Where does change really begin?

However, the question many people ask is, where does change really start?
Change is the only thing that is constant in life. According to one online dictionary, change simply means “to make the form, nature, content, future course etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.” At some point in our lives, we have in one way or the other gone through some changes for various reasons, be it personal, social or leadership aspect of change.
I overheard two friends arguing about how our leaders need to change in order for us to tackle corruption in the country. One of the friends suggested that for change to take place the citizens need to change themselves first while the other guy argued that change must come from the top (our leaders). This made me ponder for a while, where does change actually begin? The following respondents shared varied yet interesting views on the issue.
Muhammed Umar, a 27-year-old engineer, believes that change comes from us and for the world to change; each person has to change his\herself first. He said the truth is we cannot change anyone but ourselves however; we can have influence on others. “For example, if you apply for a job and you are asked to pay some amount of money before you are given a job offer, try and be the change the country needs. Don’t give a bribe or office favour as it is called. For our country to move forward, we have to change ourselves first and I believe that, one has to learn to avoid giving bribes whatsoever. Don’t give, and don’t collect,” Umar explained.
Felicia Ayuba, as student of Kaduna State University, says one of the hardest lessons to learn is that you can only change yourself. She adds that the mistake most people make is trying so hard to change others: “It surprises me when I see some people putting so much effort in changing other people, especially when they try to change a person’s behavior when they (the people doing that) clearly need to change themselves first before attempting to change others.”
She cited the case of one of her friends: “I have a friend that complains about her roommate, saying she is promiscuous and how she depends on men to take care of her personal and financial needs. Yet, this same friend of mine benefits from her roommate because most of the time she takes care of her feeding and handouts. In fact, she is her savior, especially when she is broke. I have told my friend time without number that she needs to change herself by not collecting gifts and cash from her (roommate) since she knows the source of the gifts, and afterwards she can help her change into a better person,” she said.
Ayuba advises that: “People should understand that things aren’t just the way they are. So save yourself some frustration today and try to learn to stop trying to change others. Focus instead on changing your own faults and you may find yourself living a happier and more peaceful life.”
Babagana Kotoko, 35, a civil servant, on the other hand believes change comes from the top and shouldn’t be an individual thing. He argues that change should be done collectively and not individually, stressing that Nigeria is in a serious mess and needs to be changed. But believes change shouldn’t come from just average Nigerians who are struggling to make ends meet. “Honestly, for Nigeria to move forward, the leaders of our country have vital roles to play before we get changes. If top leaders are greedy, selfish and corrupt, how do you expect ordinary Nigerians to bring about change?” Kotoko stated.
Aisha Yusuf, 23, says change is inevitable so we all must accept and live with it. She however, said you must first change yourself before you can change people around you: “People have this mindset that they should first of all change people around them but that mentality is actually wrong. Just like the saying, ‘we cannot change the past but we should learn from it and move on.’”
Yusuf explained that change begins when we accept things the way they are and try to make the best out of them, adding that change begins when we make the impossible to become possible. “When we try and change the way we think, then the right change that we need would definitely come to us,” she enthused.
Joseph Yusuf, an accountant in his early 30s, thinks that change becomes really effective when a group of people come together with the same mission to fight for it. He said a perfect example is how Nigerians came out en masse to vote out PDP in the recent general elections.
“Nigerians had to change themselves by not letting politicians bribe them with small gifts that wouldn’t add up to their lives in any way. They realised that there was a problem and as a result, they were willing to bring about change. We wouldn’t have been where we are today if not for Nigerians as a whole. Therefore, I think change works best when people come together as one to achieve great changes that will impact the lives of many. The main reason why people want change is for the betterment of their lives. It is also important to encourage people to strive hard in pursuing change,” Yusuf said.