We all know the term ‘Jordan Year’, which was adapted from the Jersey number 23 of the legendary Michael Jordan. Over the years, it has become a trend to use the #Jordanyear when one turns 23. However, in this case, we are actually in the year 2023, which brings a different angle to the term Jordan Year.
For Nigerians, this year can be a defining moment for the nation's trajectory for the next decade or more. With the upcoming general elections fast approaching, tensions are rapidly increasing. We have seen the campaign efforts of the Presidential candidates over the past months and the time to make the decision on who will lead us is merely 4 weeks away.
This is not a piece to convince anyone to vote for any particular candidate, but rather to encourage all registered voters to vote in mass. For some, this may be the first election they are able to partake in the voting process. The time has come for Nigerian citizens to be more conscious of the direction we want this country to go in. After listening to some opinions of eligible voters, one recurring reason why some people may not be participating in this year’s election is based on the assumption or belief that ‘my vote doesn’t matter’.
For decades, this nation has been steeped in extremely high levels of; corruption, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy as well as a low standard of living and high cost of living. The great Fela Kuti coined the best term describing the state of living in this country with his song Shuffering and Shmiling. The track was released in 1978, and unfortunately for citizens, 45 years later we can still very much relate to the lyrics.
In 2019, Afro-fusion artist Burna Boy released Collateral Damage from his album African Giant, highlighting the same issues that have been on repeat for decades.
The visuals of Ole by Tiwa Savage featuring Naira Marley also greatly highlight the issues of corruption in our governing system. With his own twist to Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’, Falz (Folarin Falana) ‘This is Nigeria’ depicts the life of the average Nigerian citizen, along with the unfathomable excuses the government feeds citizens on a regular basis when questioned on the whereabouts of project funds.
On the 8th of October 2020, amidst the pandemic, the youth of the country and in the diaspora came together and started the movement #ENDSARS, a protest against police brutality. This is a movement that will go down in the history of our country, but it doesn’t stop there, this is the time to come out and take that action towards making this country a more hospitable place to call home.
Nigeria is a country of great untapped talent and resources.This great nation has the potential to rival developed countries, we just need the right person(s) to lead us to that stage. Our creative industry, specifically the music industry has done a remarkable job of showing the world the level of innovation and talent we have, with the likes of Wizkid, Burna-boy, Davido, Tems, Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Rema and many more redirecting more eyes to our shores through their music. When outsiders take a closer look at what else we have to offer, what more can we show? What more do we have to offer?
Japa by Naira Marley has easily become the new unofficial anthem for a number of people residing in the country. Yes, it is more desirable to up and leave for a more developed country, where the average citizen has a better healthcare plan and basic amenities to get by daily. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury to entertain such thoughts. According to Nairametrics, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors revealed approximately 10,000 resident doctors left in the country.
On the other hand, University lecturers go on strike more frequently than students graduate, delaying the lives of those who have envisioned making something of themselves, 4-year degrees turn into 6/7. In an article published in 2020 by Premium Times, the headline reads ‘Nigerian Universities on strike for one of every five years since 1999…’. But with those who have completed their studies, the next struggle they face is landing a well-paying job. With an unstable economy, businesses are shutting down, employers are cutting costs to keep the lights on, leading to an increase in the labour force but a decreasing working population.
As much as the government is to blame for a great number of things wrong with this nation, the citizens also have a role to play in passively allowing the chaos to spread. It is time to take the necessary steps towards changing for the better. The collection date for PVCs has been extended to Sunday 29th of January, 2023.
Get your PVCs and Vote.
Click here to listen to the playlist.
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