Trading Beauty for Awesome Beauty

international | racism & migration related issues | opinion/analysis Friday February 24, 2006 15:03 by yomi ogunyemi

Nigeria is gorgeous with breathtaking scenery, filled with flowers, trees and free-flowing springs but of what use is the beauty in the midst of abject poverty and squalor. What value is the beauty if the Government can not protect the lives of its citizens.

I am a Nigerian. I come from a nation with a wealth of stunning cities full of compelling stories.
The aesthetic appeal of the nation’s capital city is undeniable, people who knew Abuja before now cannot help but salute its reinvention into a scenic and livable community. Small and dazzling, she is one of the true jewels of our glorious country, Abuja abounds in unique beauty.
Lagos is the former capital of Nigeria; past and present harmonize sweetly in this vital city. You can surf on the shimmering Atlantic Ocean its panoptic water enchanting surfers with the deliciously disorienting sensation that they've become one with the sea. The sheer, exuberant beauty of the beaches make people come for inspiration and renewal.
Port Harcourt is the oil city. In this charmed city, the urban and the pastoral gracefully mingle in a uniquely Nigerian way.
The Nigerian Countryside is beguiling and boasts of colorful residents and fauvist sunset, lush green forest stretching unbroken in every direction. You will feel doubly awed: by my country's magnificent nature.
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Why then am I here, despite the superb sunrises and sunsets; warm, calm water, white-sandy meditative beaches… , lovely Mountains, wide open spaces and beautiful wildlife.
I am here because my country is not the perfect place for long walks at sunset unless you have a death wish. Violent crimes committed by ordinary criminals, as well as by persons in police and military uniforms, occur throughout the country.
I am here because The Political elite in Nigeria do not obey the decisions of the courts and the president has openly endorsed violence as a means of governance. With the support of the President, the police have flagrantly set themselves above and against the judiciary; politicians in Nigeria use the Police to enforce private political vendettas.
If the president had not mangled the constitution and turned its polluted pulp into a weapon of offence against the rights and legitimate expectations of the people I definitely would not be here. I would not give up living in a country that has the potential to be one of the most beautiful and romantic places in the world.But what is beauty if there is no security.
I am a Nigerian but I had to trade the beauty of Nigeria for the Awesome Beauty, Peace and Security of Ireland. God bless the Republic of Ireland.