Today is October 1. It is exactly 57 years since Nigeria got her political independence from the British government. That day, the British Union Jack was lowered; while the Nigeria’s Green White Green flag was hoisted to signify that the nation was no longer an extension of the British Empire.
Since then, the country has passed through a lot of challenges, including a harrowing civil war. Yet, amidst agitations and grumblings over the state of affairs in the nation, it is still hear-warming that the country still exists as one entity.
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As Nigerians mark the anniversary, it is once more an opportunity for the citizens to reflect deeply on how far the nation has fared over these years. Do Nigerians really have reasons to celebrate?
We Have Reasons To Celebrate – Reps
Hon. Israel Ajibola Famurewa (APC, Osun) and Hon. Johnson Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma (PDP, Edo), both members of the House of Representatives are of the view that indeed, Nigeria and Nigerians have every reason to celebrate the country’s 57 years of nationhood.
The lawmakers in separate discussions maintained that although there are challenges of development and growth, the nation’s unity and the ongoing democratic experience are worth celebrating.
Famurewa said: “For us a nation, we are celebrating 57 years of independence, and I think we have a lot of reasons to thank God. In the last 57 years, we have passed through a lot of situations and to the glory of God; we are able to overcome some of the challenges that came our way along the line.
“The challenges came from different angles. We talk about military incursion into politics, or talk generally about our economy, security situations and all other things. But, we thank God that today we are still one, despite the fact that some people are agitating for secession.
“I know we have some challenges, we have some problems. But then, if we consider ourselves with other advanced nations like the United States of America, they also passed through all these stages before attaining the heights they are today.
“This is the first time we are having 18 years of civilian rule without any interruptions, that one alone is enough to thank God for. And we believe we will still celebrate more years to come,” Famurewa added.
Hon. Agbonayinma, on his part, stated that Nigerians must celebrate not only the years of nationhood, but also themselves for their contributions to the survival of its democracy and the consciousness that the nation must be made great again with all hands on deck.
Corruption, Bane Of Nigeria’s Development – Lawyer
Olu Omotayo, an Enugu-based lawyer and President of Citizens Rights Realisation and Advancement (CRRAN), described corruption as bane of the country’s development since independence.
Omotayo maintained that over the years, corruption has made it very difficult for the country to move forward in spite of its enormous human and material resources.
But, he stated that it is only the current President Muhammadu Buhari administration that has shown commitment to the war against corruption, “yet, elements in the same All Progressives Congress (APC) government have been frustrating his efforts.”
According to him, “This is the first time that a President will say something and the Senate President, who belongs to the same party with him, will counter it. If the number one man will say something and the third in command, his party man, will counter it, then you can see why the war against corruption is not yielding positive results.
“They are in the same party. But, they have different principles and ideology. People in the same party ought to have same principle and ideology. The development is negatively affecting the war against corruption.”
He agreed with Prof Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), that the APC members are the ones frustrating the war against corruption, even as he stressed the need to strengthen the constitution to forestall such.
Omotayo, however, commended the Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), for directing Chief Judges to designate special courts for speedy dispensation of corruption cases, stressing that what the National Assembly refused to do, the Judiciary has done it administratively.
“We must celebrate October 1. We must also celebrate ourselves. When we look at Nigeria of today, you may say people are going through pains and agony. But, I tell you, no pain, no gain. I hope that Nigeria will rise again.
“I hope and pray to God that we take Nigeria to a greater height. It’s possible; it’s doable, if all of us put our hands on deck. If we can come together, regardless of political or religious affiliations, what is important is that we are all created by God.
“We should celebrate the fact that there is no hurricane in Nigeria, there’s no tornado. Look at what is happening in the US and the Caribbean. Look at the war that going on in other parts of the world.
“We should thank God that we are where we are, even though we are not where we ought to be. We are still progressing and my plea is that let the progression be fast-tracked.
“Nigeria is our country, if you don’t value what you have, someone else will help you devalue it further. So, let’s pray for Nigeria and support this country. Let’s live together as one family,” Omotayo stressed.
Julius Igbeke, a Minna-based political scientist, maintained that the 57 years on Nigerian’s nationhood “has been of both good and unpleasant experiences.”
According to him, “I know we can do better if we have the right people in the right places. Let me also state that the fact that we have remained an indivisible nation despite our diversities, notwithstanding numerous challenges as a people, should really be one of the reasons to celebrate as a people bound by one destiny in the past 57 years.
“Nigeria as it is constituted today couldn’t have survived the challenges. Several other countries of the world with our kind of experiences, could not survive. But, here we are with well over 200 ethnic groupings, but still standing and still counting.
“One of the United States or United Kingdom envoy once said, ‘Nigeria has gone through the worst situations in its existence yet the worst has never happened to her’.
“What this comment has always reminded me and which I have kept close to my heart is that despite our internal challenges, we have continued to press on and hold unto God for the best thing that will come out of our life as a people bound by one destiny.
“I believe it can be better, anyway. But, basically, we are not doing badly by still remaining as one nation despite the noticeable internal difficulties that are already known in foreign domain.
“Having said that however, our problem is the continued holding unto parochial mindset and ideologies in the handling of some important and sensitive national issues that ordinarily we should have outgrown as a people by now.
“A man or woman of 57 years should be a grandfather or grandmother, who should handle any situation that comes his or her way as an individual who has given birth to a generation of people. That is where we have stagnated or have refused to grow.
“Nigeria @57, we are not supposed to be talking about individual differences like indigenes and non-indigenes; this is a Christian or this is a Moslem, and such a people should not be allowed to head certain offices.
“Any form of favouritism or nepotism is killing. It is very dangerous and very destructive. Until we do away with this political cankerworm of winner-takes-all through religion, regional or political inclinations, the country will not move forward.
“This has become more of a norm in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government. It is creating more problems instead of solving existing challenges we have as a people, dividing us more than bringing us together as a people.
“For how long shall we continue to assemble our kinsmen and women to occupy certain positions out of over 200 ethnic groups in Nigeria of today? For how long can we continue to undermine our secularity by encouraging a particular religion as lord it over others? For how long do we allow same people that have held this country for decades continue to rule us either directly or through proxy?
“This government owes it a duty to prove to Nigerians how far it has gone to bring about the change they promised us. Are we changing from bad to good by action or mere rhetoric or genuineness of heart devoid of political, religious and regional sentiments?
“What were we? Where were we coming from and where are we now? We have shouted to the highest heavens that we are fighting corruption. But, have we really fought corruption?
“What evidence do we have to show that we are genuinely fighting the cankerworm devoid of any iota of personal vendetta? Have we been able to do what Nigerians expected of us in making life easier and more meaningful for the common man on the streets, what sectoral changes can we beat our chest to say we have indeed done well to deserve commendations from Nigerians?
“These are some of the questions this government should provide convincing answers for if they want us to take them seriously. Today, the lecturers or ASUU, ASUP or NASU are on strike, tomorrow the doctors, nurses and other health workers will start their own strike over improved remunerations.
“Part of the problems we have in Nigeria, which is still trailing us is inconsistency in government policies. For instance, today, pump price of fuel will be this, tomorrow it will be another thing without any justifiable explanations. All these, one way or the other, bounce back on the poor masses, who are at the receiving end of policy summersaults.
“Now, we the poor masses are suffering because the government claimed it is fighting corruption and to recover stolen money cum looted treasury. But, I have always asked: What has government recovering monies from those that looted our common wealth got to do with the common man on the streets?
“Must all Nigerians starve to death because the government is recovering our monies? Is there no way these things can be done without necessarily subjecting the already impoverished masses to untimely deaths?
“We were told the recession is over, but we are still suffering. The cost of living is still above the reach of the common man. So, why promising what you cannot do? We were in a hurry to destroy what we have. For over two years, we have continued to struggle to get it right with promises upon promises when we don’t have a formidable economic team in place that could advise the government on the workability or otherwise of any socio-economic policy ever before they start implementation of such policies?
“Again, why is it that it is people from a particular religion and a political party that looted Nigeria’s treasury? How much has been recovered and why have they not made it public and start using the monies where they are needed to end the suffering of Nigerians?
“I can go on and on to enumerate issues to show that we are still almost standing where we are for years. WE have been doing more of talking that has not been able to translate into positive realities as a country.”
‘Nigeria Has Not Achieved Much Since 1960’
Chief Victor Nwadimkpa Ndiezegbulem, an Owerri-based businessman and former member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the botched Third Republic, maintained that since independence in 1960, “we have not achieved anything. Rather, we have shamelessly taken ourselves several kilometers backwards in development.
“It is on record that the nation was plunged into avoidable political skirmishes shortly after independence because the political class refused to play the game according to rules. The result was the intervention of the military in our political administration and the subsequent three and half years of civil war, which ended in January 1970.
“Since then, the nation has been moving like a rudderless ship, with coups and counter coups and with ceaseless ethnic and religious upheavals, persistent food crisis, illiteracy, decayed infrastructures, disease, insecurity, armed robbery, politically motivated assassinations, segregation discrimination and dichotomy among the various segments, leading to agitations for secession by some tribal freedom fighting organisations and so on and so forth.
“At 57, we have not justified our independence from Britain and that is why some people are calling for restructuring and I quite agree with them.
“Today, it is Boko Haram, IPOB, Arewa Niger Delta Militants and OPC. Haba! The fact that we now have more states, local governments, airports and universities is not enough for us to say that we have arrived.
“The question is: What is the standard of living of the man in the street? Does he feed well, send his children to school, take care of their problems and his extended relations? Are our leaders sincere and upright or are they swimming in the ocean of corruption?”
At 57, There Is Nothing To Celebrate – Female Politician
Dame Alice Nwakaego Akubata, former Women Leader, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a chieftain Labour Party (LP), maintained that at 57, “there is nothing for us to celebrate as a nation state. We fought ourselves in less than eight years after independence, which claimed millions of lives and properties.
“The military ruled for too long and this affected our democracy. Today, there is hunger and frustration all over the land. You cannot tell me that we are safe in this country as of today.
“The wahala (trouble) is too much. We live in fears without hope of survival. The masses are not happy with their leaders, because, they have pauperised them. May God save us.”
Nigerians Bemoan Slow Growth, Poor Infrastructure
Chief Ezekiel Owoh, a Port Harcourt-based media practitioner, has opened up on why the country is still crawling on the path of economic development and political stability 57 years after independence.
Owoh said the years of military incursion in politics, which he attributed to lack of patience, corruption and greed, has pulled the country many years backward thereby giving vent to other countries to fast track progressively than Nigeria.
“At 57, we are lagging behind due to corruption, lack of respect for elders, unfulfilled election promises, lack of equity in governance, cheating, among other things. The political class should take a major part of the blame because everything in the country revolves around them. They control everything in the most selfish manner,” he stated.
Owoh urged the government to vigorously fight corruption no matter whose ox is gored, lamenting that corrupt people in the corridors of powers are fighting back to frustrate the anti-graft war.
“The government should truly fight corruption, elders should lead in trueness, avoid ethnicity and marginalisation, greed, practice true federalism, fight unemployment, reward non-violent youths. They should do what God wants,” he added.
Owoh rejected the call for the country should return to Republican constitution. According to him, it would be a “journey back to the land of slavery for the country to return to Republican Constitution.”
He opined that the on-going agitation for restructuring means that there is urgent need to revisit issued that cause problems in the country, listing the elements as “lack of equity in appointments, developments and avoiding inciting speeches among others.”
He called on the President Buhari administration to ensure equity by providing infrastructural development in all parts of the country.
Joseph Ambakederimo, a Niger Delta activist, Convener, South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), listed the areas Nigeria has failed as a country over the years. He lamented that at 57, the country is still far behind in infrastructural development.
He said: “Everywhere you turn to, you find decrepit infrastructure that are below world standard even in comparison with what you find in some African countries. The issue of power has now become a nightmare in a country where there is abundance of oil and gas.”
He maintained that the health sector is in a dismal state and that there is nothing to write home about, stressing that many hospitals are now mere consulting centers, with patients hardly getting drugs.
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“The productivity of medical personnel is below expectation due to the fact that many of them have prioritised monetary gains well above service.
“The primary health care centres in the rural areas have long collapsed. The mantra of ‘Health for All by the year 2000’ has since been abandoned without government meeting its set target.
“The rich and public officials go to hospitals abroad to treat minor ailments. Yet, we hear government at all levels building and commissioning ultra-modern hospitals.
“In the area of housing, nothing more has been achieved across the states. We only have a semblance of mass housing in the former President Shehu Shagari era and that was the last we have heard on mass housing. It is all deceit for the past 57 years,” he added.”
Ambakaderimo, however, stressed that the telecommunication sector has been growing astronomically, even though Nigerians expect more in this sector.
“We have however improved in the area of human capital development even though we have not utilised the strength of our population to drive our development. We have cheap labour in abundance which we need to tap into for the growth of the nation.
“To sum up, the true state of Nigeria in her 57 years would be a mixed grill of the good, the bad and the ugly. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, no doubt about that.
“But, the country will be on a fast track to development if only the level of corruption will come to near zero level.
“Too many resources that either would have been deployed to critical areas to bring us at par with other countries in terms of world class infrastructure have been going into the pocket of individuals,” he concluded.
The post Nigeria @ 57: There Are Reasons To Roll Out Drums appeared first on Independent News Nigeria.
Source: Daily Independent
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