Nigeria: Asking What Our Country Can Do for Us

opinion

There are centuries' worth of theorising on the idea and meaning and implications of a "social contract", or "compact"; the body of rules and obligations that is supposed to bind the members of a society to one another and to the constituted authority of the land; spelling out the rights and responsibilities for all sides. More than five decades ago John F. Kennedy single-handedly updated that concept of a social contract with these profound words: 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.'

Those words have been regularly invoked around the world since then. And rightly so. I think it's an important admonition to live by. But there's another perspective I'd like to focus on, especially within the Nigerian context. By allowing the second half of the challenge to overshadow the first, I think we're doing ourselves a disfavour as a people. I think we're not paying enough attention to highlighting what Nigeria as a country owes its citizens. It should not be out of place for citizens to seriously wonder what their country has for them. What's the deal, Nigeria?

...

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.