WHERE is thy conscience, Nigeria' Three days to another New Year, weare still traversing a familiar path; a path of fear and suspense aboutwhat tomorrow would be and bring. We are on the path of blood, sorrow and tears; a path sown with pains and agonies arising from bloodshed.We remain bogged down by uncertainty on the way forward, hence our propensity to resort to going after the shadow rather than the substance. The Christmas carnage, which claimed more than 30 lives and left many wounded is the latest round of the consequences of such national inertia.We have wealth that is based on oil, but which has become a major obstacle to the stability and progress of the country. The wealth is now an instrument for poor governance and its consequence of an internal strife in different shapes and sizes. The wealth has also poignantly come in ethnic armies, duplicity, widening economic imbalance, social inequalities and class disparities. And the huge price has aggregated to rising unemployment, violent crimes, comatose infrastructure and moral degeneration.There were warnings a long time ago that some religious extremists could take advantage of the sinking values in the moral fabrics of the country. Those warnings were based on empirical evidence, as people brazenly took laws into their hands with the resultant high death tolls. We can look back today and see if we did what was necessary and required from us to avert the lurking danger that has become a national catastrophe. The problems of poverty, political turmoil and weak approach to the application of rule of law, have become a threat to our national security.The big price we are paying today are fallouts of the way we handled the sectarian, inter-ethnic and other forms of unwarranted acts of violence over the years. Investigations and probes were carried out. But their reports ended up in trash cans. Thousands lost their lives because of our carelessness during the military era. And more than 10,000 are believed to have been killed in communal and religious clashes, as well as terrorism attacks since the restoration of civil rule in 1999. We need a new approach and methodology in praying and in determining our prayer points as 2011 winds up.It is important we reviewed our strategies for combating security challenges, such that we would always be on top of every situation in 2012. The review will avail us of opportunities to plug all loopholes and apply measures with an almost exactitude in all situations. For example, part of the methodology we adopted in tackling militancy in the Niger Delta may not be wholly applicable and suitable in confronting the menace of Boko Haram in the North because of a number of factors, which could be cultural, topographic, religious and political.Nigeria's huge population comes with a lot of challenges. The ethnic heterogeneity is among such major challenges. The other major snag is the ungodly management of state resources. Nigeria has the world's sixth largest Muslim population and is the fifth oil-producing nation. She is believed to have 27 billion oil reserves, which experts say, is more than 2.6 per cent of global oil reserves. With its location and access to the sea, the country possesses all the potential of an economic giant and base of the sub-Sahara. But sadly, political brigandism, economic mismanagement and pervasive corruption have conspired to stagnate its progress and economic growth, hence the current crisis of confidence between the people, especially the youth and the nation's leaders.There have been more squandered opportunities, broken promises and dashed hopes and aspirations than fulfilled dreams. There is no significant paradigm shift after the exit of the military from political power. And in every society, lawlessness has huge economic costs and other implications. So also is corruption with all of them giving rise to violence, kidnapping, sabotage and other criminal activities almost unprecedented in the annals of the country.The task of combating corruption, promoting the rule of law and good governance is the primary duty of any government. Foreign assistance can only complement genuine and sincere domestic efforts. The issue is no longer that we need prayers, but that we practically pray that we possess and show the political will and capacity to tackle the current multi-dimensional challenges in 2012. However, any economic reform being contemplated in official quarters without a human face can only deepen the already deep-seated anger, frustration, bottled up emotions in the land.My belief is that something must be wrong with us and our psyche if after 12 years into civil rule, we are still talking about what we want to do in order to remove grimaces from the faces of the people. I believe that we must be at the crossroads if we cannot be pointing at specific and concrete things that we have been able to achieve with their direct impacts on the lives of the masses by now. I also think that it is absolutely diversionary and nave to claim that the media has been giving undue attention to Boko Haram, when in actual fact, the criminal activities of the group, had thrown spanner into the works.If we rig elections using the name of God, steal and drop the name of God for not being caught or for being able to escape from justice by corrupting the judiciary, then we need prayers that could fast tract a process that could lead to the convening of a national conference, where we can frankly discuss our differences as a people, forge the way forward and make the code an abiding faith......................................................... FEEDBACK'The problem with Obasanjo, Gowon and others: 'I've just read your article in the Tribune of November 17. I want to appreciate your piece of work , the information, display of intelligence, etc and wish to know you.---- Fapetu..07065835093]'''''''''''''''''''''''''''.Ringim's Red Card: Nice talk, tell them that revolution is on the way. God bless you.' 08027504284''''''''''''''''Glory be to God and pray for peace and continued properity for Nigetia. I am a victim of corruption in the country and on April 7, 2012, I shall be 85 years old. I read your article. We elders know the problem and solution to the problems of the country, but are selfish, the reason we are shying away from them.' ..Koiki [08096717599]'''''''''''''''''''''''Mr Oderemi, the way to stop corruption in this country is by stopping some of the gifts being given in ungodly ways. Some of them lead to corruption. .' Agada John ,[0805 985 2072]'''''''''''The Police and You: Mr Oderemi, the problem is not with policemen on the roadblock, but with the ogas in the office, who support and cover them. God will deliver us. ' Mathias A. in Makurdi [0808 663 6178]'''''''''''''''''''''''''''.'Dear Oderemi, how I wished you can send your write up to all media houses for publication. I have seen one who knows this hopeless country/people like me. Nigeria is finished. God bless you.' 08033425380]''''''''''''''''''''''''''..
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