As Nigeria marks its 56th Independence Anniversary, very few
Nigerians would expect any form of celebration or excitement. Independence from
colonial rule in 1960 has brought the country so much to be cheerful about, but
56 years later, also a lot of regrets.
I am not one of those who imagine that we would probably
have been better off if we had remained under British rule, but that there are
some Nigerians who still entertain such impossible thought indicates the depth
of the people’s anxiety about Nigeria’s post-colonial reality.
The big issues are well-known: the failure of leadership,
corruption, and perpetual anxiety about the future. Every October 1, Nigeria is
described as “a crippled giant”, a “toddler”, “a broken nation”. And the
various editorials, year after year sound so repetitive as they focus on an
economy that is not working, the failure of public infrastructure, leadership
crisis, the bad habits of the political elite, religious and ethnic violence,
disunity, national insecurity, and so on.
As we mark October 1 this year, we should perhaps
avoid the beaten path and draw attention to the reasons why we should be happy
with our country and proud to be Nigerians. Whatever problems we may have, hope
is not lost. We are still the country of some of the most talented people in
the world. Nigerians are gifted, hardworking and in many ways
exceptional. This is the country of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Jelani Aliyu,
Chimamanda Adichie, Philip Emeagwali, Kanu Nwankwo…It is the land of great achievers
of all time in all fields of human endeavour. It is the heroism of the talented
Nigerian who has put this country’s name on the global map that I remember as I
think of Nigeria at 56.
I also look around and admire the energy and creativity of
the Nigerian youth. Those young men and women who are excelling and whose
distinction inspires some level of confidence in the Nigerian system. For more
than 20 years, we have been lamenting that the Nigerian education system has
failed, collapsed or to use the usual phrase, “fallen”. But this same system
continues to produce young men and women with amazing talents. With a better
education system, the harvest could have been richer and better, but oh come
on, the entrepreneurial ingenuity of the Nigerian youth, their sheer brilliance
and industry reassure us that if we could get it right, this country will
yet attain much greater heights.
We are in every way, a blessed country. Beautiful flora and
fauna: the poor fortunes of the national currency has not affected that.
Abundant mineral resources: we only need to manage these better and
properly. Travel round Nigeria: our diversity is inspiring. And
when you attend any social event in Nigeria, watch out for the gaiety, the
beauty of cultural expressions and the capacity of the average Nigerian to
force drama out of every situation. When people talk about Nigeria from a
distance, they tend to focus on the negatives: the high crime rate and the
mismanagement of resources, but no one denies the fact that this country has
what it takes in every regard to be as great as it once was and still be
greater. That is what I think of as I reflect on Nigeria at 56.
We are also a country of resilient people. It is what keeps
us going. There may have been a sudden rise in reported cases of suicide in
recent times, but most Nigerians are fighters. They are ready to survive under
any situation. They are determined. They never lose hope. They have this
special ability to cover up their frustrations, dress up nicely and go to the
church or the mosque or other places of worship, and dance and pray and ask God
to take control. This may be a form of temporary escapism, but the confidence
with which the average leaves everything to God and draws strength from so
doing is a unique national characteristic.
We are still the biggest market in Africa. Many investors
may have shut down their businesses and fled the country due to the current
economic recession, but as surely as night follows day, they will return. The
Nigerian market boasts of over 200 million people who need all kinds of
services. This country will always be a destination for those who want to sell
and buy and invest. We may be weak, but we are still a giant nation.
There may be violence in the North East and other parts of
the country, but Nigerians are generally peace-loving and hospitable. As
we celebrate Nigeria at 56, we should remember that this country has survived a
civil war; it has survived religious and ethnic violence. It has remained one
entity despite calls for its dismemberment.
What is required is a re-dedication to the ideals of unity
and national progress. This is not a task for the leaders alone, but for all
Nigerians, young and old, male and female. We must collectively resolve to make
this country work and to ensure that the forces of good do not allow negative
forces to overwhelm a nation which has the potential to become one of the
greatest nations on earth. People make nations. But too many Nigerians are
experts at the blame game. We shift responsibilities. We fail to act as true
citizens.
And the greatest irony of it all is our religiousity and the
gap between private and public morality. When you see religious Nigerians, they
can quote the Holy Books with such expertise you’d think they have deposited
those books inside their brains. When they pray, they do so with such fervour,
you would assume they have a direct telephone line to God. When they wear religious
garments, they put up a mien that encourages you to lower your guard. But
at other times, they do not translate their religious piety into daily
life. This is a part of our national persona that is at the root of all
the problems we face.
Our institutions still need to be strengthened. The failure
of institutions accounts largely for the spread of despair in the land. We also
need to give full effect to the words of our national anthem. The second
stanza in particular is a prayer that should be reflected upon for the
precision with which it captures our main national needs. “Oh God of
creation/Direct our noble cause/Guide our leaders right/Help our youth the
truth to know/In love and honesty to grow/And living just and true/Great lofty
heights attain/To build a nation where peace/And justice shall reign.”
Independence day should be a day of citizen pride. It should
be a day of sober reflection. It should be a moment when the entire nation
should pause, and look back and look forward into the future. Nigeria’s journey
as an independent nation may have begun in October 1960, but our history goes
far back into the past, even long before the Amalgamation of 1914. We
are a nation of different peoples, cultures and ethnicity brought together
by destiny, and circumstances and colonialism. To transform this into
real nationhood is the main challenge we have faced since 1960. As we
mark Nigeria’s 56th independence anniversary, let no one blame
the British for the various fault lines that continue to affect our nation. The
British ruled Nigeria for 46 years (1914-1960). We have been in charge of our
own affairs for 56 years: that is long enough for us to get our acts together
as a people and as a nation.
Leadership counts – sincere, honest and purposeful
leadership, that is. It is the duty of leaders to show the people the
way. Too many Nigerian leaders have no idea in what direction the people
should be led, and this has been an abiding source of all-round confusion. I
began this piece promising not to complain as Nigeria turns 56, but it is
hard I suppose not to do so. But let no one despair. Surely, it
shall be well with Nigeria.
0 Comments