Just My 2 Kobo: Good things Happened in Nigeria in 2012

BY EHINOME
Season's Greetings people. Even though Christmas day has come and gone, we still in the joyous mood..thankful, counting and numbering  our blessings one by one, if you haven't started then you should now.

2012 is about to be phased off, 2013 is around the corner. As we count our blessings, what about for our country Nigeria? Did any good happen in or to Nigeria in 2012? Nigerians had these to say :

"Nothing happened, all we had were disasters, except for the paralympians though..."-Adeyemi Oluwaseun

"Nigeria? With all the violence and plane crashes?" - Nsikan

"Sincerely, I can't think think of anything. The year started on a gloomy note and I don't think there has been any outstanding political or economic achievement. Well, as regards sports  the super eagles gave us something to cheer about by qualifying for the nations cup in grand style"- Arome Joseph

"Negative year but we thank God"- Ajmal

"The negatives were too much, thaat am thinking so hard to find a very positive thing...I know in all things we should thank God..but my dear, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is that, nothing solid to hold on too to say was one of the greatest good in 2012. The beginning of 2012 was something  else! As I speak now! People have been at the filling stations since yesterday just to buy fuel....So my dear, there is nothing positive to say happened to 'Nigeria' as a country, but individually, Nigerians all over the world made history. In the entertainment industry we got international awards, Dangote is still the richest man in Africa...."- Mommoh John

"One good thing that happened in Nigeria so far is the fact that a state of anarchy has not been attained, where a case of war would break out resulting from the economic degradation of the country this year. But I cannot however say how long dis 'peace' would last." -Nneka

"Nothing"- Thomas Dogo

"Nothing"- Ify Nwabueze

"Good tins happened: the subsidy thieves were unravelled by d FG and billions of naira returned to federal coffers"- Hector

"Many good things happened, The boko haram hideouts were found at least not all but that is something to thank God for. For me electricity has improved drastically, atleast in life camp light now is 24/7" - Susan Kukah

"Yes I believe we all became more politically involved. Nigerians are now emphasizing on creation of  jobs.. atleast d rich also cried dis year. #Economic climate"- Diallo Ofodiru

"A lot of good things happened. The earlier we begin to show gratitude for the little things the better for us all. The fact that you are alive today, yes you! Is a good thing to be thankful to God for. Let's thank GOD for HIS mercies and concentrate on contributing our own bit to making Nigeria that which we want it to be" -Clement Ndubuisi

"Countless women were given capital to float new buisnesses or to upgrade already existing ones in the Federal Government sponsored YouWin program"- Solomon Ugwanyi

"Good things happened. We just didn't appreciate them. Like the athletes at the paralympics  coming home with more medals than the able bodied athlets at the olympics"- Ifeyinwa Obiechina

"And  what are u expecting  me to say? The good thing that happened to Nigeria was that I was able to afford a ticket at silverbird!" - Barbara Onwubiko

I write this piece with mixed feelings. We all expect so much from our beloved country, but looking at the behaviours of most  Nigerians, not many of us are willing to rise up and do something to change things. Maybe the "great' changes we want to see are the little things  few people are doing that we are not appreciating.

For me 2012 was full of events, good and bad. I observed that, in 2012 Nigerians spoke out more..and that gave birth to the revelations of all the scams, looting, and the nitty gritties that paralyse our country...too many to mention. For me its a good thing, because awareness leads to development.

Our paralympians did us proud, even when the our 'completely bodied' athletes flopped at the olympics. Just because the government did not make enough noise about it, doesn't make their performance less a victory. I think priorities have just been misplaced.

As for innovations, I know a group of secondary school girls were able to power a generator with urine. This should have been a laudable achievement. Afterall if they could use urine, who knows, if they were paid more attention they would have discovered other ways. Sadly, this gist ended on media sites.

We saw bombings, deaths, crashes, accidents, floods, food and fuel scarcity, jungle justice through which four young promising men were killed at Aluu, even 'big' thieves were caught,  and so on. Every one felt the brunt of these. As a woman said (name with held)  "e be like say as these big people dey run from bad roads for ground, dey fly everywhere with jets and helicopter, GOD con catch dem..see as accident con dey happen for air!". However, In the midst of all this Nigeria did not divide, God kept Nigeria. He heard the prayers for peace that some Nigerians pray always. What God keeps is always for a good purpose, I think He is giving Nigerians a chance to change.

The great change we want to see, would start when every Nigerian becomes willing to be honest, sincere, to speak out, to stand for truth always and always. Its starts from you and me.

Good things did happen, maybe not in the big ways we wanted them to happen. If we keep praying for our country and working for our common good, greater things would happen in Nigeria. Let that be our resolve in 2013. Naija koni baje o! Amin