NIGERIA @ 60 — A NATION IN SEARCH OF TRUE INDEPENDENCE.
By Afolabi Akinola.
Throughout history celebration has always accompanied achievement. Celebrating optical illusion or a mirage in terms of nation building is the greatest assault on dividends of democracy, which is the mirroring elements of nation building. It is a statement of fact that the Nigerian nation instead of realistic independence is becoming anticlockwise to independence. What an irony of the vision and mission statements of the core dreams of nationalist and nationalism. It is tellingly sad that lack of preparation before challenges further exposed the blindness of the Nigerian leadership pilot to an unknown destination. The connection between the government and the governed has suffered a severe deficiencies of dividend of democracy from multi dimensional point of assessment. The mirroring elements has become blurred. It is unforgivably evidential with no thanks to covid 19 pandemic that has practically represents Nigerian employer of labour ,Corona virus has become managing Directors of companies, the highest employer of labour that has disengaged people from pay roll ,especially private organization because the locomotive engine of the Nigerian economy has screeched suddenly to a halt ,it takes a miracle for resuscitation. What a search for a true independence of the Nigerian Nation!
Nigeria at sixty is a product of dawning day with uncertainties because there is a strong disconnect between the government and the governed. The national anthem has become theoretical than practical. Some leaders cannot even flow with it.The only national anthem known to the leadership piloting elements is CLASS ANTHEM. Karl Marx ,a German socialist thinkers says the history of man is the history of class struggle. The state is an instruments of the ruling class.The Nigeria powerful class has an anthem,a location, a club,an association, a society, friends across six geo political zones ,business and political interest,contacts both home and abroad, sentiment that is never general ,educational standard and choice of schools, common language regardless of ethnic background among other factors representing a cabal not sovereignty enveloped with illusion the electorates thinks they possess.This class unites against the WILL and WISH of Nigerians at all times .They decides winners and losers of election not the franchise. Sovereignty belongs to this CLASS not the masses.The franchise of Nigerians and Nigeria @60 has been handcuffed with stomach infrastructure gimmicks. Every election result is a only a mirror of class conflict. This class dictates the heartbeat of masses because of economic advantage.
The statistical index of unemployment rates has become embarrassingly touching. Graduating to penury is disastrous. Some are working but its merely physical and mental labour with below expectations monetary equivalence to labour input.An income that refuses to put food on the table is a laughable symbol of three basic necessities of life.
Evidentially speaking, Nigeria is a blessed country. A country with both divinely endowed human and natural resources is starving of development. Refinery is on permanent holiday in Nigeria. We are going on strike over what belongs to us due to skyrocketing price and non availability. Regular power supply is a mirage. A child has been named UP NEPA in Nigeria. We are paying in an excruciating manner over what we are not consuming. The Nigerian system ensure there is no availability of pre paid meters at the door step of Nigerians so that extortion and skyrocketing tarrif will be legitimized. Honestly dog eats dogs in Nigeria!
Summarily essential, for a true independence to emerge in Nigeria now and in the nearest future, the electorates must have an INDEPENDENT voice to elect a leader for the country true independence. A government must have an accurate data of the governed. A father who has no idea of the number of children he has cannot reasonably plan.The leadership pilot credentials in Nigeria must have a good pillow talk.Not all Nigerian leaders can boldly and admiringly described their wife as a jewel of inestimable value with good advisory sense of judgment. Majority of them married disappointing and embarrassingly unprepared for leadership soul mates advisers.Some even encouraged their husband to loot.Some of their wife are accomplices in the day light robbery of the Nigerian economy. Again, our institutional financial system must be strengthened. Treasury Single Account TSA must be truly representing. Economic and financial crimes commission EFCC must be truly representing of international best practices not cobwebby.Law is not esoteric. On this note, the Nigerian Nation on sick bed must be truly diagnosed to effect genuine treatment of good governance in search of true independence that is completely excused of superficial and cosmetic celebration @60
Yours sincerely,
Afolabi Akinola.
Chairman, Lagos state chapter of Nigerian American Democratic Support Group NAGDS.
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