Mark Twain insists that “there are two days in a person’s life, the day he is born and the day he discovers why.” Human beings are created and born in specific locations for specific purposes, which they have to fulfil in order to be fulfilled. The mission of our individual lives are obtainable from the social situation around the place of our birth: poverty or riches, agony or joy. Humans evaluate their circumstances to see if they are sent to work IN, FOR or FROM the place of their birth. This brings us to consider: Why was I born Nigerian?
When a football manager introduces a player into a match, he assigns a specific position and role to the player. If the player fails to fulfil the purpose for which he was introduced into a match, he will not be fulfilled with himself as footballer. If a player scores own goals or fails to create chances for his team to score and win, he is indirectly playing for the opponent. Even if a player is able to dribble all the opponents while his team is losing, he will not be fulfilled as a team-player. A player’s fulfilment in a team is directly proportional to his contribution to the success of the team.
Humans in a society can be compared to players in a football club. Just like players being substituted in football team, people die and leave the society, while others are being born into the society. As football managers position players in specific locations for specific purposes, so does God position humans in specific societies/communities at birth for specific purposes. The earlier we understand the purpose for which we are positioned in a society, the better we adjust to obtain fulfilment. As football clubs aim success by achieving match victories, societies aim success by achieving social justice.
Social justice is the fair administration of social laws for proper distribution of resources, opportunities and privileges in a society.[1][2][3] Social INJUSTICE on the other hand, is the situation where resources, opportunities and privileges are not well-distributed. In a situation of social injustice, some people benefit excessively, while many others suffer and die. Whether we fall among the victims or beneficiaries of injustice, we obtain fulfilment as members of a society by contributing to social justice, and not by crossing over from victims to beneficiaries/deserters.
If you find yourself in the beneficiary wing of social injustice, you choose whether to continue enjoying the benefits with your family and friends or to work for social justice. If you find yourself in the victims’ wing, you choose whether to break-into the beneficiary wing, remain in the victims’ wing, run to exile or work for social justice.
Presently, many Nigerians express regrets for being born Nigerian. Many are eager to escape or denounce the dangerous ‘jungle’ and even take up other nationalities. Some Nigerians, home and abroad, struggle to convince themselves of not having a duty to Nigeria, since ‘Nigeria-does-not-care’. Even in countries of self-imposed-exile, they painfully deny their once-glorious origins, just like Peter denied Jesus in his trying times. They finally settle for contributing to their countries of exile, after all, everywhere you are is still a place.
Yes, anywhere you run to is a place, yet everywhere you are is not your place of primary assignment. Anybody whose wellbeing you choose to promote is human, but not all of them are your main responsibility. If God had desired your primary contribution in that land of exile, you may have been born there. But God chose that you be born Nigerian, and you have to work for social justice in Nigeria, otherwise you will need more defence mechanisms to survive the self-accusation for deserting your place of primary assignment. There are manifestations of injustice in different sectors of Nigeria and your particular ethnic community, where you can help: education, industry, information, relationships, health, trade, agriculture, security, religion and welfare. However, the worst show of social injustice is the forceful seizure of people’s rights to their ethnic lands and resources by the Military-imposed Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act and the Land Use Act.
Our contribution to social justice is the yardstick for measuring our effect on earth when we are gone. It is the Christian yardstick for making heaven, for when I was sick, hungry, naked and homeless,[4] you pleaded my cause. It is among the Muslim’s yardstick for Jannah, for Allah Loveth those who do good.[5] “So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer, that is best for those who seek the countenance of Allah.”[6]
Nigerians, who find themselves in the beneficiary wing of injustice, but desire inner-peace must begin to contribute for social justice. Social justice is never fully achieved in a society, nor achieved by the effort of a single individual. People collaborate to work for social justice, and eventually educate successors who will ensure its sustenance in the society. Hence Nigerians, beneficiary or victims, must begin to collaborate and contribute intellectually, physically, materially or financially to establish social justice. Many Nigerians who have travelled out for better chances of survival can still contribute to social justice in Nigeria by supporting genuine movements for social justice.
True peace and unity in a society come from the practice of social justice. Social justice comes from the establishment of truth about human natural rights and social obligations. The truth about our natural rights and obligations comes from sincerity in researching and engaging humans in a society.
Why were you born Nigerian? You were born Nigerian to contribute to the establishment and practice of social justice in Nigeria.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice. Retrieved 09-09-2017
[2] https://www.pachamama.org/social-justice/what-is-social-justice. Retrieved 09-09-2017
[3] http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/social-justice.html. Retrieved 09-09-2017
[4] Matthew 25:31-46
[5] Al-Baqarah 195
[6] Ar-Rum 38
