Feature

NIPSS Kuru: A Gateway to Project Nigeria

Published

3 years ago

March 4, 2022

Bona Naija

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By: Mezie Okolo, PhD, DMin, RPh

In those days when I interned with Military Hospital Yaba, I heard about the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru.

In fact, once you hear Kuru the only thing that comes to mind is NIPSS. While this place may not ring a bell to the average Nigerian youth, it infact arrests the attention of those who know.

As a good citizen of Nigeria in diaspora, I looked forward to a day when I will have the rare opportunity of being at Kuru and brainstorming on the Project Nigeria. For me coming to Kuru, I have a litany of questions, top of which are ‘why is Nigeria not working equally for all Nigerians?’

Why do we have so many smart individuals both home and in diaspora yet we dont seem to be able to figure out how to create one nation out of a diverse people? Why is our diversity a problem instead of the asset it was supposed to be? How can Nigeria work and catch up with nations that are called ‘developing’?

Today, it is not clear whether one would call Nigeria ‘failed’ or ‘failing’ depending on your level of patriotism or optimism in the project. However you look at it, even if you choose to call Nigeria developing, she is indeed not developing at 10% potential. A look at different indices leaves one in no doubts that the youths have lost faith in the only country they will someday leave for their children. Those who dont have the opportunity are looking for the slightest opportunity to abandon the country and those who live abroad are happy they have found another home outside of home. Something is not right!

When I told my friends I want to go to Kuru to get a better understanding of the Project Nigeria and how we can join hands to rebuild her broken walls they look at me as insane. Why would you abandon your flourishing business and career in the United States and go to Kuru for a month? What they dont know is that the drive comes from within. A time comes in your life when you start living on purpose for ‘purpose’. Everything created has a purpose. Maybe mine is to help in my own small way to change the narrative in my community, my state or Nigeria…wouldnt that be a noble course?

So far, I have not been disappointed at Kuru. I still have more questions than answers but I know that I need Nigeria to work and Nigeria needs people like me with all the educational investment, experience and exposure of two decades from overseas. Whatever be the case, the labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain. I believe that this Project Nigeria, even if not as presently set up and directed, but maybe someday we will figure out a formula that will work for our people. Kuru is a perfect place for such policy initiatives.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. My first step is Kuru, and from here we go where fate leads. We cannot all abandon our fatherland because we have the opportunity to live abroad. Nigeria here we come, by the gateway called Kuru. Every person interested in understanding the Nigerian peculiarities may want to pass through Kuru. Thanks to Princeton Leadership Forum and the initiative of our own Dr Chibuike Echem from Ogbunka in Anambra State. The knowledge from Kuru will definitely be deployed starting from Ogbunka, Orumba South, Anambra State, and Nigeria at large.

Mezie Okolo, PhD, DMin, RPh
Director at Princeton Leadership Forum
President, Rite Place Academy, Texas