An Open Letter To The Ministry Of Information & Media Stakeholders

The eye is the window of the soul and our ears also compliment the eyes which is why whatever gets into our brains ought to be adequately 'filtered' as they possess the capacity of building us up or destroying us.
Taking a close look at the bulk of information Nigerians are exposed to, one gets to wonder less at the increasing rate of unpatriotic attitudes and moral decadence in our society.
The media has been saddled with the responsibility of dispersing information to humanity and they ought to be commended for the good job thus far. However, let truth be told that 'destructive information' and lies have dominated the media, almost eliminating constructive ones.
When was the last time you ever watched the network news and got inspired or even smiled? We mostly encounter stories that make us feel bad about our country, stories we pray against, stories that make us feel weak, stories that render us unproductive. It's only when you are aware of specific information sources that you get to listen to or read exactly what's good for you.
In Nigeria, we complain about so many things (our media is chiefly responsible for this), how President Buhari and his government are deceiving Nigerians, how Dasuki did this and that, how robbers now operate, how people die mysteriously, how we pay tax and see no dividends, how electricity tariffs are so high, how bad our roads are, how this, how that making everyone feel as though Nigeria is a hub of catastrophic quagmires.
Only a microscopic few see this country in a different light. The transformational programs on ground, essay competitions, poetry and art exhibitions, quiz competitions, spelling bees, sporting activities (other than football), NGO/GO health and community programmes, agricultural programmes, youth empowerment programmes, scholarships and grants, technological advancements, etcetera. Such are not properly propagated and ignorant Nigerians would swear blindly that Nigeria does not do this, Nigeria does not do that, and these could be things already in existence for decades!  Worthy feats our media personnel consider uninteresting.
I challenge the ministry of information to look seriously into this issue. The things we hear and read have a compounding effect of either building or destroying an entire generation. Our citizens need to be encouraged and motivated. Lying to citizens in whatever guise is childish and unprofessional.
God Bless Nigeria.

Corruption In Our Agencies

I applied for my driver’s license on the 28th April, 2015 at the Gombe State Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) 0ffice. In the process (which consumed three days of my life), I had to go to Specialist Hospital Gombe for a certificate of medical fitness, presented some documents, Visited the Vehicle Inspection Officer’s (VIO) office for endorsement, Standard IBTC Bank for payment of the license fee, paid another fine in the FRSC’s office for a six month learners permit (Even if I had no car at the time) before my temporary driver’s license was processed and issued to me (with errors on my details) which was to expire in the next three month.
I went back to the FRSC office after three months to collect my permanent driver’s license. The officer in charge rummaged through the new arrivals of the permanent driver’s licenses, and mine wasn’t found and I was asked to come back later without a fixed date. I began complaining and one man standing next to me at the office asked me what date I applied.
“Since April” I told him.
“Last year or this year”
“This year” I responded.
“April this year and you’re complaining: my younger brother applied since December last year and up till now his own is yet to arrive...”
“So I have to be going about with this expired temporary license or what”
“That’s how they’ve been using it. Na normal thing, nobody will disturb you” 
What the man said so much irritated me for whatever situation many label to be the “trend in vogue” sometimes get me bored to tears. This happened during my youth service, and on travelling back home, I learnt of a guy who paid way below what I spent (a difference of about four thousand naira) to an FRSC officer and was issued his driver’s license in three days!
As we talk about positive change in our country, some systems/agencies ought to be retrained on how to be proactive in carrying out their responsibilities, devoid of the ‘African time’ mentality so that responsible citizens of our dear nation are not made to appear foolish where the “smart guys” get the standing ovation.
Why would a driving license not be ready after three good months in a computer age? Why are many government agencies aiding and abetting corruption by frustrating those who ‘knock at the front door’ and welcome those who come in through the back door with a ‘peace offering’?
The government should as well realize that this wicked phenomenon bedeviling our public and even private agencies is carting away billions of naira annually which should have gone into the government purse as revenue. The earlier this ugly trend is being curbed, the better, else patriotic Nigerians who have been driven up the wall may begin to make bullshit of every due process. Even I, have already boycotted some in recent and distant past.
God Bless Nigeria.