Change begins with us

The recent launch by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, of the “Change begins with Me” mantra fascinated me a great deal.

The message was timely, simple, unambiguous and its delivery by the Minister was masterfully and professionally handled in a way that it stands to re-orientate us in all aspects of our national life.

As an unrepentant law abiding citizen of this country, I have decided to do a self-appraisal of my conduct in order to know where to key into the inevitable need for a positive change.

Before this time, so many discerning Nigerians had eagerly wondered if the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has actually started giving us the promised change.  This is against the backdrop that instead of a better life, Nigerians claim to have recently been pauperised and subjected to untold hardship by the present administration, which has not failed to heap the entire blame on the previous administrations, while consistently urging us to exercise endless patience.

You may now wonder why yours sincerely was so thrilled at the launch of the slogan.  This recent launch has, therefore, vindicated many of us who are of the school of thought that the change we clamoured for, may not have commenced until now that it is being launched.

Even when the Holy Books have admonished that we respect and pray for our leaders, for this reason, I therefore, pray for the success of the government and this campaign in particular.  This is because, positive change is for the good of all, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliation.  I have not come across any Nigerian market that is tagged APC market, PDP market or any other political party’s market, for that matter.

Again, the hunger, anger and trepidation currently ravaging the land, is no respecter of anyone.  Therefore, since a “hungry man is an angry man”, I urge the authorities, as a matter of necessity, to put palliative measures in place that could boost the morale of the poor masses who are expected to be used as tools for carrying out the actualisation of the change agenda.  This will invariably wipe away the frustration and anger that have become the hallmark of an average Nigerian today.

Government should please take this as an objective, honest and apolitical advice, knowing full well that hunger has no political boundary, afterall.

• Tony Anaele,

Ijagemo, Lagos State.