– The world belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams – Eleanor Roosevelt.
Nigeria is a tough country where nothing works. No constant electricity, No good roads and road networks, No water, No good and reliable internet networks. The primordial enemies of mankind such as sicknesses, diseases, hunger, and shelter are still evident in the lives of its average citizens.
With its huge resources both humans and materials, It is still a country where its citizens thrive to survive under harsh conditions. It is a country where your dreams can be buried.
In fact, the richest deposits or spots in Nigeria are not the crude oil fields in Niger-delta or the solid mineral deposits in Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is also not the gigantic buildings in Abuja or the magnificent skyscrapers in Lagos.
The richest deposits in Nigeria lies within the various cemeteries and graveyards scattered in different states of the federation inside our homes.
Within those cemeteries and graveyards are potentials buried, that never manifested; engineers and doctors that never be; scientists and inventors that lived hopelessly; ideas that were never implemented; visions that never saw the light of the day.
Within those cemeteries and graveyards were the supposed greatness of Nigeria buried.
Within those graveyards are the corpses of men and women who would have achieved greatness if the country had given them an opportunity. Within those graveyards are bodies of men and women who could have ruled the world if the country had given them where they will stand.
America, unlike Nigeria, is a country where dreams are possible. It is a county that has developed and built great institutions that can help any hardworking fellow to achieve his dreams. A country where a poor black man from Kenya in Africa can aspire to become the President of the most powerful country in the world and it becomes a reality.
A country where a businessman and non-politician who never held any political office can dream and aspire to become the President and it becomes a reality.
A country that created the Silicon Valley to help young ones to develop computer applications that have changed the lifestyle of mankind;
A country where you can wake up and become whatever you want to be through hard work and determination; that is the beauty and summation of The American Dream. Dream it and Live it.
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Nigeria doesn’t have such platforms and Institutions for the realization of your dream.
But there are those who have decided to create their own dreams regardless of the difficulties the country poses for them. These people are like the lepers in the book, Hopes of Living Dead written by Prof. Ola Rotimi, who said: “If the society would not do something to change their situation, they with their inadequacy and deformity would rise to do something about it and effect a change”.
One man who has defied the odds of the Nigerian situation to effect a change is Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma OFR popularly known as Innoson.
Innoson born the same birth date same with Nigeria but against all odds, he has defied the tough socio-economic environment in Nigeria to give Nigeria a name among developing economies.
From a poor family with no sign of greatness, against all odds, Innoson became the first Nigerian to establish an indigenous motorcycling assembling plant in Nigeria that saw Nigeria as a major motorcycle hub in West Africa. With the Nigeria Customs illegally seizing about 40 pieces of 40ft Completely Knock Down CKD units of his motorcycle, thereby losing billions of Naira, Innoson kept hope alive, persevered and didn’t give up on Nigeria, went on to establish the largest plastic manufacturing plant in West Africa.
Against all odds, Innoson established the largest plastic manufacturing plant in West African, which produces major motorcycle and vehicle plastic components as well as over 150 lines of plastic products. His plastic factory remains the only plastic factory in West Africa that produces from 5000 liters to 10,000 liters of Tank/Container
Against all odds, Innoson went on to establish the first Vehicle Manufacturing Plant in West Africa which manufactures the first indigenous locally made vehicle which is being sold both in Nigeria and in West Africa.
It hasn’t been that rosy for Innoson, but against all odds, he persevered and today is living on the beauty of his dreams.
Innoson at 59 has achieved what Nigeria at 59 has failed to achieve. For now, Young Nigerians coming up should not look at Nigeria as a role model to achieve its dreams. Young and adventurous Nigerians who dream of greatness should emulate the likes of Innoson and the Lepers in the Hope of The Living Dead.
The Nigerian Dream is different from the American Dream which provides its citizens with platforms and institutions to be whatever they want to be or achieve.
As Nigeria marks her 59th Independence day, may you not lose hope on her. Emulate the likes of Innoson who has decided to ask not what Nigeria can do for them but rather what they can do for Nigeria.
Happy 59th Independent Nigeria
Happy 59th Birthday To Innoson.
A New Nigeria Is Possible
Cornel Osigwe
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