A JOURNEY of a thousand miles begins with a step, fellow country men and women I congratulate you toward this step we have taken together – a step necessary towards redemption for our great nation. A step we are all hopeful will lead towards restitution, what many refer to as the common sense or ballot revolution.

Over these past few weeks I have read humungous commentaries and analysis on what President Muhammadu Buhari should do and shouldn’t do, the saints he should carry along and the sinners he should keep away from his government. What he must do in his first 100 days, what policies he should make, how to do this or that, the inference to draw is simple, expectations are high, in the face of enormous challenges this I am well aware he knows.

Similarly, our sociopolitical sphere has been proliferated with rather variant definitions of change; I am delighted, however, that the APC knows full well that change is relative and not absolute. At least, this was well detailed in one of their very popular campaign commercial where they showed us that what change means to “Ebuka” is different from what it translates to “Tayo”.

In the midst of all of this very few writers, analysts and commentators have hammered on followership, as we all know there is no effective leadership without good followership.

Change has to begin with me and you, bourgeoisie or proletariat , and I can assure you that it is already a phenomenon we are witnessing; we have been the sleeping giant of Africa, and the election in March might just prove to the world that we are waking up from slumber. Who would have thought just 24 months ago before the emergence of the APC we would be able to vote out an incumbent government?

#Changeishere because of the power of our collective will! #Changeishere because political awareness and citizenry participation is at an all time high!

#Changeishere because our votes counted!

In the middle of this euphoria: for change to stay, we must first of all align our thinking with Mahatma Ghandi when he said: Be the change that you wish to see in the world. And remember the words of Maya Angelo as she said: Nothing will work unless you do.

As a people, we must continue to demonstrate that away from the ethno-religious and sentimental line drawn to divide us that we want to move our nation toward prosperity. Although, we have begun to demonstrate this attitude gradually, we must understand that this is not the only step towards the right direction; as citizens we must understand our obligations pertaining diligent followership at all times.

For the new Nigeria we all seek, we must be ready not to cut corners, to be straight forward, to avoid cheating, not to beat traffic lights or litter the streets, to see stealing as corruption.

We must respect the rule of law at all times and plunge our society free from impunity.

Change will not come unless we change our modus operandi, we must ask for accountability from the official who serves us, we must demonstrate that it is the people first before self. We cannot be docile anymore. We must show that the era of sit don and look is over, we must continue to strive for a better Nigeria, understanding that governance begins with everyone of us.

No nation has gotten it right at first like some programmed auto machine, and we are no different. Our political history might be been riddled with the chaos from the First Republic, the civil war, electoral misappropriation, and many more that is why we must now see ourselves as a people together: We must urge the new administration to develop other sectors of our economy, to diversify, to really think outside the box and thereon build new model of a changed nation other countries can emulate. It is true the APC manifesto coves this, it is however our responsibility to remind them.

For things to really change, the incoming government must demonstrate the willingness to listen to her people at all times: Develop alternatives in all situations, try to develop, encourage and appreciate our own indigenous knowledge and problem solving abilities.

Change would be invention for us to solve our domestic problems first and then export for economic advancement; in the manner Italy’s pasta and China’s Wheel barrow are globally adopted today.

Our curriculum too must change; for our children need to be educated properly, we have to rediscover ourselves, remember our history and its relevance. We must inspire and initiate patriotism, build sense of belief and trust again so we wouldn’t be casualties of hope like we have been these past six years; the narrative has to change from sai baba to something that revolves around a united Nigeria.

Let the things we read about Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and others become peculiar to our sphere; let the headlines change from insecurity and unemployment to stability and actual growth of our economy.
Change is similar to Darwin’s law of natural selection. Organisms that refuse to adapt will not survive; History is replete with tales of resistance to change; Japan was reluctant in the 1980s to change and their economy never surpassed that of the USA as predicted by economists.

Buhari must continue to inspire change, for although he seems not to have anything to lose, this is, however, an incredible opportunity to cement his name on the scrolls of history as the father of a new Nigeria.

Change is more than just a mantra; it is the universal empirical order Mother Nature survives upon. We anticipate seeing a changed nation.

• Mustapha is a trained archaeologist. @The_mustyhassan on twitter.