Motola Oyebanjo: The Road to Greatness – A Lebanese-Nigerian's Perspective

I recently sat with some new Lebanese clients who wanted to run a major Advertising and PR campaign for a new product. It amused me to hear them say they were Nigerians. In trying to clarify what they meant, they said to us that they had been in Nigeria for over 35 years and truly had Nigerian passports.

The most interesting part of the discussion for me was when they said they didn't want any foreigners to come to Nigeria now. Asking why, they stated that Nigeria is going to start booming again like in the 70s and they only wanted 'us' Nigerians to enjoy it.

While I laughed at the comments of my white-skinned fellow Nigerians, it felt and still feels great to hear the hope and enthusiasm beginning to emanate again from various corners of the nation.

As the new Ministers are sworn in and get started in the herculean task of rebuilding a great nation that has become a shadow of itself, I want to take this important moment to call on us all, no matter our political inclinations, to support this initiative of rebuilding Nigeria.

We've lived like beggars for too long in a land of plenty. The new Minister for Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, hit the nail on the head when he said very bluntly that "I don't know how anyone can defend importing bananas from Cameroun" while our fertile lands lie untouched and unworked.

It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. I have no doubt that we have challenging days ahead. I have no doubt that all of us will need to unlearn bad habits of indiscipline and rediscover patriotism, pride in good labour and dedication to the principles of truth, justice and honor.

Innovation and creativity in the use of our various resources will be key to getting us out of the rot and into the light. Hard work and discipline will keep us moving forward towards progress and prosperity. We must build up the good and tear down the bad. It's up to us all...we sink or sail together.

My hope and prayer is that our children will celebrate us for the effort we make today in building a nation they will proudly call their own.

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Motola Oyebanjo is a Strategic Communicator and trained Economist. She has served as Head of Corporate Communications for the British Council and Internal Communications Manager for Unilever among other appointments. She is currently a Partner & Client Service Director of the award winning advertising firm AerialView Marketing Communications and Managing Editor for Study International Nigeria.