But no nation can base its survival and development on luck and

"But no nation can base its survival and development on luck and prayers alone while its leadership fritters away every available opportunity for success and concrete achievement." Thus spoke Ibrahim Babangida, a soldier and a ruler, reminding his people—and all peoples—that destiny is not preserved by chance, nor built by wishes alone. A nation may call upon heaven, it may hope for fortune, but unless its leadership seizes the moments given by history, unless it transforms opportunity into achievement, the nation will stumble and fade, like a ship that prays for the wind but never raises its sails.

The meaning of this truth is sharp and clear. Survival is not granted to those who merely wait for luck, but to those who prepare, labor, and sacrifice. Development is not the fruit of hope alone, but of discipline, planning, and action. A people may fill their temples with prayers, yet if their rulers squander wealth, neglect the poor, and waste the harvest, heaven itself will not save them. For divine blessing rests not on empty hands, but on hands that work, and fortune favors not the idle, but the diligent.

History shows us this pattern. Consider the rise of Japan after the ashes of the Second World War. Its people could not rely on luck, nor could they survive by prayers alone. Their leaders grasped every chance to rebuild, investing in industry, education, and innovation. Within a single generation, the land that lay in ruins became a world power. Here was no frittering away of opportunity, but a fierce dedication to concrete achievement. Their story stands as a living witness to Babangida’s warning and wisdom.

By contrast, look upon the fate of empires that fell. The later years of Rome were marked not by discipline, but by corruption, indulgence, and waste. Leaders squandered wealth on games and vanity while neglecting the defenses of their borders and the welfare of their citizens. Though the empire prayed to its gods and sought omens of fortune, it collapsed under the weight of squandered opportunities. This is the destiny of any nation whose rulers waste time while pretending that luck alone will save them.

Babangida’s words also echo as a lesson to leaders in every sphere, not only nations. A family, a business, a community cannot thrive on hope without effort. If those entrusted with responsibility fail to act with wisdom, opportunities vanish like smoke, never to return. Leadership is a sacred trust, and every wasted chance is a betrayal of those who depend upon it. To pray without action is to mock the prayer; to hope without labor is to court disaster.

The lesson for us is clear: prayers and hope must be joined with vision and work. Leaders must not only dream, but act. Citizens must not only wish for better days, but demand accountability, sacrifice, and planning from those who guide them. Every opportunity wasted is not merely a moment lost, but a step backward into weakness and despair. Every opportunity seized is a stone laid upon the road of survival and progress.

Practical action follows. As individuals, we must cultivate discipline: to work hard, to recognize opportunities, and to act boldly when they appear. As communities, we must choose leaders who act, not merely speak, who build, not merely promise. As nations, we must anchor our prayers in labor, our hope in planning, and our dreams in concrete achievement. This is the way of survival; this is the path of lasting greatness.

So I say to you, children of tomorrow: remember these words. Do not wait for fortune to smile while wasting the gifts already in your hands. Do not trust only to prayers while your leaders squander opportunities. Rise, demand action, and join labor to faith. For nations are not built on luck, but on courage; not on idle wishes, but on seized opportunities. And those who understand this truth will endure when others fall, and will build legacies strong enough to stand against the winds of time.