“By 2020 Nigeria will be one of the 20 largest economies in the world, able to consolidate her leadership role in Africa and establish herself as a significant player in the global economic and political arena”.

“I have a dream…” It is just not enough to dream dreams; living it is what matter most and to live the dream – NV2020, it would require focus, self determination, sacrifice and fellowship on the part of those who have been saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the project and the other party which includes every sector of the economy and its individual citizens

Nigeria was identified by Goldman Sachs along side ten other countries to have the potential for attaining global competitiveness based on their economic and demographic setting and the foundation for reform already laid. His prediction was based on the fact that Nigeria has been experiencing a turnaround – a remarkable degree of progress – and condition seemed right until now with the reversal of some policies, weakening of some institutions like the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and the unraveling of the rot in the banking industry even though it seems political.

However, the economic management team and the other organs involved can weather the storm and fulfill this big dream-NV2020. The economic management team is the think-tank of this vision. It should be focused enough to drive this visioning process. The foundation has been laid. This includes institutions like the rule of law, security, anti-corruption, infrastructure, macro economy, health, education and real sector. There should not be deviation from this track at any time and in whatever forms so that in no distant time we will begin to benefit immensely from our own present day decision. From our present state of being under “the influence of gravity” we could begin to “escape from gravity” just like Brazil and in no distant time from this period, we would be “cruising the orbit”. This we would realize if our management team of professionals in their various field would remain focused determined, make the necessary sacrifice and have fellowship - reason together along the same line of action.

Stakeholders like state Government, federal ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) has a major role to play in the actualization of this vision. Each major stakeholder putting focus self determination and the idea of fellowship first should prepare its V2020 thoughts and ideas based on the guidelines approved by the National council on V2020 chaired by the president. The development process, method to be applied and milestones should be clearly stated.

How do we as citizens become part of this process of actualizing Nigerian vision 2020? It has to start from our attitude toward ourselves and our environment – in our homes, on the streets, in the market place, in our offices and place of work, in the church, in the mosque, any where we find ourselves within our environment. Have we ever asked ourselves why we easily conform to the laws and way of life when we travel to developed countries like the United States and England but find it difficult to do the right things here? We liter the streets, evade taxes and so on. Honestly our attitude really matters. Let us begin to do the right things at the grass root and we will see things get better.

Lets start form our homes. Lets begin to stand up for righteousness, teach one another to do the right, stamp our feet against corruption of any kind in any form at home and then see how we would multiply in doing the right things, changing our society for the better, for our own good and that of the future generation.

A song writer wrote this;
Your life is a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it through and through.
…does it point them to the sky?

The sky is what the vision is, where we intend to be by 2020. If we would start living the life, doing it right, people seeing us do it right, we helping them to do it right, they start living it right then the sky will become not even our limit as a society or a country but our starting point.

We should no longer sit down with our hands folded and expect government to perform some kind of miracle with a sweep of the hand. We can lead this revolution it we are willing and determined to and “… Yes, we can!!!” Let us live this dream of a new Nigeria big.

J.F. Kennedy’s words to his fellow Americans to relate to Nigerians? ...

“ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR NIGERIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE NIGERIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY”