We are praying while they keep playing God

 By: Ifeanu Oyebimpe

And Thomas Edison was born...

Childhood for many of us born in this part of the equator was a time spent hearing of and picking idols. From primary school when we heard of Ben Carson and the surgery of the Siamese twins to reading of Isaac Newton and his three laws of gravitation in Junior Secondary School to picking up Othello and Oliver Twist from the bookshelves of our school libraries, we encountered lots of idols. 

They became idols because ninety per cent of all we had to learn came from textbooks that spoke only of their theorems and inventions and the level of our brilliance was and still is tested by how much of these theorems we can assimilate.

We are part of a clime where practical knowledge of courses is unavailable and if available, mid. Our educational system keeps churning out Scholars in Theoretical Sciences in a generation where teenagers in developed countries are getting hands-on and skilled in actual practice. 

Ever since the 1960s, Nigeria has been referred to as a developing country and there is no sign in sight that that term will change in the next fifty years. In a report published by ThisDay in 2021, titled 'How Nigeria can become a First World Country?', it was stated that Nigeria can only become a First World Country if she has a good number of multinational giants. The report also explained that First World Countries do not only generate their revenue from the sales of their natural resources but majorly rely on taxes paid by their multinational conglomerates who convert these natural resources into value-added and industrial products. Putting this research and economic fact side-by-side what happens in Nigeria shows a clear disparity in the management of these countries. 

However, not only management, it also gives a clear picture of the mindset of the people residing in the country. This is where the issue of "inventions and innovations" comes in, and this leads us to the thought behind this piece. Invention talks about creating something novel while innovation borders on giving an industrial or economic value to that novelty.

In business, production, science, and technology, the First World countries have taken the lead and the money because of their ability to think and create in a working system. So we import, buy, and use - tripling their revenue and impoverishing ourselves. Because they have managed to create what is not only useful but irresistible, we have no choice but to put our money where their piggy banks are.

Thomas Edison, popularly known as the father of invention, created devices across the fields of Science and Technology that have impacted modern life including the microphone and the famous incandescent light bulb that has formed the foundation for our LEDs today. Note: this man lived and died in the 1800s. Generational impact of a man who seemed to be a god in a human body. 

Hundreds of years later, we still have the same community or people dominating this space in our world system and seemingly telling us what to do and how to do it; or how do you explain the concept of the manuals placed in every mechanical item you purchase?

Nigeria will continue to sell her crude oil to pay the salaries of her civil servants while other countries expect their paychecks from the taxes of the conglomerates. A proper study of the annual Forbes list of the World's richest men shows us individuals who have created and keep creating. 

A lecturer once confessed that anytime he is to conduct any serious research in his field of study, he leaves the country for another country in the European continent because that is where he can get the resources and tools needed for his research. What is the use of a country that produces half-baked scientists and technologists? Clearly, since the lecturer has to leave the country to write his papers, his students have nothing more to do than to read the notes given to them - the same notes those that graduated fifteen years before them read.

While you would expect that this condition should spur the minds of young ones, we find ourselves drifting from reality and actions and taking up causes that add little to our personal and societal development. Having 24-hour prayer sessions twice weekly for a country that needs creative minds to step up is no doubt, pointless. This is not to ridicule the place of prayer but our society has proven to be more religious than practical. 

We have a situation where those who have chosen to be comfortable with the status quo do not encourage a creative mind trying to make a difference. Rigid policies, myopic leaders, and lack of resources really do beset us. Interestingly, the ones who trouble Israel are regular visitors to our parishes and they do lead us in uplifting worship. 

" God will rescue Nigeria". 

We suppose God will need to step down himself to get this accomplished. Our little ones will read Macbeth and might skip Things fall apart because Shakespeare is the most important part of a Literature-in-English class. And they will read of Faraday and Archimedes in a book written by Okeke because Okeke has no theorem to his name but he can help collate the theorems of his gods. 

After they have read these, they will spend their money on Steve Jobs's brand and eat something called Bismati rice or Spaghetti bolognese then head to church to pray for another eight hours for a miracle in our country because Miracle no dey tire Jesus.

Until our energy is distributed evenly across religion and development, we will remain where we are without getting help from anywhere.