BEVERLY HILLS, October 14, (THEWILL) – Nigeria independence is celebrated every 1st October, this year’s celebration is remarkable as it is the diamond jubilee; exactly 60 years since the country gained independence from her colonial masters.
Public commentator, Kingsley Nnnajiofor writes that curiously, there are mixed feelings among Nigerians, while some Nigerians believe that there is still hope for the country to recover and move forward, others are asking whether there is anything diamond about Nigeria looking at the level of decay and retrogression. 60 years after, has the dream of the Nationalists who took the gauntlets and fought for Nigeria independence been realized or dashed?
To be candid, a child born when Nigeria won her independence is 60 year old today and he is no longer a child but a father, mother, grandfather or grandmother.
The air of despondency, indifference, and not too visible excitements attached to this year’s celebration is a cause for sober reflection, these feelings are justifiably so, given the current state of affairs that have subjected many Nigerians to life of penury, hunger, insecurity and joblessness. The spate of hopelessness and helplessness amongst the citizens is stomach churning.
An occasion which ought to be celebrated with pomp and pageantry has turned to avenue for people to vent their frustrations and angst over the many failings of the Nigeria system. The result of this is being felt precariously in the social interactions and commerce. Economic chauvinism and mind-blowing exploitation has become the norm rather than the exception. It is a common place to see Nigerians exploiting fellow citizens so brazenly, this culture of chauvinism today is manifesting on all fronts – the exorbitant cost of food items, the activities of fraudsters, ritualists, kidnappers, robbers and of course the psychopathic killings by terrorist groups are all telling indication that the country has derailed from the dreams of the founding fathers
Alluding to the above scenario, the Vanguard newspaper in their Independence day’s publication captured the lamentations of a man who shares the same birthday with Nigeria independence day. The man could not hide his deep-seated frustrations.
Comrade Anthony Emanuel Nted, is the Chairman, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN’s Advisory Council. The immediate past President-General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, and former Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in his accounts blamed the leadership of Nigeria since independence for the country’s inability to make progress.
“If I say I am not happy, it will sound as if I am not grateful. The truth is that I am growing, but Nigeria is not growing. One had expected Nigeria to be growing as I am growing, but Nigeria has remained static. I am happy that we are an independent nation, and I am happy that I was born on the day Nigeria got her independence. But besides that, the only reason why I am happy is that I am alive. For the country, what has been going on year after year does not inspire hope. Leadership has remained the bane of the country development and growth. Is it not sad that for 60 years Nigeria cannot find a solution to its leadership challenge? What it is to celebrate, a country that cannot give 12 hours of electricity to its citizens, a country that is one of the leading oil procuring countries in the world, yet imports petroleum products, a country that cannot provide motorable roads for its citizens, a country that cannot provide free and quality education to its citizens, a country that cannot feed its citizens, or a country that cannot protect its citizens? Can people who have no job, no accommodation, no cheap and reliable transport system, no affordable and quality health services, or afford the necessities of life celebrate? The answer is no. It is only when these things are available and affordable for the citizens and the citizens are safe, their properties are secured, that people can think of celebration. Leadership We need leaders that have foresight, vision, energy, youthfulness among others. We need leaders that can on themselves, find out the true situations of things, what the masses are passing through and not what sycophants tell them. We need strong and able leaders. President Muhammadu Buhari is a very good president. He is not corrupt. But we cannot say so about those working with him. In a situation where you have people referred to as cabals who shield the president from the truth, from what the citizens are passing through and so on, there is a problem. We need a president that is youthful and mobile that can decide on his own to wake up in the morning and decide to visit the ports, the factories, the road projects, slums or shanties where people are living, the schools and others to see the situations of things on his own. He can decide on his own to go and see the access roads to the ports or go to Abakiliki, Aba, Ogoni, Southern Kaduna, Niger, Oshogbo, Isolo, industrial areas and other places to see what is happening not what sycophants tell him. When the president is strong and agile, he will be able to do these things. In all, we also need a president like Buhari who will not steal, has the interest of the nation above family interest, and believes in Nigeria, not a sectional, tribal or religious bigot.”
The above represents the feelings of majority of Nigerians who have given up on their hopes of a new Nigeria where everyone irrespective of background, social status will be able to achieve his or her dreams and attain whatever heights he or she aspire to attain.
At independence there were high hopes that the country would leapfrog to a modern civilized society that can compete favorably with any other country in all development indices given the vast human and natural resources in the country. But today the sad reality is that the country has plunged to the bottom low in the global development statistics.
Over the years many Nigerians who witnessed the historic momentum the independence era ushered in are still aghast looking at what the country has become. The country was set on trajectory to become a major player in global economy and power equation, the patriotic founding fathers of Nigeria like Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo envisaged and labored to place the country in a good stead to speed up economic growth that would guarantee the wellbeing of every Nigerian.
They saw a great nation which strength lies in her diversity, resilience of countrymen, abundant human capital and natural resources which can be utilized and mobilised to create a nation that would be self-reliant in defense and self-sufficient in economy.
Many countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Rwanda were all far behind when Nigeria started their journey to nationhood. Singapore a third WORLD country in 1960 was reeling in poverty, hunger and diseases but today Singapore is one of the best economies in the world with the best healthcare system, high per-capita income, quality education and good welfare packages for citizens. Dubai was a desert in the 1990’s but today the country is number one tourist destination and business hub. What of Malaysia? This tiny Arabic nation visited Nigeria in 1970s and took some palm seedlings and today Malaysia is the largest exporter of palm produce and has attained an admirable level of economic growth that other countries’ nationals including Nigerians flock into the country in search of greener pasture.
With a population said to be about 200 million, 250 ethnic groups, world’s largest black population and also the largest oil producer in Africa, Nigeria is expected to be at the very forefront of economic growth and development.
Despite years of military rules and the ravaging effects of the civil war, the return to civilian rule in 1999 was heralded as a watershed to usher rapid economic growth and equitable distribution of resources but twenty years after, the country is still reeling in decrepit socioeconomic doldrums.
Between 1999 and 2014, the boom in the sales of Nigeria’s crude oil were expected to effectively tackle some of the country’s critical economic challenges – create massive jobs, build critical infrastructures like roads, constant power supply, build industries, provide zero or single digit interest loan facilities and grants to boost economic activities and supports SMEs. Sadly, these expectations still largely remain a pipe dream.
The successive governments since the return to democratic rule in 1999 have continued to adopt wobbling economic policies and precipitate sickening corruption that make delivering dividends of democracy to the people a near impossible task.
Former Nigeria Minister of finance and the Coordinating Minister during former president Goodluck regime, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was said to have cautioned over the reckless government spending and advised that the Excess Crude Reserve (ECR) be secured for the ‘rainy days,’ an advice that was blatantly rejected by the Governors who gleefully demanded that the monies be shared against the wise counsel of a world class economic manager.
The current financial quagmire the country is facing perhaps could have been averted if those who superintended over the leaderships of the country within that period have applied caution and utilized the windfalls from oil sales when the price of crude oil was over $100 per barrel.
Today the prices of crude oil in the global oil market have plummeted to an all-time low of about $30 – $46 per barrel making economic planning and implementation a herculean task for the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obviously, with political will and sound economic policies, there is still hope for Nigeria to make amends and redirect the state’s ship towards the winning ways and economic prosperity.
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