BY CHARLES KUMOLU
The verdict across the nation on every October 1, is that there is nothing on ground to justify the half a century as a sovereign country. Does that imply that Nigeria is not really on track in its journey to nationhood?
Nigeria is not yet a nation and the facts are there for all to see. A nation does not have to be homogeneous for it to be a nation. A nation must have a common destiny as a people. But Nigeria has so many destinies.
The basic truth is that there are vital aspects of nationhood that the nation has failed to achieve. They are just too concerned about ethnic autonomy and that does not speak well of journey to nationhood. So far the nation has done very badly.
I once used Daily Times as a mirror in the survey we did. And I use Daily Times of October 1, 1960 as an example of my position that the nation has not done well. After that independence edition, every other edition on Nigeria talked about the nation’s aimless journey to nationhood.
We are a great people, it is sad that leadership has messed us up since independence. We have not achieved anything, security has collapsed, educational system is bad, our Naira is like toilet paper and corruption has become part of our culture.
Dose that speak well of a journey of 52 years? After October 1 of every year, it has always been melancholy and melancholy. No! We deserve a better deal
Are you saying that even with Nigeria’s thirteen years of uninterrupted democracy, that the journey to nationhood is still bereft of vision?
We have no democracy in Nigeria. Democracy brings freedom and good life for the citizens. But today insecurity reigns supreme, corruption has become part of the nation’s life and the educational sector has collapsed.
Do we call that the dividends of democratic rule? Democracy does not make the people to weep the way Nigerians are groaning.
*Prof. David-West
Coat of arms is for the nation, while emblems are for the states. But the reverse is what has been going on across the country. The symbols and logos are for individual states, while the coat of arm is solely for the nation.
There is a huge distinction. For instance, universities have their logos for identification. When you go to the United Nations,UN, it is the flag of Nigeria that is there and not state flag. Same also applies to national anthem.
So we should stop embarrassing ourselves with the talk about state coat of arms. The component states should be educated on this. Now they are talking about ethnic autonomy, how can a former Vice President of this nation be talking about ethnic autonomy? That is rubbish.
Do you mean the wave of ethnic realignment and agitations for ethnic autonomy is a minus for Nigeria at 52?
Nigeria has 374 ethnic groups. I will refer you at Prof Otite’s book on Nigeria’s ethnic groups. He did a scholarly research and came up that Nigeria has 374 ethnic groups. This autonomy means self government.
And does it mean that if the nation would succumb to the calls for ethnic autonomy, Nigeria would now have over 374 self governing groups? That is rubbish. So, you can see that a lot of people does not know how Nigeria can become a nation, because calls for ethnic autonomy does not in any meaningful way help in the journey to nationhood.
In America that is a nation, when the US national anthem is being played, people standstill in respect to their country.
But you dont get that in Nigeria, where people have no regard for anything Nigerian. Nigeria can be a very powerful nation, through responsible leadership. But in the absence of that, the country would remain like a shepherdess sheep.
Nigeria is two years short of the centenary (100 years) of its existence as a nation, and every October 1, statesmen like you express disgust about the unhealthy direction which the country is heading to, can we know the things you would want to be put in place, in order to avoid this yearly anger over the nation’s journey to nationhood?
Centenary is supposed to be a milestone in the life of any nation. Centenary is not just a date, it calls for celebration but we can not have hundred years of sorrow and be celebrating it.
But it should not be so for Nigeria because the country has failed itself and its citizens. There is a great quote which says: ‘’Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country’’.
But I am saying that we should ask what our country can do for us. If my country can not give me free education, would you want me to be patriotic to my country?
If my country can give me the needed platform to realize my God-given potentials, then you can be talking about patriotism and nationhood. But when the people are not safe and secure how do you talk about patriotism.
And patriotism is a contract and not by obligation. When you can not perform your own side of the contract, by guaranteeing my security, you should not expect patriotism.
Do you see Nigeria celebrating its centenary in view of the current insecurity threatening its corporate existence and do also see the country surviving the next hundred years?
America predicted that the country might break up in 2015. In that year there will be elections and if that election is not conducted to reflect the wishes of Nigeria, that might question the the entity called Nigeria.
I believe in Nigeria and I am committed to Nigeria but the way we are going, I don’t see the country surviving as one entity in the next fifty years. The future is very bleak and the sooner the leaders know that, the better. The present crop of leaders should create a glorious future for Nigeria.
Vanguard
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