By an act of the British Parliament, Nigeria became an independent country within the Commonwealth on the first of October 1960. The country was named Nigeria after its amalgamation in the year 1914 by Flora Shaw, during the colonial period, under the leadership of Frederick Lord Lugard. The name was derived from the main river which is River Niger.
Since her Independence in 1960, Nigeria has witnessed many events including the Civil War from 1967-1970, state creation, Social, Political and economic emancipation and crisis of various dimension.
The country has also been bedeviled with some developments in governance and attitudes of the people which had assumed a negative dimension. They include high level of corruption, insecurity, political thugerry, military coup d’tart, unemployment and violence.
As Nigeria is clocking 50 on the first of October, it is disheartening that the nation is still at a crossroad, where its citizens are at loss and in perpetual darkness with no hope in sight.
Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of Africa, is by nature a country blessed with human and natural resources, but with little to show for it in terms of physical and infrastructural development. All the sectors are recording a steady regression with the power sector at the lowest.
The only pride of the country at fifty is the fact that it remains a united entity, even if larger percentage of the citizens have turned beggars in the midst of plenty, and millions of its able youths have become miscreants in a rich country.
It is worth mentioning that the lopsided attitude of our leaders occasioned by corruption and uneven development have resulted into rural-urban migration, which gave birth to the complex urban problems being experienced now such as inadequate electricity, healthcare delivery and pipe-borne water, incessant traffic congestion, crimes, over-crowing, poor housing and lack of basic infrastructures.
It is of great importance to state that a nation referred to as the giant of Africa that produced the likes of Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Muritala Mohammed, Babatunde Idiagbon, MKO Abiola, Olufunmilayo Ransom Kuti, all of blessed memory and the likes of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala, Ibrahim Gambari, Obi Ezekwesili, cannot be said to be deficient in super brands of human resources.
At fifty, we must wakeup and set the targets that we must work towards its achievements. Nigerian leaders should proceed with humility, honesty and dedication to achieve success in the good work of our forefathers who had meant well for this country.
The world is looking on Nigeria’s 2011 general elections, it therefore behoves on the Professor Attahiru Jega led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide Nigerians and the world the much expected credible elections in 2011. According to a United Nations envoy, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the successful conduction of 2011 polls, bringing insecurity to its lowest ebb, economic development, and good leadership would secure the country’s attainment of a Permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.
It is time we move this great nation to where it should belong. Nigeria is God’s own country and we must sustain this status and strive hard to ensure that this nation does not fall into perpetual disrepute. It is time to change Nigeria, let’s all come together as one to make our great country to be greater. At fifty, let’s tell the world that Nigeria has come to stay.
God bless Nigeria!.
