Sixty one years after gaining independence from her colonial masters, Nigeria is a country best described as one struggling to live up to her true potentials as a blessed nation. Now, one of the most terrorized countries in the world. Issues like corruption, infrastructural decay, tribalism, religious bigotry, heightened secessionist movement and many other monumental messes have held the country down from playing a leadership role in Africa.
A visionary leadership is lacking while public institutions are weak, inept and compromised. Decades of political patronage and nepotism have seen a corrosion of quality and performance in the public service.
In the beginning, it was not so. From independence in 1960, Nigeria took upon itself the role of uniting Africa against western re-colonization. The continent, from then on, became the centre-piece of its foreign policy. The fact that nations were living under foreign rule made it possible to galvanize them around a common cause. This led to the creation of the Organization of African Unity now The African Union in 1963 and Economic Community of West African States in 1975.
Nigeria assumed a leading role in these events as it forged a foreign policy with a strong Afro-centric posture. In fact, so frenetic was its involvement in this role that it almost paid little attention to the home front.
Nigeria’s leadership role on the continent was a product of the vision, dreams and, sometimes, whims of the founding fathers.
However, over the years, a lot have been sacrificed on the altar of cheap political interests. It is a free fall downward spiral for 61 years in the country. Corruption, misappropriation of public funds, electoral malpractices and recently, insurgency and terrorism have devastated the capacity of the country and weakened its moral fortitude to lead the continent.
Amidst enormous wealth, poverty in Nigeria is endemic. It has already become the poverty capital of the world, according to The World Poverty Clock. Nigerians have been reduced to the behest of the politicians that tie them to gridlock of “stomach infrastructure”.
This is a trend which reflects institutionalized and structural poverty. Deprivation puts people in a vulnerable and compromised position where the desperation for survival makes them sell their votes and conscience.
According to experts, the slow movement of the current administration is also killing the Nigerian spirit and leadership posture.
However, this decline never started today. Some believe that the foundation of the country was flawed and for the nation to be able to move forward, there needs to be a deep rooted structural change, free from the influence of the old British arrangement and will need to bring to bear our strength, peculiarities and diversity.
Talking about over six decade of decay and down ward spiral decline of a once promising country, the nation has been best described derogatorily as Africa’s sleeping giant.
Nigeria has been relegated to the background of international affairs. To turn this around requires a soul searching reflection of how we got here and mowing the lawns afterwards. Nigeria must take stock of its own performance and capacities and re-position itself first from within.
No gain emphasizing on an obvious fact that Nigeria needs as a matter of urgency rise above the fray of her current parochial situation, there is a need to see the ascendancy of a system that rewards meritocracy and discard the so called quota system and federal character which has only established mediocrity as the norm.
As a nation, the discourse has gone beyond the development conversation to that of survival. Life has become extraordinarily brutish, killings and massacre has now become an almost daily occurrence, the political actors seem not to care and many parallel governments keep springing up in many parts of the nation especially in the south east.
Evidently, the people have become disillusioned with the kind of democracy practiced in this country and the quest to leave the shores of the country by all means have become a rallying dream of almost the average young Nigerian. The nation is indeed in a big mess and for 61 years, it has once again shown how deep we have remained in this vicious circle.
We believe that in all circumstance, Nigeria can still be saved. We believe that there is a glimmer of hope for this nation. However, this salvation lies within and as far as we never relent in praying, working and ensuring we all individually and collectively lead a patriotic life, Nigeria will someday live up to her full potential.
Happy 61st Independence Day!
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