Vision is simply the power of sight, which is a function of the enlargement of an individual's mind, resulting to one possessing a broader perspective and perception. It takes men of vision for the building of a nation to be possible. Men with a large heart and mind; and a broader look of things. Nation builders must be visionaries within their countries; they should serve as the eyes of their nation. If there is any handicap in most nations today, it is the absence of visionaries. Men with greater insight into the what, why, how, where, when, and who of nation building. Nation building is not the duty for blind people, but for men of vision.
This implies that, a visionary is a hero in nation building, who sees and corrects what others don't see.
Through the eyes of vision, Problems are viewed as promotions, Crises as opportunities, Obstacles as miracles,
Set backs as set-ups for comebacks God, give us men of vision. In this course, we will be looking at vision in three different perspectives. Vision, as insight to what one has. Vision, as an inward picture, or Conception. Vision as foresight into the future.
VISION AS INSIGHT OF WHAT ONE HAS
Life owes no man. All that we need is already within and around us. All what a nation needs to become an economic power is already within that nation. All what is needed, is insight into what each nation has. It is easy to appreciate what another person has, at the expense of what one has. Most people as a result of their ignorance order or import what they have and even pay expensively for what they have. Many developing countries are looking abroad not knowing that what they are looking for is already within their reach. Developing nations should stop searching for what is not lost; all what they need are visionaries who through the power of vision will uncover what individual nations have.
Nation builders are men who are able to see something, where others see nothing. Perceive opportunities in the midst of crises. Moses, one of the greatest nation builders in scriptural history, came to a place of vision, where he could appreciate the rod in his hand. He carried the answer to the deliverance of his nation in his hands but he did not realise it, until when his eyes opened. If each developing nation will only realise what she has at her disposal, then invest to develop it, then there will be a breakthrough in economic power in each developing nation this century. It seems to me that, the advanced societies see more of what developing countries have than the developing countries themselves. While citizens of developing countries travel abroad to do mean jobs, citizens of advanced nations travel to developing nations to exploit the treasures they have. Developing nations have been plagued with the third world mentality in such a way that, their self-esteem has given way to inferiority complex. Citizens from advanced nations come and succeed in developing nations, while citizens of developing nations are running away to seek for asylum in the west. I remember as a child, how much I appreciated 'Whiteman yards', because of their flowers and fruit gardens. What makes it difficult for us to have planted our own flowers? Mentality!
I believe this is the time of change for all nations. What each nation needs are visionaries who will uncover what they have at their disposal. The difference between a poor nation and a rich nation is in the ability to make use of what each nation has. There is no nation even in the developed world, which has maximized even 30% of what she has. Nations are perplexed simply because of ignorance of the answers within their reach. Ignorance of what one has, is the greatest enemy to the maximisation of one's potential. There is no empty place but blind people. Just imagine Israel (with a terrain which looks like a barren desert) a single cow produces sixty litters of milk a day, which proves that
There is Water even in the driest desert, Paths even in the wildest wilderness, but it takes men of vision to see the solution within a nation.
THE POWER OF A NATION
There is no reason why there should be powerful nations and weaker nations. Stronger economies and weaker economies. According to Providence, every nation has what it takes to become a superpower. All its take is for that nation to discover her human and natural resources, and then invest in transforming them into influence and affluence.
Nothing happens by chance. It is said in physics that 'an object is at its resting place until a force is applied to it. Human and natural resources are like seeds within a nation, until they are cultivated and developed to their fullest potential, they can't yield dividend.
Each nation must go beyond wishing to working, investing to transform both her human and natural resources into wealth and strength.
HUMAN RESOURCES
There can't be a nation without people. People are the greatest strength of a nation. Every citizen of a nation is carrying great potential to contribute in nation building. It is unfortunate that many are looking up to their country, not knowing their country is looking up to them. Some out of ignorance of what they carry have surrendered themselves to drunkenness, smoking, immorality, gambling, etc. For a nation to be built, individuals must discover their unique potential and their area of contribution. In most developing countries, out of 100% only 2 % of the people are involved in nation building. The rest sit as liabilities, complaining, murmuring and criticizing, while some spend all their time in bars and chicken parlours. I believe it's time we changed, before we are chased. One of the areas a nation should invest in, is in developing the people within it. A less developed country is not necessarily a poor country, but a country with less developed minds. It is people who change a society and not the society which changes people. The development of people should be the focus of any nation, through her educational scheme. For a nation to achieve effective development, quality education is expedient. For an educational process to be effective in achieving human development, it must offer academic programs which are holistic in nature, taking into consideration the development of the total man. Such an educational process will produce well developed individuals, capable of responding to multiple life's privileges and responsibilities.
When a nation is made up of less developed minds, she will be at the mercy of advanced nations with people of developed minds, as is the case with most developing countries. I believe it is time for the developing nations to stopped oppressing their citizens. Instead, much should be invested to develop the people within each nation. When people are well developed, their sensitivity towards their inward potential and contribution in nation building increases.
It will be unfair to conclude on human resource development without rebuking the habit of selfishness, tribalism, racism etc which has led to the situation in most nations where people who are not from a favoured area, are deprived of exercising their potential. This attitude has led to the brain drain situation in developing nations, were their qualify citizens prefer travelling to work in advanced nations were they will be value than in their own nations under conditions of nepotism. This situation has only lead to the handicap of most developing nations in terms of their human resource capital.
It is time for each nation to make her people love their beloved country. Nobody will stay where he is not appreciated. What you don't appreciate, will depreciate.
NATURAL RESOURCES
God owes no nation, each nation is endowed with natural resources which when well managed, can lead a nation to unspeakable development. Capacity in resources may not all be the same with every country, but each nation is blessed with a degree of natural resources. I believe the differences in natural resources between countries, is a function of their individual destinies in terms of responsibility to their people and the world.
To whom much is given much will be required. The greater the privilege, the greater the responsibility.
The more the favour, the more the labour.
A day is coming when each nation will have to render an account, for what was done with her natural resources to impact her people and the world. Natural resources on their own cannot impact the economy of a nation, except they are first of all discovered and then processed to their fullest utility. The problem with most countries is the inability to properly manage the natural resources bestowed on them. Some are living in complete ignorance of the potential of natural resources at their disposal thus; they surrender their natural wealth to developed nations who in turn process and market back to less developed countries at prices they dictate.
May God give every nation, nation builders with eyes to see and wisdom to transform natural resources to potential products? For this to be possible, every nation should spare no effort to train and develop their people, to manage and control their own resources. I believe God has given the same brain to every people.
It's time developing nations outgrew the third world mentality by developing confidence in themselves and their people. This will lead to a breakthrough even in the least of nations in this Millennium. Every country needs nation builders who have eyes to see what their nations have and are able to inspire others to see alike. With this, no nation will be weak and impotent.
VISION AS INNER PICTURES OR CONCEPTIONS
What is not a mental picture cannot become an actual picture what is not visualised cannot be actualised.
Where there is no conception, there can't be birth. Nation builders must be visionaries carrying within them, mental pictures of their desired plans and dreams for their nation. It is this visions and dreams which will determine the actual destiny of their nation. God in creating the heavens and the earth carried within Him a mental picture of His desired heaven and earth. It was this picture which guided Him through the path of creation.
Nation builders are bound to make mistakes if they are working without any mental picture or conception of where they are going to, through what they are doing. For 'Where there is no vision the people perish'. The greatest problem affecting most nations today is that, most of those who claim to be nation builders operate without vision, (mental picture or conception of the plan of where they are going, and how they can get there).
Vision empowers living. Vision is the only motion for life. Without vision there can't be direction. Vision is the secret behind startling accomplishments. Vision is the only way forward.
VISION AS FORESIGHT INTO THE FUTURE
The future is something we can't escape from. The only thing to do is to prepare for the future today. Today is the womb and tomorrow is the child, which implies that, tomorrow is a function of today's plans. Tomorrow does not exist without a connection with today. Nation builders must see tomorrow through the eyes of vision, in order to create plans which will preserve their nations in the future. Lack of vision for the future is a great handicap to most nations. Many civil wars and other natural disasters would have been averted, if only people saw the future.
Nation builders through their vision of the future are able to make plans to preserve their nation in the future. Nothing preserves a nation like nation builders with foresight into the future. According to scriptural history, Egypt was preserved in the days of Joseph because of his vision of the future. After seven years of plenty, Egypt would have plunged into seven years of death, if not of Joseph. His vision for the future motivated him to come out with economic plans during Egypt's seven years of plenty, which preserved Egypt during the seven years of famine. All nations at that time came to Egypt for food.
Every nation needs the Joseph kind of people; men who can see the future and come out with strategies to preserve lives in the future. In the years 2010 - 2020, nation's void of visionaries of this magnitude will plunge into darkness.
Let's ask God for eyes to see through times or ahead of time. Nation builders must be men of Vision. They must see what they have; they must carry a mental picture of where they are going to, and how they will get there. Finally, they must be men of foresight into the future. These three levels of vision are imperative for the survival of any nation.
THE PRODUCTS OF VISION
Discovery Vision, (The ability to see what one has) inspires discovery. Unless there is discovery, there can't be recovery.
Every nation is bestowed with all it takes to rise unto great heights. Vision is the path which leads to the discovery of all a nation has. Most problems in nations will be solved, as each nation enters into discovery, through the power of vision.
Action Vision inspires action and actions speak louder than words. A man cannot but act the mental pictures he carries of where he is going to, and how he can get there. Complacent and passive people are men without vision. Vision sets you on motion. Most people sit like parked trucks waiting for things to happen. Things don't happen by chance but people make things happen. Things happen as a result of a well-calculated plan of action.
Show me a progressive society, I will show you a society which through vision, work has become a lifestyle. In most countries, people spend time drinking, smoking, prostituting, gambling etc. I believe the only way out of this present frustration is for each nation to include Nation Building as a subject in all educational institutions.
Vision will transform a nation from an idle, pleasure-seeking nation, to a strong and hardworking nation. Vision is the only way forward for most developing nations.
Direction: Vision gives direction. Direction births focus, Focus births concentration, and Concentration produces penetration and penetration breaks resistance. A society without a vision will lack direction. Such a society will experience waste because; much will be invested toward the wrong direction. Proper direction helps in the maximisation of time and the resources God has placed at our disposal. If one misses his direction, he will miss distinction.
DR Benard Etta is an author of fifty books, a Social scientist, visionary, educator, mentor, coach and CEO of Nation Builders International, an educative and human resource organisation. Man of the year 2005, nomination by American Biographical Institute. Third most influential anglophone Cameroonian, nomination by a Cameroonian leading news paper (Cameroon post) 2003. Honorary Doctorate degree on special field Human Resource Development, from life leadership University USA etc NATION BUILDERS INTERNATIONAL, PO BOX 6146 info@nationbuildersint.org YAOUNDE CAMEROON
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