There are complaints that the seed of democracy sown by Nigerians in 1999 hasn’t yielded enough fruit, even as successive governments have struggled to leave a laudable legacy. This reality has necessitated Nigerians’ yearnings for positive change.

However, the current administration is paying serious attention to these complaints, as evident in the policies being introduced. But are there lasting solutions to Nigeria’s problems?

First, Nigerians should make the fear of God their guiding principles and draw closer to God. One of the reasons why there are challenges in Nigeria is that many have downplayed the fear of God. The fear of God or Allah, which is the beginning of wisdom and a cornerstone of any nation that wants to prosper, should be part of the Nigeria’s National Anthem.

Having the fear of God means allowing God or Allah to rule you, thereby prolonging your lifespan. When Allah reigns in your life, you’ll be able to differentiate the good deeds from the bad ones.

The fear of God enables you to avoid crime, stealing, killing, electoral malpractices, looting, lies, Internet fraud, fornication, dishonesty, recklessness, greed and so on. Above all, you identify with the suffering masses and allow the palliatives and funds meant for them to reach them.

Second is reducing Nigeria’s population, which is rarely mentioned when most debates concerning Nigeria’s problems arise. It’s interesting to note that whilst the phenomenon of overpopulation hasn’t overwhelmed China’s and the United States’ economies, it’s done more harm in Nigeria, where the number of working-class people is far below that of the unemployed but outstrips the available resources.

Thus, in Nigeria overpopulation has given rise to the following: crime, high mortality rate, open defecation, joblessness, shortages of food and potable water, homelessness, palliatives not reaching everyone, palliative rice giving rise to hoarding, traffic congestion and worn out roads, extortion of JAMB/WAEC applicants (because everybody, even a goat wants to enter universities), extortion at NIN registration centres, etc. (because people are too many), flooding and poverty.

To eradicate overpopulation in Nigeria, government should outlaw divorce, polygamy and early marriage. A couple mustn’t have more than two children, if possible, one. More importantly, the borders shouldn’t be made porous and visitors are to enter Nigeria with valid visas. In addition, Sharia law, which is the best, should be introduced in the 36 states. Senior citizens, who are tired, should be jokingly asked if they understand the word ‘euthanasia’.

Third, to salvage Nigeria, government should diligently invest in agricultural, power, education, transportation and health sectors. Achieving this will better the lives of the masses and attract revenue and foreign investors. Farmers should be financially equipped and fertilizers and up-to-date equipment provided. Hospitals, and students’ hostels should be regularly renovated and funded. Students, lecturers and hospital staff’s welfare should be prioritised. For university students, scholarships and grants will be a welcome initiative.

Furthermore, to aid transportation, government should get our refineries working, reduce the price of a litre of petrol to N100 and bring import duties on vehicles and all other items back to what they’re in 1990. A reduction in import levies will certainly crash fares and the prices of foods and vehicles, which translates into seamless movements of people, goods and services. In fact, extortion of money from motorists by anyone should be resisted and banned, and bandits eliminated from our farmlands.

Fourth is job creation in a Nigeria where unemployment is the middle name of many higher institution graduates. To solve unemployment problems in Nigeria, institutions that place embargoes on employment should be ordered to lift them. Then there should be at least ten skill acquisition centres in each of the 774 LGAs. Criteria demanding applicants with 23-28 years of age, experience of 3-10 years, and unnecessary skills shouldn’t be demanded by any hiring institution provided applicants can defend their certificates.

Stifling requirements such as those mentioned above have made many people lose faith in university education; a development that has popularised the ‘school-na-scam’ mentality, meaning that after spending years at school there is usually no job to boast of after graduation. It should be emphasised, however, that many of the so-called graduates existing today are a pack of ill-assorted fakes.

Fifth, government should be bold enough to recover the funds stolen by the past and present public office holders. There are trillions of naira in there which, if recovered and injected into the economy, will serve as a boon to the economy and for the masses. To assist vulnerable Nigerians (30-65 years of age), government should henceforth transfer N100,000 monthly to each person’s bank account, using their BVN, NIN, etc.

Sixth, Nigerian youths should toe the path of righteousness and stop being used by politicians. Government, parents, teachers, pastors and imams should inculcate discipline and moral principles in the youths. Youths should shun violence, drug peddling and addiction, Internet fraud, cultism and other social vices.

The problems identified in this article have come to dwell amongst us. To eliminate them, we must first kill the cell i.e., corruption that nourishes these cankers. So for Nigeria to reclaim its unique charm, it should first kill corruption. Corruption is everywhere—in the UK, U.S., Kenya, China, India, Malaysia, etc. —and no nation is immune to its danger. If corruption can be killed and humans make the fear of God their watchword, the feel- good factor will reign.

The Holy Qur’an demands, ‘Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.’ Your best friends are those who tell you your faults, not those who hide them from you. God doesn’t punish mankind for speaking the truth, so journalists, writers or anyone shouldn’t be persecuted for speaking the truth. If God punishes mankind for speaking the truth, I’ll have mine in abundance for hating a country that has allowed itself to be bruised by those who are supposed to pamper it.

President Tinubu’s effort in rescuing Nigeria is worthy of praise, and Nigerians should give his administration their support. What we fear today as the signs of ‘The Last Day’—famine, pests infesting our farms, flooding, war, disease, protests, dissidence, suicide bombing, banditry, increasing lawlessness, contempt of the court, cupidity, kidnap, lack of self-control and natural affection, disobedience to parents, destruction of the earth, inflation and critical times hard to deal with—will become the signs of turnaround for Nigeria if Nigerians look beyond corruption as their problem.

I’ll conclude this article by saying that Nigeria yearns for a revival and the comforting warmth of the Creator. If Jesus Christ, with His chosen number of disciples, refuses to take over Nigeria because of corruption and man’s excesses, it’s high time Nigerians embraced God and made sure the solutions proffered in this article see the light of day.

Sola wrote from Port Harcourt.