Nigeria's Population, A Blessing Or A Curse?, By Tobenna Obiano.

Nigeria is highly populated; nations as populous as we are make progress, break bounds and soar higher.

Populous nations understand that their population mustn't be a barrier to limiting their reach, in fact, it becomes a standpoint to maximizing their success and progress.

Nations like China, India, United States, Indonesia and Brazil are all more populated than Nigeria, in all forms, they are making serious progress in so many ways and from so many fronts. The Government of these nations have intelligently chosen to use their huge population to grow the nation. They use their workforce to better their nation. They do not see the huge population as problem, instead, they create progress from same.

These nations understand quite clearly that the first job of any serious-minded Government is the wellness, security of lives and properties of all her people. America will tell you to the face, "if one American is hurt, all Americans are. If one American is in danger, all American soldiers can touch down to save that single individual". This is a nation which takes the life and wellness of her people serious, not-minding the supposed burden of a huge population.

These nations also clearly understand the role of education as the truest key to progress. They do well in educating their young as virtually all in-roads to unlimited success abounds within the circles of education and learning. In science and technology, in industrialization, civic leadership, health sector, equality, fairness, respect for the sanctity of human life, true democracy, one may astounded too that even in athletics and games, these nations never lag behind.

What do we have in Nigeria? An appalling shameless class of misleadership who cares less about the wellness of the people, shows no interest in using their population endowment to making inroads to growth and betterment.

Insecurity is a challenge, unemployment is at it's all time peak, gross indiscipline has overtaken, disobedience to standing court orders even from the Government herself exits, religious bigotry and tribalism shamelessly soars its ugly head, hate and more hate is everywhere. As against using the population to grow and get better, it's been disastrous.

Nigeria today has the largest Christian auditorium in the whole world. Yes, Nigeria has the highest gathering of Christians world over. In fact, there are more Catholic Priests in the South East of Nigeria alone compared to the rest of all African nations combined together. We pray a lot and work less on other necessities of life, that truly matters also.

Sadly, even our so called leaders, the thievery class of Nigerian politicians who often have sits reserved for them in front rows virtually of all churches; even when they hold and raise the Bible with one hand up, they use the other hand to steal silly from us from behind.

A former Brazilian President have been sent to 9years and half in prison for once seeking for inducement as President, yet Nigeria's Secretary to the Federal Government who gave a contract of cutting grasses to himself running into millions was only suspended. Former President Obasanjo who has been named by his accomplice in the US with the Halliburton scandal is still walking free and daring us to do our worse.

Chinese politicians found guilty of looting while in office either go to jail and in extreme circumstances can be sentenced to death even by firing squad or hanging for indulging in bribery and corruption, yet in Nigeria, we treat bribery and corruption with kid gloves, while opening up avenues and channels that covers the tracks of looters thereby encouraging same.

Most Nigerian politicians, particularly Governors have fronts who they use to loot their states and suckle it dry. Contract sums are tripled and even quadrupled in Nigeria, yet bad jobs are done. The remains of the addition finds its way into private pockets and accounts.

Incredibly, while nearing our sixth decade of Independence, no part of Nigeria has ever experienced 90 straight days of uninterrupted power supply, not a single part of Nigeria.

A nation which cannot provide as little as electricity for her people, but hand in the nation's electricity outlet generation and provision to cartels or fronts, these partakers in its privatization own companies that import power generating set, how the heck will they provide consistency in power to the detriment to their power generating set importation and sales business.

American politicians who are caught in amorous acts are shamed out of office and governance. Nigerian legislators travel to abroad and indulge in marathon sexcapades and they return shameless. Even when international communities come public to speak up about those amorous acts, our legislators are quick to deny.

Now a former Governor and serving Senator was caught pants down after rounds of sex with his two sexual partners who it must have been a threesome, yet he tells us to our faces unapologetically that he has rights to his private life and some persons hail him.

For the records, this was the same man who introduced sharia law while serving as a Governor of his state. Sharia law frowns at amorous acts and when one is caught in the act, very barbaric punishment which may include death is extended to them. Here, because he is amongst the privileged, the partakers and those who make the law, therefore he is above the law, those crime have become nothing and he is pardoned. Shame!

Lastly, the level of injustice in virtually all nooks and crannies of Nigeria is at it's all time highest. It's been extolled and even justified. This have remained one of Nigeria's major problem. In fact, it is from injustice everywhere that virtually all other bad blood and happenings that has held Nigeria stagnated, backward, down and unprogressive fall out from. If justice takes its rightful place, we will begin the match to setting this nation on the right pedestal.

Somehow, we keep praying, singing and dancing yet not practising what we preach. We need to stop praying and preaching; let's begin practising.

The tides should be turned and the odds should favour Nigeria, our population ought not be curse unto us, it should beget blessings and truly can. All we need is true leadership, injustice curbed and merit extolled