Every 1st of October, we mark our independence. Independence from the British imperialists 55 years ago signified our birth as a nation. At the stroke of midnight on Oct. 1, 1960, at a racecourse outside Lagos, a crisp green and white flag was hoisted, replacing the Union Jack. As fireworks lit up the sky, tens of thousands of people roared collectively and sang the words of a new national anthem. After a century of British rule, Nigeria had become an independent nation.
That morning, the first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, gave a historic speech. "Having been accepted as an independent state, we must at once play an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilization," he said. "We shall not fail for want of determination."
It is 55 years down the line, and we wonder whether the current state of affairs of our nation is what the founding fathers fought for. They had great dreams for our nation, but those dreams have been eroded over time by the greed of a few, and the apathy of the majority.
We got our independence on a platter of gold- without bloodshed. Perhaps if we had fought for our independence, we would have cherished it richly.
We love to celebrate our independence, but how independent are we as a nation today? Our heavy dependence on crude-oil exports has been to our detriment. Prices are plummeting rapidly and no one wants to buy our oil. We rely on imports of a whole lot of things, even food items. Agriculture that was the mainstay of our economy is now dead. Security is in shambles.
What is there to celebrate? Infrastructure is in deplorable condition. Electric power is erratic. The transportation sector is grossly inefficient. Health services are poor. The life expectancy for the average Nigerian is about 52 years. Education is not getting the required attention. Many youths are unemployed or under-employed. These are times when our rulers are hailed for paying salaries, constructing bridges or picking their ministers. The glimmer of hope we have for a brighter future is barely there. We must not let it flicker out.
We seem to have lost focus. The whole point of becoming an independent nation was for us to have control of our resources for the good of our people. Colonialism gave way to military rule. Military gave way to a lopsided democracy- government by a chosen, untouchable few. We recycle our leaders at our expense then act surprised when we hear that they are in possession of stolen funds. Who are we deceiving?
Some people will tell us to pray for Nigeria. If I were God, I would not answer such prayers. You don’t elect idiots and expect miracles. You don’t keep quiet when leaders are misbehaving and expect that God will give them dirty slaps. God will not give us good roads or boost our economy. God does not build factories nor create employment.
The 160 million people on this soil make up Nigeria. This nation isn’t for a select few. It is not just enough to admire places like London, New York, Dubai or Tokyo. When a leader has vision, anything is possible. A couple of decades ago, Dubai was a desert. Now, it is a tourism hub. Israel, a desert country, has an irrigation system so efficient that it exports fruit. Tiny Japan that saw catastrophic devastation when atomic bombs were dropped on its territory is now the home of electronics. We are here, wallowing in the wilderness and reenacting the Israelite journey.
Some people would blame colonialism, or demons or Jonathan Goodluck for Nigeria’s woes. The person that will succeed would make plans, not excuses. While we are excusing mediocrity, begging America to buy our oil, other countries are discovering new frontiers, exploring Mars, developing cures for diseases that were once thought to be incurable and improving their infrastructure.
Nigeria has more resources than a lot of countries put together. Nigeria occupies a strategic position, has abundant land mass, vast mineral resources and rich land for agriculture. It has waterways and a coastline. In terms of manpower, Nigeria is the most populous black nation. The culture is rich. The languages are diverse. Nigeria can also boast of having some of the best brains in the world. Dr Phillip Emegwali, known as the “father of the internet”, developed the world’s fastest computer.
Nigeria has the potential to be the greatest nation on earth. The problem is that we are too complacent. We tolerate obnoxious acts from our leaders. We allow our leaders to eat all the bread and applaud when crumbs are tossed at us. We allow ourselves to be lured away from real issues. We get carried away over things that have no direct bearing on our lives.
We all need a change of attitude. We must arise to take charge of the future for the sake of the generations of unborn Nigerians. We must stand for democracy, accountability and due process. We must insist on the rule of law and due process. We should do away with religious, tribal and even political sentiments. Political parties will merge and go into oblivion, politicians would always pursue their personal interests but we the ideals we fight for and the legacy we leave would remain forever. We owe it to the coming generations to do the right thing. Nigeria is bigger than the selfish and twisted ambitions of just a few. Nigeria belongs to us all. The onus is on us to make Nigeria great. Our Eagle must soar again.
Happy Independence Day!!!
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