UNVEILING THE NIGERIAN MOUNT RUSHMORE

“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children” – Khalil Gibran
As trivial as it seemed, I was indeed hell-bent to understand the ‘mystery’, which exist in the different side placement of buttons on female and male shirts. I absolutely was successful in removing the ignorant veil, but to my amazement, I was veiled again: not with ignorance now, but with awe. I would have loved it if the euphoria lingered, but it actually did not; so my course through the pages of history commenced extemporaneously. What I saw was awesome, yet the thoughts afterwards were depressing.
Its name is Mount Rushmore, located in Southwestern South Dakota, in the Black Hills. It would have only been a Geographical discovery, but the feature it carried made it more than a mount, but a National Memorial which got authorized in 1925. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Mount Rushmore features 60 foot (18m) sculptures of the heads of ONLY FOUR United States presidents: George Washington (the first US president), Thomas Jefferson (the third US president), Abraham Lincoln (the sixteenth US president) and of course Theodore Roosevelt (the twenty-fifth US president). The project which cost a sum of $989, 992, and 32 (approximately 17 billion in Naira) was actually signed by the Congress even before it was embarked upon. Now, that ‘dough’ is

pretty much for a mere national memorial; however, spectacular achievements welcome spectacular commendation(s).
The question then presented itself: if Nigeria were to have a mount like Rushmore, who amongst the leech-leaders is qualified to have his portrait carved into a rock? From the abundance of the heart, the mouth does not only speak; but the hands also operate. The physical carvings of these presidents into a rock started deep down in the people’s heart; they’ve had the presidents’ portrait carved into the Mount Rushmore in their heart, thus the high-octane exhibition. A careful observation into the ranks of excellence will prove that these presidents indeed made impact in their country for them to have enjoyed such a grand immortalization. The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
In the place of unnecessary open letters, there emerged the three minutes Gettysburg speech that maintains its potency even up to this period. The signed thirteenth amendment to the US Constitution permanently abolished slavery in the country: what we have here is the drastic increase in intellectual and emotional slavery. It is worthy of note to understand that to whom much is given, much is expected. I throw down the gauntlet of good governance and effectiveness. Who dare take it up among the Nigerian leaders?
Now, am I concluding that the United States is a perfect nation devoid of errors? Capital ‘No’! The greatness of a country lies in her ability to rectify her errors. Jide Olanrewaju’s ‘Real story of Nigeria’ explains it all. A careful observation of events will explain that we keep on falling into the previous errors we have fallen into. Our inability to learn from the past has caused more harm than good. The first transition from the military government to civilian governance could have been the turning point for Nigeria, but the blissful horde refused to learn from the past. It takes a sensitive mind to discover a ruse.
If we unveil the Nigerian Mount Rushmore, who shall we behold? Is it the antediluvian farmer who lost his integrity on the brink of greatness or those I prefer to call the “armed zombies”? And what about the Ijaw man and his ‘hippopotami.’: absolutely none has achieved to the extent to which is required of them. Abraham Lincoln once concluded that the number of years in one’s life does not really matter, but the life in one’s years. Years of tenure are of no importance when there indeed is no tenure in the years. Greatness rests in thoughts and outstanding thoughts paves way for amazing commendations. The price of greatness is responsibility; I hope our leaders wake up to understand this fact.
HEPHZIBAH

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