Nigeria got her Independence on October 1st 1960 and ever since then it has been an annual anniversary across the nation. In October,2023 it was the 63rd anniversary celebration of the Independence. What we celebrate is actually the labour and sacrifice of our past leaders who kept aside their geopolitical interests, tribalism, religious nepotism and greed to put Nigeria in the orbit of global developmental trend. They struggled for our Independence. Our socio political system we have in place today, wouldn’t have fetched us Independence state or even exist as a nation. Our political structure is expected to generate a positive and enriching nation where we reason outside the box. We should be seen producing and not consumming. Politics should be a tool to development. What we are seeing today after 63 years were Greediness, selfish political entity, corruption and other negative devises that does not give room for speedy national development. All these have bred robbery, kidnapping, notable criminal cases and massive lawlessness in very facets of our national life. Nigeria as a nation is blessed with large quantities of mineral resources which can sustain the economy for many years. The mineral deposit are found and spread virtually in every state of Nigeria. Have we mined them apart from few individuals who mined them and export them illegally?
Our political structure is expected to generate a positive and enriching nation where we restore hope to the people.
It is painful that after 63 years of our Independence as a nation we are yet to stand on our feet and ensure that the country develop appropriately and create a path for the nation to grow socially, economically ,politically and culturally. That is just the lacuna we find ourselves today. Our children are watching us with empathy and crying loud by saying Daddy/ Mummy where are we going from here? What is our hope for future as a nation? At 63, we are economically weak to the extent that we import almost every good items to our country. We are more of consumption economy than productive economy. We are still seeking for loans from other countries to build our infrastructure. We are the major indeptor of loans from counties like China. We only hope one day China will not take over our airports and seaports, our economic powers and manage them to recover their loans if we fail to repay back our loans within a stipulated time frame. Uganda once suffered such doom several years ago. The Entebbe airport was being managed by Chinese government because the government and people failed to repay their outstanding loans they got from china. Economically, what grounds are we preparing for our children still in pedagogical level?None is my observed response.. Going to school today is like waste of resources to an average poor parent in Nigeria as their children cannot secure job after schooling or have some thing tangible doing to sustain themselves or their families . We have some Nigerians who today have huge investments out side the country like Dubai, South Africa, etc with high returns coming to their personal pockets. Some have big investments with no single Nigerian employed or seen working there. What a shame? What a wicked set of leaders. Yet we go to churches / mosques to call on God to help Nigeri to grow. How can God consider our plight when He has given some people the economic strength to lift us to the next level? Except God reconsider the plight of the poor we may be worst of than how we started. The outcome of such economic derailment lead to increase rate of crimes like banditry, kidnapping, daily killings, armed robbery and name it. That attest to the book of Isaiah 1 : 9 which states:
, , .
Just for the sake of few people ( sacrificial leaders in our mist.) we should have suffered more than what we are seeing now.
Politically,we claim to be the largest politically structured nation in Africa and yet our leaders continue to swim more on corruption and gross abuse of power. The politicians even caused most of our problem. Almost all the structures put in place under the military regime are still working. The one’s handled by the politicians are eye saw daily crying for repairs. They were short lived. Education is in shambles, industrial growth at low level, health facilities not available to large number of communities, no accessible roads, unemployment almost 100%.
Some times ago our political leaders resolved to shift the goal post to south as against the north which has been holding the seat of power for the past 62 years. That process brought in the present leadership to power under the APC. The President is consolidating and trying his best in the mist of numerous challenges. We only hope to have policies that will improve the standard of living of the people and improve the economy of the nation. We operate under failed institutional structures. Unemployment have gone beyond our imagination with consequences staring at us directly. Our religious institutions expected to correct the ills through their numerous interventions have degenerated. Schools established by these bodies can only be attended by the children of the rich even when the monies used to build such schools are generated by the poor members of such religious organizations.. For us to appreciate the Independence anniversary we are celebrating we need to
conduct a social anaylsis
with the view of
identifying what are the variables that brought us to this level of decay and what strategies can we put in place to reposition us for the future. We must at each level of governance,set our goals right and focus on them to generate a paradigm shift in our actions and orientations. Let’s put the right peg in its right hole.The party should set aside their Party differences and build a crop of leaders that will move the nation forward. Our leadership style should focus on leadership for results and not leadership for advocacy. All hands must be on deck to change the narrative. It shouldn’t be business as traditional in all our developmental process. The time is now, to build a new Nigeria. We don’t need to look at our past history, but focus on future with determination to reposition Nigeria. Nigeria is ourcountry and we shall all salvage it together. Nigeria shall be great again. Great Nigeria,here we come. Happy Anniversary.
