“When this day,October 1960 was chosen for our independence, it seemed that we were destined to move with quite dignity to our place on the world stage.Recent events have changed the scene beyond recognition so that we find ourselves today being tested to the utmost”
The above are the excerpt of the proud speech rendered by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on the day of independence (1st October 1960). His speech pictured a Nation with a positive dream,this dream unfortunately turns to be a hallucination.He dreamt of a Nigeria that moves with quiet dignity to our place on world stage but it is so painful that up until now; this Nigeria cannot limp,not to talk of walking to achieve its mentioned anticipated goal.
Joyfully, Nigeria got its independence on a platter of gold[sic]rallies and conferences, unlike its counterparts in Africa;with much credit going to Engr Herbert Maculay, Sir Tafawa Balewa, Hon Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.[name them] the problem of Nigeria started immediately our progenitors left,the joy of our independence was short lived as the Nigeria civil war broke out,thus contributing greatly in retarding the growth of this seven year old baby[as she then was]The events of that war I won’t like to talk about because, it leaves an indelible mark in the hearts of many Nigerians.
Today,we celebrate the 58th birthday of our nation with no frosting on our cake and no candle which represents light of life to lighten our parts.This undoubtedly causes the darkening of our path to development and fulfilment of our dreams. Honestly,we have failed ourselves, most of the blames I apportion to our leaders.They have made jest of what we attained donkey years ago, taunting this baby delivered on the 1st of October 1960,and have starved it for long until it started suffering of malnutrition.
Today we celebrate our 58 years of more failures that achievements. Failures in securities,education and in all possible sectors. The citizens also celebrates their 58 years of slavery to their leaders and caretakers; with a trend of terrorism and spite from the different tribes against each other.We celebrate the unfortunate insecurities of the citizens, their exposure to threat and fear, this being an outcome of the leaders eliminating the masses from their priority list.
Today, we celebrate death traps which serves as roads,epileptic power supply, dilapidated schools cum hospitals.and worst still unemployment which increases tremendously yearly;and this undoubtedly had lead some unemployed youths in search for greener pasture to give in themselves to armed muggings, assaults, burglaries, carjacking, kidnapping, extortion and rapes as the case may be;what a bad omen.
Today we celebrate a Nigeria with an epileptic economy, a Nigeria that has gotten independence while a grater percentage of the masses are still dependent on the streets.We celebrate a nation where a sitting senator claiming to be representing his people goes home with more than #20,000,000-#25,000,000[give or take] annually; while the minimum wage of an average Nigerian worker is #18,000.
I can go on reeling out the litany of woes affecting the Nigerian nation but that would not lead us to any destination.
Hope is not lost, everyday of the independence anniversary seem to be a new dawn for us to right many wrongs,we can still stand firm to actualize the dreams of the founding fathers of Nigeria. Our problems may be enormous but the solution is simple.We may be crippled but,we are never hopeless to walk again.
It is disheartening, but irrespective of that, I wish a Happy Independence anniversary to my dear nation.
About the author
AZIKE STANILAUS CHINEMEREM is a 400 level Law student of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra state.
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