It is widely believed that you are what you say, and that which you say builds up your inspiration for reality. Founded on this principle, our guest for this week, Mr. Michael Omeri Agbo-Omeri, Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) decries the level of misinformation and poor representation being dished out to the youths by some past and serving leaders. He calls for a transformational change in the attitude of leaders and Nigerians in general. According to him, Nigeria can only change when its citizens imbibe a positive comportment towards the country’s advancement.
Except:

In your own definition, who is a true Nigerian?
For me, the answer comes so effortless. A true Nigerian is one who loves Nigeria because it is his or her country. To colour it, I will say that if you love something, you will not work against it. You would do  your best to preserve it. You would do everything possible to protect and uphold it.

As the Director General of NOA, what would you say informed the nonchalant attitude of some Nigerians towards their country?
Well, it is the misunderstanding that other countries just stumbled into good things and have it in so much abundance to the point that you can go and just pick them up from the streets. Most Nigerians are still unaware that the good things we hear about other countries were built by people of those countries, who have a very positive attitude about their countries.
Here, we wish for good things, but we do not work for it. We need to work out the good we desire for our country by ourselves, because no one can do it for us. We must work out our greatness as we have it in our mindset. And to do that, we must develop a positive attitude towards our country.
I have never heard any American insulting his or her country no matter what. But I know of so many former public office holders who are being paid with taxpayers’ money, who will go out there and organize a few people and then insult their country, even when they have served in the government before. It is horrible.
It is this kind of people that we need to talk to because some of them are there affecting and influencing negatively the thinking of the young people. Considering the fact that they have been there before, you will think that they have some credibility, but the truth is that they are failing to tell this young people the truth about their country.
This is the country that somebody has served and has not made it any better, but he is now busy insulting others who are serving. If he or she has served well and we have the street paved with gold, and all sort of good things, then we will say he or she is justified. But given what is on ground that he or she is criticizing, it goes to show that he or she had failed during his or her service days.
Now, it is ironical for such a person to turn around to insult the same country that gave him or her opportunity to serve and he failed. What our leaders need to do is to continue to be positive about this country, to encourage and continue to respect one another and to work towards helping one another, not the reverse.
Let us be searching for ways to do well for the betterment of our country, promote those things that will bring about a better society. You cannot achieve these things by sitting down and forming a round table of criticism. Rather, let us form a national round table of progress.

If you accost a Nigerian who is frustrated abroad, what will be your exact words to him or her?
First, I will tell him that there are more opportunities in Nigeria than in any other country, but unfortunately, even those of us at home are not looking towards those directions. I know of more opportunities lying idle here. Believe me, there are more opportunities here for every Nigerian than you will find anywhere in the world.
If you are going there as a researcher with first class talent, perhaps you might have some consolation, but let me tell you what happens there. For any Nigerian out there, you are not just competing against another Nigerian who has a first class or your equivalent, rather you are contesting against the rest of the world. Everybody is bringing his capacity, his talent and his knowledge.
It is not every PhD holder that must be president of Nigeria. It is not every PhD holder that will have a job in government. We must not all be politicians or have to know somebody. Tell me why I should abandon my country just to travel abroad? Instead, I will stay and make it better, because in as much as what I am doing affects the next person positively, I am making a great contribution.

Sports used to be a great unifying factor in this country, but it seems that those days have gone. Where did we get it all wrong?
Again, it is the issue of federal character that I was talking about; when the selection of players was based on where you come from, not your competence as it should be. It is expected for anyone to wear the national jersey, he or she should be the best among the best. There was a time we had brothers playing in the Green Eagles (now Super Eagles) and there was a time most of the players were from Jos, even if they were all Igbos or so- the likes of Sam Garba Okoye, Oto Egbulam, Okey Isima and others. There were so many of them from Jos in that team which did so excellently well- the Ismaila Mabo, Ali Kekere, Ali Jay-jay…

Are you trying to say that they have imported the principle of zoning into our football?
Yes, that is what is happening, because even though they may not pronounce it, some people do insist that a particular player must play even though the player may not be good enough for the game. All they want is a representation. So, what happens or what does that get to do with the joy of Nigerians?

Leaders must tell the youths our positive story –Michael Omeri