Today makes the 53rd year that Nigeria our beloved country was granted a downright
autonomy. However some citizens as usual believed there is nothing yet fascinating
about Nigeria, hence celebrating her birthday would be considered as a waste of public
fund while some are in support of the celebration but either way it goes, everyone is
entitled to his or her opinion, on that note, I had to make an appraisal with regard to the
independence.
So far so good we have been able to identify our challenges and difficulties in Nigeria,
my concern therefore is that I find it elusive why our so called leaders are still being
chary towards outrightly tackling the problems. For now I’ll try to focus on the
Presidency, I heard Mr. President addressed some national issues on a media chat with
him three days ago and I was so disappointed by the shambolic manner in which he
articulated most of the issues that was raised during the chat. Mr. President couldn’t
even affirm if truly the leader of Nigeria's deadliest sect (Boko haram) is killed as
speculated by JTF or not, the group allegedly killed about forty innocent students some
hours before the presidential chat and he didn’t deemed it fit to share condolences with
the family of the deceased all he did was to exonerate himself by uttering this
statement; "many people think the issue of Boko Haram started during my tenure, but
no it didn’t, when they killed Yusuf their leader in 2009 I was the VP and not the
president…".
It was until after that chat with him I realized he doesn’t really have what it takes to be a
leader and could not have done what is expected of him as a president (as he can't give
what he doesn’t have) afterall he got to that position with serendipity, so I’ll cut him
some slacks for now, however 2015 is another opportunity for us to revamp our beloved
country by our votes.
Conversely, as much as we want to blame our government for dilapidated status of
Nigeria, it is imperative for us to realize that we as Nigerians have to impinge our own
quota in all ramifications for us to achieve the much desired transformed Nigeria that we
have been panting for. For us to transform Nigeria, we Nigerians need to be
transformed. The destiny of Nigeria lies our hands. If only we can embrace integrity,
honesty, and be benevolence towards each other, rather than having the ‘chop make I
chop’ mentality. Larger percentage of Nigerians if elected as a president or governor
today would unequivocally trend the ways of our current and past leaders by enriching
themselves. So where is the hope? It’s is important for us to have a discerning
mentality. Yes it was inculcated to us as we often see them in luxuries and of course
everyone desires to be in luxury, but the question is at the expense of what and who?
Millions of the masses right?
It’s alarming and unsavory how majority of Nigerians now portrays an idiosyncrasy of
caring less about anybody who is not biologically related to them, whereas this isn’t who
we really are but rather what the circumstances we found ourselves has made us. I
strongly believe that compassion towards humanity is obligatory for us to make Nigeria
a better place, if only we can treat each other as though we indeed share the same
pedigree. But how do we achieve this? It’s simple, there are three momentous or pivotal
entities that I believe are thwarting this great nation from forging ahead. They are;
(1) The cost of governance (2) Religion (3) Ethnicity. Their combinations have resulted
in a synergic effect and have landed us to where we are today.
1. The cost of governance in Nigeria is unreasonably higher than it ought to be.
According to the latest report, Nigerian politicians are second highest paid in the world
after India! The report documented that a Nigerian senator earns more than the
American president! Isn’t it ridiculous for a president to demand for 1 billion naira as his
feeding allowance? So I asked myself, what does he feed on? It is glaring that this is the
major reason why our leaders seem indefatigable towards remaining in authority and
could go any length to deal with anyone who tries to challenge them, for example why
on earth would Gen. Buhari still be adamant towards becoming the President again?
Politics should not be a ‘do or die’ affair as they have they portrayed it. Hence there is
an exigent need for their salaries and allowances to be reduced by a large percentage.
This would render the political offices unattractive and ensure that only those with
inherent and genuine leadership qualities would contest for the offices.
2. Religion: It fusses me a lot how religion suddenly became a serious issue in Nigeria, I
mean we only have three major religions and yet we could not muddle through them,
then I wonder what the story would have been if we were like India with over 300
religions. We found ourselves in one religion or another as a result of our personal belief
and decision and therefore it should not in any manner cause a national havoc. If only
we could keep our religious believes within our caucus and resist from trying to
forcefully or violently impose them on one another. Afterall we were all given birth to first
as a human before we decide either by ourselves or by our parents which religion to
practice. Hence humanity should first be given preference before we talk of our religion,
and of course it is inhuman to slaughter a life which you cannot and did not create,
again it is inhuman to subject a 13 year old girl to sexual abuse and psychological
trauma all because of a religious belief we could go on and on this issue but I choose to
windup here.
3. Ethnicity is the third factor that I consider detrimental to the growth of Nigeria, I don’t
seem to comprehend why we purposely decide to segregate eachother when the
creator made us as one. Yes we speak different languages, have different morals and
practice different cultures but that doesn’t make us dissimilar. I see no reason why in
our universities, some students pay high tuition fee and others pay far less just because
they had pedigree in the state, some even go to the length of reducing the pass mark
for an enrollment into any course of study in favour of the indigenes. This is abysmal
and should not be advocated by our government. It should only be effected for
foreigners. Sometimes I ask myself what really makes a person an indigene of a state,
is it all because his/her forefathers stayed in the state for a very long time? Then what
happens to those that were given birth to in that state and spent all there lives there?
Bearing in mind that they are also going to be forefathers to other generations.
Honestly I do not see any justifiable reason(s) why we allow our moral believes and
different cultures to outshine our unanimity and oneness. Until we free ourselves from
the ethnical prison in which we are confined, then we would a step closer to our
destination.
On a final note, we all familiar about the issues embattling Nigeria, how then do we
unscramble them therefore becomes our major challenge. We can’t go on pretending
day by day that someone somehow would soon make a change, we are all we need to
make that change, though it may seem rigmarole but if we all could be resolute and
make a stride in that regard, surely we would make Nigeria a better country. We are the
change, the hope, and the panacea! We are Nigerians!
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Written by: Babajide Ogunnaike
