Fifty three years ago the Union Jack was lowered for green white green flag, it was celebrations of great hope, which ushered a nation considered to be the home for the black race. It was characterized by goodwill messages from world leaders projecting the aspirations of the negroid race.
The emerging leadership dedicated themselves to selfless service. Nigeria's independence struggle like others was characterized by minimum bloodshed but predominantly it was incarcerations of the nationalists. On departure, Britain bequeathed legacies of unity in diversity, hard work, transparency, accountability, justice, equity and qualitative educational structures which were assets for national development. However, it was mere political liberation with the economy still manipulated for neo-colonial advantage.The Marxist theory of the economic super-structures determines the political structure underlies the nature of economic relations of the new World order. The concession of a flag independence might have been necessitated by budgetary pressure of sustaining colonialism as a policy.
To the founding fathers, leadership was service to humanity. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa etc embraced the challenges of building a new nation despite their differences. To them leadership is responsibility given to man by God for the benefit of all. Even though their visions were short lived they laid the foundation of a great nation.
They archived great feats without Oil but foreign reserve earners were groundnuts, cotton, skin and hides, tin, etc from the North, cocoa from the West and coal from the East. These great minds never corrupted themselves with personal greed but considered the interest of the nation as paramount. Free education was introduced with foreign scholarships to build the people that will build the new nation. The judicial system was effective and re-positisioned to resolve all forms of conflict. while Impunity as an aberration was not found anywhere in leadership. There was conducive economic environment, agriculture was strengthened to produce sufficient food for the people. Unemployment as a concept was imaginary obtainable while every young person was hopeful of realizing his potentials. This was the Nigeria then.
The situation today is despicable characterized by despair. The degree of frustration is alarming that many preferred colonialism. Nothing looks working well again. Hunger has been domesticated as an epidemic yet few are living in undesirable abundance without justification for such status.As further leaders, the youths has lost hope of tomorrow on earth rather they look more to better lives in heaven. As for leadership roles, they may be qualified oto lead in their graves, if Chief Tony Anenih at 80 is still Chairman of Nigeria Ports Authority, while the former National Youth leader of the ruling party came to office at the age of 61then where lies the future for the youths?
Today's rulers benefited from free education with scholarship but there is no functional educational system at the moment. Sadly, the attitude of leadership portrays conspiracy against the people, otherwise how can the closure of Universities be explained, yet Minister for Finance arguments has been the country has no money. Could this be that since their children are schooling abroad then the educational system here should be training camps for producing insurgent, ethnic and religious militias to be commanded by their children?
Our hospitals are no more mere consulting clinics but routes to transit to mortuaries, where once on admission, the family will start raising funeral rites funds. In the face of these our public officials, their children and immediate families treat headache in foreign hospitals. The First Lady, in a thanksgiving service in Abuja said she died seven times and raised seven times but in a German Hospital. If it were to be here she would have since been voicemail.
The Nigerian road networks remains death traps characterized by potholes, while our leaders acquired private aircrafts, therefore, they are immune from road mishaps. Infact, there are about ten aircrafts in the presidential fleet, the highest ever in the world. Even American President has only two while British Prime Minister has only one. It is no more secret that most public officials owns private jets. Some of them even abandoned their responsibilities to be trained as pilots just to pilot themselves.
The Energy sector as fulcrum stimulating the economy is epileptic with trillions of Naira been siphoned with fanfare yet generating sets flourished in donating cancer from hydro carbons pollution. Every administration promised fixing the sector within short period but ended up leaving it worst than before. Even the ongoing transformation agenda has produced adverse consequences including auctioning of PHCN with failure to pay staff benefits, instead blackmail and propaganda is mobilized to silence them.
Even Mr President's fresh air promise to Nigerians cannot showcase stewardship of any meaning progress, but in desperate zeal for 2015 general elections, the foot soldiers defence for non performance has been that the problems were not created by him. Granted, but what has he been able to do? Their inability to explain the monumental looting that bedeviled the pensions and petroleum industries is shameful. May I ask, did Mr President inherited his ministers or he appointed them?
Instead of good governance, religious and ethnic sentiments dominates the political landscape to the extend that a failed leader is a hero in his place of worship. He is even celebrated instead of been admonished. I believed that If the devil comes with either Quran or Bible he can be elected as the life President of Nigeria because the Constitution will be amended to accommodate him. The worship of money is the new religion in our nation while corruption is the article of faith. In future, corruption credentials may be requirement for appointment as Minister. In Nigeria, life has no meaning again, that one is living is devine grace but certainly not efforts of the state. The security system is a monopoly of privilege class and their families while the people die like flies daily without any form of protection. Imagine, the acclaimed success of the Nigerian military with war against boko haram yet innocent students were murdered in cold blood yet Mr President did not even address the nation to sympathies with Nigerians. Also look at how a pastor and his whole family was wiped out in Yobe state, while the church razed down. Then, the massacre of over 50 worshippers in a mosque in Borno state. What of the recent killing of over 80 soldiers in Benishike in Borno state. Meanwhile all these took place under the watchful eyes of Anti-terrorist garrison in state of emergency areas. Yet, Mr President's response to security challenges during media chat was merely evasive. He even cannot confirm wether Abubakar Shekau is alive or dead.
As Nigeria marks the 53rd independence, it is celebration of freedom in a banana republic, where corruption, failed and bad leadership, religious bigotry, ethnic chauvinism, poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, armed robbery, kidnapping, etc flourish under official patronage. May God grant the souls of those who died in all man made atrocities eternal reprieve, amen.
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