State of the Nationhood: After Five Decades

Another Independence Day celebration has come and gone in Nigeria. For five decades and three years we have consistently celebrated 1,October 1960, the day, the British Colonial Masters deemed it fit to leave us to take our destiny in our hands as a nation. The day our problems began as a nation. The day ethnic and tribal segregation started. The day the so called Nigerian majority groups began to claim supremacy over minority groups. That was the day few elites among the Nigerians then began to see Nigeria’s National treasure as their el dorado.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge of this nation. The first election that was conducted in the 60s in Nigeria was full of electoral malpractices which is one of the challenges we are still confronted with as a nation today. Common parlance about election in Nigeria is ‘Selection’.
Our fundamental human right in a democratic society is being trampled upon by some political cabal who just sit somewhere and select who becomes what in government.
In other words, the vote of an average Nigerian may never count as long as these cabal still call the shots in the political terrain of this country.
Nevertheless, CIA Worldfact Book, has adjudged Nigerians to be ‘most happiest people in the world’ in spite of weak economy and bad governance. Whereas, same CIA Worldfact Book, confirmed that 67.9% live on less than $2per day, that is, an approximate of 112 millions of out 170 millions Nigerians still live below poverty line. What an outrageous figure! pathetic situation I must say, for a country considered to be giant of Africa. The most populous black nation in the world.
Corruption is another bane.There are various structures set up by successive governments but no continuity, transparency and accountability.
In addition to increased poverty in the land, security challenge in form of ‘terrorism’ is another monster terrorising this nation. Religious and ethnic clashes particularly in the northern Nigeria has claimed numerous lives.
Irrespective of all these horrific happenings, some foreign investors have been able to discover their goldmine here in Nigeria and have refused to go back to their various countries. Percentage of Chinese and other asian citizens, Europeans and even Amercans in Nigeria is growing year in year out. Perhaps, there are oppourtunities these foreigners saw in this country that we have refused to see due to our ‘greed tendencies’.
I believe in this nation as an individual. I would also like every Nigerian to develop that positive mindset towards this glorious nation. Rome was not built in a day. I have that faith that some day Nigeria will get to that promise land and assume its pride of place among the comity of nations.

I love Naija die!

Oladotun OF.