By Asangba Tzudir
As Nagaland steps into another new year, the same familiar hope for change remain in our hearts. And we often view through the top-down lens and hope and also look upon for change to happen. We look to governments, institutions, and our leaders to bring change, the changes that the people of Nagaland so long to see. While leadership matters, the truth about change is simple yet demanding because the lens of change needs to change. Unless there is a shift in the perspective in which we view the path to change, it is not going to happen. Nagaland will see change only when each one of us chooses to change what lies within our own control and the things we consider little things.
Changes do not begin through policy documents alone or the developmental works related to infrastructure, but it lies rooted in our daily conduct. This is where every citizen has a role, regardless of age, tribe, profession, or social standing. For every citizen, changes start with responsibility. Keeping our surroundings clean and not just the inside, respecting public property through care, following traffic rules, and paying bills honestly. These may appear like small acts, yet they shape the moral fabric of a society. A litter-free Nagaland, an orderly queue, being mindful of the traffic rules, and respect for the rule of law quietly signals a “coming community” where people have decided to take ownership of their land. Nagaland cannot change and progress if civic discipline is taken as someone else’s duty.
Considering the attitudinal trend of the younger generation, parents and families carry a sacred responsibility. Values are not taught first in classrooms but around the family fire. Teaching children honesty, respect for elders, diligence, and empathy are investment in human values far greater than wealth. In a time when social media glorifies shortcuts and instant fame, families must inject patience, hard work, and integrity. A generation raised on values will build a future stronger than any infrastructure project.
Youth are the most powerful agents of change. Considering the saturation in the Govt. sector, instead of waiting for government jobs alone, young people must explore entrepreneurship, agriculture, skill-based trades, sports, arts, and technology. However, dignity of labour needs to be reclaimed. Alcoholism and Substance abuse, idleness, and online toxicity are enemies of change. The energy of the youth, when disciplined and driven by purpose, can reshape Nagaland’s economy and social life.
Churches and religious institutions, which hold deep influence in Nagaland, must focus on voices of conscience beyond rituals and programmes by speaking courageously against corruption, tribalism, violence, and injustice. There is a lot of Faith revival mission left to do which then will enable ethical living, compassion for the poor, and reconciliation among divided communities. A spiritually vibrant Nagaland must also be morally upright.
Civil society organizations, student bodies, and Village Councils also have a crucial role in nurturing transparency and accountability. They must rise above factional interests and act as bridges between people and institutions. Constructive criticism, dialogue, and community participation are integral to strengthening democracy. Silence in the face of wrongdoing only deepens decay.
Leaders in the political, administrative, and traditional carry an even greater responsibility. Leadership must be about service and not entitlement. Transparency, humility, and accountability are no longer optional especially in the wake of an aware and watchful public. When leaders lead by example, trust is restored and cooperation follows.
Finally, change requires unity, and Nagaland’s diversity should be seen as a gift, but not a barrier. Tribal identity should rather enrich the state, instead of causing fragments. The New Year also calls for healing old wounds, rejecting hatred, and learning to come together and dialogue instead of dividing.
Needless to say but Nagaland’s desirable change will not arrive overnight. It will come through countless decisions made daily by individuals who refuse to see decaying Nagaland as normal. If each one of us resolves to live responsibly, speak truthfully, work honestly with integrity, and share love generously, the New Year will mark not just another calendar change, but the beginning of a renewed Nagaland.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com).
