been there before time.

Grace couldn't look at the light it was too bright for her eyes but the rest were staring brutally and smiling. Glorious songs were flowing out of their mouths. They were singing different songs with beautiful and eternal symphony. No repeated stanza, each unique, always new, utterly without description. She heard sounds of new instrument that never stopped playing.

They travelled what seem like days, or hours or minutes. Telling time in a place that has no time is difficult. She saw elegant tall buildings. They were constructed with nothing she had seen before. These buildings put to shame everything on earth.

What an amazing design. She gazed at the creator next to her, amazed at how brilliant He was.Even the simplest of the building design were thoughts of light years beyond the most brilliant minds of earth. Even the flowers around were busy singing and shouting praises.

Finally, the creator placed his palms on her shoulder and said

“look, daughter you have spent three days earth time here, my sons and daughters on earth have prayed so much for you…I will help their faith by sending you back. Don't forget all you have seen. I have finished all the mansions but the earth is not ready. They are not prepared for my coming. Some still do not have their names in the book of life, even you.”

She was shocked and greatly afraid at this, and as if He heard her thoughts

“Yes even you, if the book of life be closed today this place will never be your portion”

Those were the last words she heard as she opened her eyes where she laid in a cold chamber.