THE LOST ONES.

I decided to title this particular post- The Lost Ones, after a track in Lauryn Hill's outstanding album, THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL. Lauryn Hill is an artiste I really admire. She's good at what she does and she is very frank about her feelings towards different issues. Having lived in England at different periods of my life, I have come across different people and I've walked through lots of Neighbourhoods. I have seen people who I believe have their origins in Nigeria. I call these people the lost ones. I'm not in any way trying to despise them for living in the western world where they are sometimes not appreciated. I am also not trying to say they don'y know what they are doing or have become stranded in Europe, America or Canada. I am seeing them as the precious human resources that Nigeria has lost due to bad and visionless leadership.

When will the lost ones return home? Can they ever return home? Can they ever forgive the Nigerian Government for sending their parents into the Western world as refugees, or for letting them leave to seek greener pastures outside Nigeria? When I come across black or multi- racial kids in Britain, who bear Nigerian names like Dayo, Funsho, Jide, Ikenna, Chukwudi, Musa, Fatima, Jumoke etc etc, I become sad and angry with those that put them in the situation that they are. This is because even though they were born in a developed society like Britain, they have to struggle to gain recognition which is easily given to their white, fairheaded and blue eyed counterparts. It seems as if the blackman is destined to fight for everything if he wants to make progress in life. Another painful thing is that they could have contributed to the development of Nigeria if a conducive environment had been provided for them there.

I see the lost ones on the streets of London and Essex daily. I've seen some of them in Bristol, Maidstone, Folkstone and other areas of Kent. Some of them were born in the UK while others were born in Africa. Some of those that were born in Africa have become British citizens through marriage, Ancestry, switching nationality due to their possessing a special talent or ability, or serving in the British Armed Forces. I also want to note that some of ' The Lost Ones ', are what the Government of the western countries term as illegal immigrants. However, this set of people I have mentioned are mostly treated in the same way. They are seen as foreigners who have come to contaminate the pure racial make up of the indigenous white people. It is a veiled kind of racism that blacks face in the Western world.

I often wonder about what the Nigerian and other African Governments are doing to help the lost ones return home. The development of Africa lies in the hands of her children who are outside her shores. What is making it so difficult for Africans in the diaspora to return home? Why do the The Lost Ones prefer living in countries where they are discriminated against and seen as scums, criminals and never do wells? I feel that Africans in the diaspora don't want to return to their continent of origin because of her underdevelopment. African leaders are mostly visionless and very greedy. They are also bad leaders who wont let those that want to change things get into power. There are so many intelligent africans abroad that can give Africa the creative leadership it needs. Africa needs creative leaders that can take the continent to the next level. The shocking truth is that many of the creative leaders we need are in the diaspora. The President we need might just be washing plates in a restaurant in London, or might be driving a Taxi Cab in New York. The Lost Ones need to be brought back home. Africa needs them more than the Western economies. However, the Nigerian Government has to wake up to its responsibility. President Yar'Adua needs to get the ball rolling by tackling the Electricity problem first and other things will follow. We need serious leaders at the moment and I hope our curent leader is serious enough. And how was your day? Cheers.