As I sit here, right here and now, I’m watching the inauguration of the president of the United States of America – Barack Obama. As I watch, my ears are getting hot, and my stomach turning. My heart yearns for a fresh breath of political leadership for Nigeria. My soul and my heart prays for Nigeria – “God, please, give us leaders!”. In the breath that I utter the prayer, I recieve a call from another comrade, he called to tell me that right now he is just calling me to tell me that he is praying that God should give us leaders!
Praying this prayer, I also hear God loud and clear – what are you waiting for? God will not come down to give us a leader, God will not cast his votes with paper, God will not write his name in the clouds. God will do it through you and I, through hands and hearts that are willing to engage themselves in the process of change. If we don’t have good leaders, is because you and I don’t think we deserve it enough. If we live in darkness, it’s because you and I didn’t switch on the light. If we live in the past, it’s because we have mortgaged our futures.
As I write, the words of Barack Obama drop into my ears like from a far distance. “A man whose father 60yrs ago would not have been served in the restuarant in America, today now takes the sacred oath.” {clap} We will get good leaders in Nigeria, when you and I decide to get involved and make things happen. America has done it… interestingly they did it with less than 10million voters. In Nigeria, we will not need more than that, and we will do it. We will do it with our mouths, with our blogs, with our stipends, with our influence, with all that we got, but we, with God’s grace, will do it!
The future is now my friends. The future is here! Deliver the Future! We can, We must, We Will!
56 thoughts on “God, Please Give Us Leaders”
I will deliver the future starting form now.
Nigeria we hail thee!
Arise oh Compatriots!!
God bless Nigeria.
We have no option.
God bless Nigeria
God bless u.
God, please in this season of visitation, may we be willing!
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!
all hands are on deck we must light other candles and give up our personal ambition to make life easy for others.
As He died to make men Holy, let us die to set men free as we birth a new nigeria
God make us leaders!
Yep, Deolu have spoken well, we all need to wake up and ensure we deliver to our generation a good leader. I am also watching the inauguration and I forced tears back into my eyes. Guys let us stand up, this is an important call
I have been glued to the TV for the past few hours watching the inauguration.
As i watched, my heart yearned for Nigeria to become a true democracy with the right kind of leaders.
I say a loud to your prayers and I add that May God Deliver us from the scourge of recycling leaders.
I will not just pray,I am ready to work to make the prayer answered.
God bless Nigeria.
i was thrilled by that statement as well.
Deo, i feel you. As I watched too, I wandered whether Nigeria will ever get visionary leadership like this in the near future. And to think we may even need it most.
As I heard Obama speak, he talked about America’s values, the vision of their founding fathers and their history which unites them; I wondered whether we in Nigeria have any such thing.
What is the vision of Nigeria? What is the Nigerian dream?
Or do we have none?
Chairman,
We have to believe in Nigeria and in ourselves to make Nigeria a great nation. Don’t think of what Nigeria will do for you think of what you can do for Nigeria to make it a better place for u and i.
God bless Nigeria our motherland!
The closest hour to the dawn is the darkest of the night…
One good turn (in USA) deserves another (good turn in Nigeria).
Nigeria will be who she truly is..
God bless
More Credible candidates should start coming out and those of us with voices in our own little corner should start educating our people and getting them prepared!indeed enough is enough, enough of suffering when we have plenty, enough of suffering and smiling!indeed its time for change!and the hope to see a better tommorrow for our children will see us through this wind of change that Obama has started all over the world!God bless you Deolu, God bless us all and God bless Nigeria
http://www.bridgetelesinspeaks.blogspot.com
Lets go there deolu, Naija must work because we are ready to make it work!!!!!
@ NIgerian Investor,
we have history that unites us, our founding fathers meant well for Nigeria, they had vision, but people came and play politics with sentiments and messed us up, but we can and will rise again, reclaim our lost glory and go back to the days when we sing our National Anthem with tears streaming down our faces!!!!!!!!
we are praying and we will therefore act.
because we believe, we will see the nation change in our time!
check out… Nigerian Obama, our turn
Yes we must! And we will. The cloud is thick for a desperate rain of change.
Hello People,
Every Nigerian who watched the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the USA, must all have had the same reaction. Can this happen in Nigeria? and asked When will it happen? And all of us may have prayed the same prayers that High Chief Adeolu Akinyemi prayed, “God give us Leaders….” That was exactly what I did.
But as I watched and listened to his Inaugural Speech, like his every other speech during the campaign and as a matter of fact back to his keynote speech at the Democratic convention in 2004, his rallying call was based on the theme of the founding principles of America, Equality, Freedom & Happiness. He has often called the these ideals of America and went on state that America will not sacrifice these ideals for security and safety. I think that was a powerful statement and direct departure from the doctrine of George Walker Bush, the 43rd President.
I cannot but ask myself, What are/is the Nigerian Ideals? Do we have anything that we can rally to…. any theme that can take us through to the next 200years. A timeless creed! Maybe there are but they are not known… If there are, can we bring them up and bring them into the consciousness of Nigerians and if there are none, is it too late? Can’t we as this generation find a rallying point?
The discovery and repositioning of the Nigerian creed will be the beginning of the remaking and repositioning of our dear country Nigeria.
Arise Nigeria!
Hello People,
Every Nigerian who watched the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the USA, must all have had the same reaction. Can this happen in Nigeria? and asked When will it happen? And all of us may have prayed the same prayers that High Chief Adeolu Akinyemi prayed, “God give us Leaders….” That was exactly what I did.
But as I watched and listened to his Inaugural Speech, like his every other speech during the campaign and as a matter of fact back to his keynote speech at the Democratic convention in 2004, his rallying call was based on the theme of the founding principles of America, Equality, Freedom & Happiness. He has often called the these ideals of America and went on state that America will not sacrifice these ideals for security and safety. I think that was a powerful statement and direct departure from the doctrine of George Walker Bush, the 43rd President.
I cannot but ask myself, What are/is the Nigerian Ideals? Do we have anything that we can rally to…. any theme that can take us through to the next 200years. A timeless creed! Maybe there are but they are not known… If there are, can we bring them up and bring them into the consciousness of Nigerians and if there are none, is it too late? Can’t we as this generation find a rallying point?
The discovery and repositioning of the Nigerian creed will be the beginning of the remaking and repositioning of our dear country Nigeria.
Arise Nigeria!
Deolu, thanx for accepting my facebook friend request. Iam one of those who use to think that my vote do not count in our corupt country. But you are right, two wrong can not make a right. I await for the time of vote. I am vote to make a change. Yes we can!
thanx
It is good to hail, it is good if we clap our hands. but the bottom-line is you and I standing up. Corporate Nigeria will stand tall by God’s grace.For those who can write and have blogs, let us keep talking and doing it.Do not just write, light and keep your own side while I do mine, overtime we will bring the light everywhere. Remember also a rich and strong brand has several complexities and elements, only when we drum more of the positive elements can we get anywhere. Nigeria is a rich and strong brand like USA among others. It is just that we expose more of our negative complexities over positives. What will be our own strategy to come out of the darkness, Indonesia now have “Honesty shops”? please someone help and give me feedbacks.
Bless you brother,
Our prayers are already answered.
Let’s do it now!
Amen!!!
So shall it be…true leaders.
I WILL DELIVER THE FUTURE
I CAN DELIVER THE FUTURE
I MUST DELIVER THE FUTURE
http://www.busayoakanro.com
http://www.holidaysandcash.com/revsamjunior
Obama said ” Our people will judge us by what we build and not we destroy”. “Let no our grandchildren say we ended the journey when we encountered the storm”. i sense that 2011 will mark a watershed in Nigerian political landscape.
Oluyemi Adeosun
http://www.yemiadeosun.blogspot.com
(Admin:posting links is why the posts don’t appear immediately, it takes it to spam, and then I need to remove the links)
i really yearn for a new Nigeria too. I hope a new Nigeria will emerge soon through you and i
Let us stand to take responsiblity! Just the way many great nations of today did many years ago.
I have been praying for a while now to get inspired again. This did it for me! I believe God is making a call, through this inspiration called OBAMA ,in the hearts and minds of people all over the world. That we should take action and do something about anything that troubles us. In this case, the state of the affiars in our beloved country Nigeria. Not everyone is born to lead, but as citizens we all have our roles to play, so that we can be deserving of a good leader. Right now, the change we need as Nigerians has to start with the people. As obama will say, change comes from the bottom up. When it comes to a point ,where we as a people demand a good leader and deserve one, we will get one. This will take time but i am glad to say, it has alredy started. As more people respond to the call of God like you did by writing this article. Thanks and continue to be a blessing!
In response to what praise said, my brother or sister, you have hit the nail on the head. That is the heart of a true leader!!!!
Hello deolu,
WE CAN AND WE WILL!!!!!!!! BY GOD’S GRACE
People like Gov fashola, should try and contest after his second term.
Nice piece.”I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to constantly elevate his life by conscious endeavours”Those words are not mine.They are the words of one great man Henry David Thoreau.We must make a conscious endeavour to be the leader that others will want to emulate and to facilitate the emergence of Obama like leader.The task ahead calls for activity;we cannot afford to be passive.God bless Nigeria.
Nice piece.”I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to constantly elevate his life by conscious endeavours”.Those words are not mine.They are the words of one great man Henry David Thoreau.We must make a conscious endeavour to be the leader that others will want to emulate and to facilitate the emergence of Obama like leaders.The task ahead calls for activity;we cannot afford to be passive.God bless Nigeria.
Let’s be watching and praying for good leaders to emerge in Nigeria
@ Adelakun,
I will rather say instead of watching, let us begin to act as good leaders and emerge as Good leaders that this country needs and that is exactly the message in what Ireti Ishola has posted.
Gospeed
Deolu, personally I don’t think what we lack is gathering like this or avenue of this nature – “blog” but the willingness to put whatever we said we’ll do into action. I am not sure other contributors have mentioned this but I am in the office and i don’t have the time to go through all the comments.
Do we have leaders? I will say yes. Atleast one in person of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu. I am not saying he’s a saint but he stood for what he believed in as the EFCC chairman, fought corruption (the main cause of our problem as a nation) and challenged the seemingly untouchable – “the politician”.
EFCC under his administration was becoming the last safe haven for the common man. For instance, someone narrated how he reported a big time lawyer in VI that dubbed him of his cocoa money, and the man had to take the case from the police to EFCC (when a police officer adviced him to) after two years or so. I was in a public bus with the man from Lagos on his way back to Ondo. He told us that day inside the bus that he was happy he could feel like a person again simply because of what EFCC did to the lawyer that day – the lawyer was locked up.
Many Nigerians were encouraged about his actions and the tangible effects, the transformations that was happening then. Suddenly, the man was humiliated by the system and we all stayed calm. Americans were never passive, they don’t just say that God will intervene while they stayed backed and watched from a distant. What we witnessed yesterday did not start with President Barack Obama, it started long ago, when the rest of Americans fought against slaves practices and its unconditioned abolitions in the south, when they marched and cried against the sergregation and Rev Luther King Jr said he had a dream when all irrespective of race, background, creed or otherwise will have equal right. It all started long ago. Let’s start by doing those little good things wherever we found ourselves.
Now back to the issue of Nuhu Ribadu, the man was bombarded and we all remained lame, dormant and passive as ever, not even a SECOND spent to protest against the humiliation. A peaceful demonstration would have meant something. So how do people get encouraged to DO GOOD in this COUNTRY?
My point is while most of us (note everybody) get electrified in this atmosphere of all things are possible and we are all dreaming big, we should realised that we have a responsibility to say no to all forms of harrasment and evil going on around us and we need to find a way of letting the government know that we may not have the gun but our believe of true freedom and corruption free Nigeria cannot be killed.
enough said.everyone is ready for change even the babies are yearning for change,people are tired of reading about 350b unspent funds for capital expenditure,where did the recurrent funds go to?(inside person pocket?).people are tired of darkness when aso rock needs 2b to run on generators.people are tired of change when over 70% failed WAEC,na so people dull reach?people are tired of crater-size potholes on our roads despite fact that minister of transport-Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke-cried fake tears after inspecting benin-ore road,wetin she do about am?even the unborn babies sef dont want to be born because they dont want to suffer-my pikin scandal.in a country where a senator was asked the solution to the perenial electricity problemns and he anwered “ban geneartors!”-he sef get 1 wey im dey use 4 house.in a country where the IG said that he doesnt know the number of policemen in the country,where life is as cheap as a sachet of pure water-ask thsoe that have lost dear ones to extra-judicial killings.in a country where an ex-gov was fined just 3M for stealing over billions.in a country with over 40 ministers why dem no go steal.it took baba “go-slow” months to reshuffle his cabinet yet obama chose his team in 2weeks.listen to our leaders talk-no articulation of words,no passion,empty words,so shallow-you wonder if they are educated at all.these same people travel to Uk,US and europe and cant even think of they can replicate same here.in a country where $16b,$23b(maybe more due to the conflicting figures was spent on power) yet factories are closing down.in a country where a pharmacists is the minister of transport and PhD holder in agric is the minister of defence-amazing people in their fields but wrong places.dont even talk about the textile industry,its long dead! listen to obama talk and u’ll are all fired up.2011 is 23 months away.let the revolution begin:project action,codename naija for change.
lets go there,mo ready!
Dear all, am happy about what Deolu’s post is doing, personally, i could not sleep and in the middle of the night, i woke up, with President Obama’s message in my heart,Deolu’s words from this post and his status on facebook that he must deliver 2 million voters for the right candidate for 2011 and being inspired by the Holy Spirit and desire to see change by action, i started a group on Face book.Its known as “Hope and Change Alive Nigeria (H.A.C.A.N)” to provoke Nigerians both in Nigeria and the diaspora to act and make informed choices based on what they will get from the group and other like minded links to see Obama’s kind of change in Nigeria.Take a look at the group and if you are serious about change, then lets join and start educating people especially those in diaspora that are part of the face book community! We must start NOW and use what we have to bring about the change we need!God bless us all and bless Nigeria, Indeed in our time, we will see the Nigeria of our dreams!
http://www.bridgetelesinspeaks.blogspot.com
@All,
Well done! Just got back from a very exciting meeting with about 400 final year medical students of Lautech in Oshogbo. I shared with them my passion about Nigeria, and saw the desires and longing in their souls as well. Coming back and reading all these thoughts is mind blowing.
A number of change agents, have actually been meeting since late last year, and are setting the foundation for a movement. A lot of the details are still under wraps, but with what I’m reading here.. I can see the momentum is gathering and we must harness it.
I have been given a mandate to deliver 2 million Nigerians of the future who are enlightened and can deliver political leadership that we need for our country. I and my team will be putting together a form in a few hours, this form will be available as a collection button for all who want to put it on their blogs, and will connect to one database. We’ll need names, numbers, emails and commitment.
Let it be known that this will cost us – energy, cash, time, travail, pain and some agony. The journey will not be smooth, but the end is certain. Let’s not waste the momentum that the icon of Obama is being used by the divine to create in us. Let us together enlist and write history. 2 million is small, but if we have 2 million, trust me, we’ll move many each of us.
Let it be clear also, that while I as an individual nurse no political ambition for 2011, we must ensure now that we crown the right people! 2011? We must deliver the future!
Deolu i thank you for this piece and the opportunity to place a comment also. I am sincerely in agreement with Koyejo and Emeka. I will also want to say that if what i read about Nuhu Ribadu as per his indiscplined nature toward the police force, despite his gracious and disciplined acts and fights as EFCC boss, i think he was wrong. Of course there is always cause and effect, “no smoke without fire”, but you can’t fight any wrongdoing by being wrong. Thats why Obama will always be linked to the fulfilment of Martin Luther KIng’s profecy. Action leads to reaction is true, but reaction comes in diverse forms, and it is the way you react to a particular action that stimulates solutions or problems. So far so good however, while we should commend him, we should not forget that no man should be above the law. Action in times like this is what i am still envisaging for, honestly i want to start praying a different type of prayer for Nigeria. Please let start doing something, a collective gathering of the new Nigeria, not with arms or the sword, but with solutions and ideas to better our course. I believe in Nigeria and am sure God will certainlhy bless Nigeria.
I have sent my comment before seeing your reply Oga Deolu, i want you to know that i have some people here who are likeminded and as for me whatever and wherever the momentum takes your mind to, i am involved. God Bless Nigeria
Wrong Prayer.
GOD gave us leaders but we threw them out and refused to recognize them.
For anybody who was around in 1993 and was part of Hope 93, witnessing Obama’s campaign and eventual electoral success would have given him goosebumps at the similarities of the circumstances but would have teared up at the differences of eventual outcomes.
He would have wept at opportunities missed. Just like I did.
We had our chance. Our day in the sun, but we threw it away for what? A mess of pottage?
It appears GOD does not waste His time with time-wasters like us. He simply moved on to more serious people. Like the Ghanaians, the Americans, the …
@Otolorin Daniels: You have said exactly what I wanted to say. Let me quote you
“I cannot but ask myself, What are/is the Nigerian Ideals? Do we have anything that we can rally to…. any theme that can take us through to the next 200years. A timeless creed! Maybe there are but they are not known…”
@Christopher: Thanks indeed. Yes Nigeria has history that unites. But like Otolorin Daniels said, we really need ideals and VALUES that bind us together.
God please give us a leader who will give us ideals, values, misson and paint and unforgettable vision for us to aspire too.
DEOLU,AM GLAD A LOT US (YOUNG AT HEART) ARE THINKING ALIKE BUT AM INSPIRED THAT YOU GAVE YOUR THOT A VOICE.
LIKE A SONG THAT LATE TAI SOLARIN TAUGHT US WHILE AT MAYFLOWER SCHOOL:
GOD GIVE US MEN A TIME LIKE THIS DEMANDS.STRONG MIND, GREAT HEARTS THROUGH FAITH AND READY HANDS.
MEN WHOM THE LUST OF OFFICE CANNOT KILL;MEN WHOM THE SPOILS OF OFFICE CANNOT BUY.
MEN WHO POSSESSS OPINION AND A WILL.MEN WHO HAVE HONOUR & MEN WHO WON’T LIE .
THESE ARE THE LEADERS WE NEED FOR THE REBIRTH OF A NEW NIGERIA.THESE MEN ARE US -YOU AND I.
YES,WE NEED A COMMON VISION,FOCUS AND GOAL.
AMERICA DID NOT GET HERE OVERNIGHT.IT WAS A CONSCIOUS PROCESS OF CHANGE LIKE OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN ADVERT.
NIGERIA WILL GET THERE .TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS.
@Mr. Deolu..Thanks for the update about the meeting..I have some little info about it, I hope to get the full picture..It’s time to act more and talk less so that the actions can speak themselves..Nigeria of our dreams is about to break forth…
I want to introduce Get Inspired Nigeria ( http://www.getinspiredng.com ) which I told you about to your honourable readers.
I won’t go without saying the prayer in my heart now
Oh God of creation, please direct our noble course (Nigeria). Guide our LEADERS (in the making) right. Help our YOUTHs (now and future leaders) the truth to know in love and honesty to grow..Great and lofty heights we (Nigeria) shall attain..Amen
hi deolu!it’s a little spark that kindles a great forest; it therefore means that only a handfull of positive minded nigerians is needed to bring about the long awaited change we all have been clamoring for. the one who dies suddenly has been dying gradually; therefore the change that is sudden has been gradual. it is my humble opinion that for NIGERIA to experience change that would span the continent of Africa, europe, america and asia, “we need to make things happen and stop wishing things could have happened”. i believe in NIGERIA, i believe in CHANGE, i believe it’s going to WORK. NIGERIANS, let’s get our hands dirty – (let’s go to work). “if we will, we can”
Its high time we start backing our words with actions. the bulk of us that are enlighten should stop sitting on the fence and contribute our quota in the betterment of our country. Nigeria must survive Amen.
It’s an 100unit course for every goal getter, self motivated and change desiring Nigerian. We must leave the generationnext a legacy… May God help us
That was straight from the heart it seems.I think youth of this nation should be sensitized specially as to knowing that the bulk of the future rest upon them;especially now that the old-father politicians now use us against one another.May God almighty save our dear nation.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!
haha…people on fire.this is amazing,lets go there!
Good piece, from the reflection of thomas edison after the light bulb experiment, he said “THE PAST IS ONCE BUT A STORY TOLD THE FUTURE CAN STILL BE WRITTEN IN GOLD” the future is now. we are the change, if we can only overcome the force of “INERTIA”.
GOD BLESS NIGERIA.
NIGERIA, is not about an individual but the entire citizenry working together achieve the desired interest for the betterment of our nation. I am too sure if we can unite together we will get the desired result.
I know NIGERIA will be a source a blessing to many nations. I believe in NIGERIA, I am praying for progress in NIGERIA. God bless NIGERIA real good.
@All… You can sign up a become part of the move here
http://www.thefuturemovement.org/register/
I join in the prayer. Lord, Please give us good leaders in this nation.
its now close to 120 days of Obama in the “Black House” i think its wise if we can count our blessings and see the lessons God is teaching us. Nigeria can we will get there though it may take time but the journey into the future begins NOW!
God answered this prayer and not we can see it manifesting. It shall indeed by in the next couple of months
We can do it together, we can make that change if we want it so bad, We can make a positive impact in the world at large, WE NIGERIANS CAN DO IT, start in your own little way, even on the INTERNET.
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