*Photo: Solanke*
Today, I have been called upon to elaborate on HOPE, a word, a value, something that is open in definition and common everyday use. We often say, I hope to… I have hope in. I’m hopeful of… I’m full of hope that…denoting optimism or expectation of an achievement or meeting goal a goal in the future.
In the perspective of grammarians, hope is either used as verb as a noun or as an adverb relating to what one wants achieve in the future one’s expectation of the future, desire, faith, aspiration, expectation, prospect, promise, optimism and conviction for or about the future.
For this discourse. I am going use or elaborate on HOPE in the context of our situation as a people or a nation that desires change in our collective aspiration for national renewal, national rebirth, change, reform, reorientation, rediscovery, return, progress, development and all other indices that suggest that we want to attain or achieve a nobler status.
So discussing HOPE in these context would mean we have come to an awareness that something is amiss somewhere in our lives and we now long to redress that deficiency and return to a noble past or that we are supposed to be somewhere but held down by certain forces which prevent us from reaching that height. Our longing to be unshackled from the restraining forces, our aspirations aspiration or expectation to put behind our odious and uninspiring past to progress to an endearing future therefore represents our HOPE.
Consequently, I will be looking at HOPE from perspective of FOUR VARIANTS. The first variant is that of PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT. As individuals, what is our appreciation of our past or background? Is it something to be proud of? Is it rosy? If not do we want to continue in its uninspiring form? Do we desire for a change or improvement? What type of change? Our desire, aspiration or expectation of the future represents our HOPE in this regard
The second variant of HOPE is PUBLIC BEHAVIOURAL, SYSTEMIC and INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. Here, we have to raise questions on our public morality and behaviour, conduct, order or processes. Are we satisfied?
So, our aspiration, expectation, hope is that public morality improves, that there is change in the perception that our systems, processes and institutions are non-performing to be performance driven, corruption free,
The Third variant of HOPE may be spiritual in nature. It’s about redemption, the HOPE of meeting God, the hope of being accepted for Gods mercies despite your past shortcomings, despite your iniquities. Applying this to our public life, we get an impression that despite the malaise, there is hope of being a partaker in the kingdom
: The last variant is the hope of national rebirth and progress. Here we can romanticise about the prospects a fresh start, a new beginning, an inspiring future.
WHAT INSPIRES HOPE?
Hope or expectation is not built on emptiness. Because hope is also about, certainty, faith, about assurance of a future, confidence, there are certain values that powers or gives hope the first of which is what was possible or achieved in the past. Second is the prospects or promises, or possibilities given the experiences of others, learning from others in similar situations and following their footsteps.
Other factors that inspire hope is the depth and originality of plan outline to address a public issue or problem. This is in terms of policies, programmes, projects and initiatives, the implementation. Equally. the extent of engagement. Aligned to this is the faith in those operating or implementing the programme. It is the knowledge or education, experience, expertise and their integrity or credibility. When the best foot is put forward on any issue, we have a guarantee that something good will come from it which is also about the guarantee we have on the basis of the aforesaid. Hope is also built on currency of performance. In short is built on what was, what is and what will be because of evidence we see, experience we have and what we see or learnt from others in similar circumstances like us and were successful ultimately.
ABC OF HOPE: What hope gives. Let me just itemise them simply. There is a Yoruba saying, Baoku ise o tan. Once we’re alive, it’s never the end. Hope is a value that inspires in one A: ability and assurance. Hope is a value of life that in still in man a degree of B: Boldness to trudge on in the face of odds. It imbues in one C: confidence of some level. Because of these ABC, one is led D: Discover. It is something that E: enhances Energy and nurtures F,: Faith ultimately leading to fortune and G: Grace, consequently H: Health and I: improvement because it is a value that thrives on inspiration. And the one with Inspiration will not lack in good J: Judgement
For me, I have hope in Nigeria. In fact, I recently argued that we should change Nigeria to New Graceland Republic (NGR) because of the hope, prospects, fortune, possibilities, the riches, the untapped resources. All we need in Nigeria is to trigger a new consciousness of pride, faith and love for the country which will see us reclaiming our Destiny of Greatness.
Let me end my discourse on HOPE narrowing it down to the Hope we should all have in Nigeria
We are country of talents: look at our ability as a people, look at the creativity of our people, see how our diversity can become our strength and see the productivity of our countrymen elsewhere, dictating the pace of everyday life wherever they find themselves.
Second: look at the magnitude or abundance of resources we’re blessed with and more are still being discovered.