Gambia knows Nigeria

He is the exact definition of the word ‘black’. His sharp white eyes, thick lips and funny accent reminded me of the Ibadan kind of 'sikin' yoruba, I always looked forward to hearing him speak and honestly, each time he did, I was reminded of home.

He walked up to me, with the kind of ‘no-shaking’ confidence with which you ask a lady out. Of course, he had reason to leave the crowd and come to me, I am black, he’s black- we have the same skin colour, one you can easily point out when you’re in the midst of whites, far away on the cold Island of Seliger, Russia.

‘Hello, I’m Jimmy from The Gambia’, he reached out his hands to me. I’m Similoluwa from Nigeria, I replied with a smile. ‘Woow! Nigeria, the Giant of Africa, I’m pleased to meet you, how is Nigeria?’ Immediately, thoughts ran through my mind- the Chibok Girls, the bombings in Abuja, the ………’Errm, Nigeria is fine’, I replied, but deep down, I wished everything was indeed very fine. He then made a statement that still rings in my heart and wakes me from the deepest sleep, he said ‘The problems Nigeria faces are the Problems Africa faces, once you can find solutions to the problems Nigeria is facing, you’ve solved more than half of Africa’s problem…..that came straight from the heart of my Gambian brother, Jimmy Hendry Nzally.

If you ask me, I agree with him. Nigeria holds a strategic position in Africa, a position which comes not only by the name but by the quality of its citizens. Nigeria is the country of Survivors; Nigeria is a country where you’re taught to ‘cry-little-and-move-on’; Nigeria is the country where the sunset will always spit out sunrise, Nigeria is where the west, east, south and north winds meet….. Nigeria, my Nigeria.

In the real sense of it, being called a ‘giant’ is not necessarily by being the most populous black country in Africa, it’s by our inborn cords of resilience and tenacity; it’s by our strong resolve to stay together and succeed together; it’s by our understanding that we are one no matter our tribe or religion; it’s by  learning from the past and making sure the future doesn’t cry at the thought of the past; its by rising up and choosing to be different; it’s by voting for leaders that are truly worth it; and it’s by the silent words of prayer you utter to God on behalf of Nigeria.

So I’ll stand with my heads held high with no fear of whatever lies ahead and I boldly say that If I, Mosimiloluwa, have to choose again the country to belong; I’ll choose Nigeria over and over again. I love this country with all my life. I believe in our possibilities, I believe that though the journey may seem far, we’ll still get to our destination. I see a country where small scale businesses boom to become multi-million naira enterprises, I see a country where my children can confidently compete with and lead other children anywhere else in the world, I see the economy boom, I can see corruption run at the speed of light, I see prosperity all around. I see light, soooo much light at the end of the tunnel.

Do me a favour, let’s see it and make it happen together.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!