Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

Proverbs 29:18 KJV

The greatness and success of any society is not dependent on their natural resources but on the quality of human resources found in that society. The quality of dreams, vision, ideas and the quality of those who drive those dreams, vision and ideas ultimately determine the success of a society.

We have wrongly been oriented as a nation to expect success and greatness based on money and material acquisitions. From our government to the citizenry, at all levels of our society we have placed lots of emphasis on money, believing the more money we have the better we become.

The three ingredients required to build a nation or that determine the greatness of a nation are VISION, CHARACTER and COMPETENCE.

Without a VISION there’s nothing to motivate and inspire us. Vision gives us direction, target and goals. It gives us an idea of where we are going and therefore what we need to get there and how we hope to get there. With a clear vision, everyone’s energy and creativity is released. Any form of resilience or endurance without a vision is nothing but suffering (the case of Nigeria).

A man of vision or idea who lacks CHARACTER will seek to accomplish his/her dream even if it means compromising quality, destruction of societal values and human life. Character traits like honesty, faithfulness, value for human life, respect, honor, diligence, truth, excellence, patience, hard work, equity, etc. are prerequisites for any individual, company, organization and society that must develop. No society can survive without these character traits. It sets the mutual predictability and expectation of the society.

The third ingredient required for the growth and development of any society is COMPETENCE which can be acquired and learnt through education (formal or informal), continual practice and training. As individuals we must develop competence and as a nation we must value and make competence a priority in all we do. Mediocre minds can only produce mediocre results.

The more people that possess these qualities in a society, the surer it is for that society to experience development. Therefore, as we celebrate OUR NATIONAL DAY, what kind of citizen will you be? It is time to enthrone vision, character and competence. The building of a nation is a collective effort of all the citizenry. It is time we contribute our part in any and every sector of society we find ourselves. Pursue your dream, develop competence for excellent delivery and let godly character guide your operations.

Happy 61^st Independence Day celebration to all Nigerians both at home and in diaspora!!!