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The most world’s most populous black country HAS clocked 49. I’m talking of a country that has within its borders many historically significant empires and kingdoms all living together as a nation. I’m talking about NIGERIA! A country with at least three historical empires that arose within the confines of present day Nigeria whose influence stretched across the world historically, and which still command widespread cultural influence today. The three most popular empires that emanated from the Nigerian nation - The Hausa Fulani caliphate, The Oyo Empire and the Kingdom of Benin controlled a vast area that spans 14 present day African countries.
With a population of about 140 million people it is not surprising to know that one out of every five blacks in the world is a Nigerian. Looking back into history, you’ll see nothing but greatness, an unbroken line of visionary leaders, industrious people, brave warriors, statesmen, and revolutionaries. We see a vision so commanding that it emboldened our founding fathers to face down the British Empire which resulted to the nation’s independence on October 1st 1960, while most of her other African counterparts were still being colonised by the British & French Colonial masters.
Every single ethnic nationality in Nigeria from the Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Itshekiri, Fulanis, Ishan, Bini, Gwari, Igala, Nupe, Tiv, S Tarok, and countless others, has a distinguished and remarkable history. Long before writers like Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe emerged, Nigeria had produced great literary scholars. Historians tells us that 257 books were written between Uthman Dan Fodio, his son Muhammad Bello, his brother Abdullahi, and his daughter Nana Asma’u between the late 1700s and mid 1800s AD.
Sorry, I am recalling so much of the country’s history, this is because as we celebrate our past achievements as a people, it reminds and assures us that those who have gone before us have met similar problems to the ones we face and they surmounted them. This gives us confidence that since we share a common origin with them, we too can dig deep into ourselves to find answers to the questions that plague us today.
Just like Nigerians are known to be happy people, despite the global economic crunch, churches still held various programmes to give thanks to God, various recreational places were also agog with events to mark this year’s celebration. Nigerians in Diaspora are not also left out in the nation’s 49th Independence anniversary. There would be an Independence Day Parade scheduled for Saturday Oct 3rd @ 11am, from 56th St. and ends on 44th St 2nd Avenue, right in front of the famous Nigeria Consulate building also known as the "Nigeria House", in the heart of Manhattan NYC (the biggest City in the world).
Every Nigerian is expected to come out with Green and White outfit to represent Nigeria. There would also be lots of activities such as selling and buying of Nigerian food, clothing, flags, audio & video cds, souvenirs etc with various artists from Nigeria and in the U.S. to entertain everyone.
Every nation has its ups and downs and Nigeria is definitely no exception, the answer to our problem is rededication to the good of Nigeria by all Nigerians and good Governance. Just like President Umaru Musa Yardua of Nigeria said in his Independence speech “Nigeria at 49 is a day of celebration, reflection and rededication.”
Let’s all try to make Nigeria a land where all men and women can reach their true potential and provide leadership to black people everywhere, a land where the fear of God and the love of all humanity is the centrepiece of our nation’s moral breadth.
Of course, we have cause to celebrate.
We must celebrate the following:
-for refusing to take our no.1 rightful spot on the continent.
-for perpetually remaining in darkness courtesy PHCN.
-for having a president that can't priortise his tasks.
-for adamantly remaining underdeveloped.
-for having corrupt leaders that hv sworn to plunder the treasury.
-for having leaders who fail to look @ critical issues facing us as a nation.
-for being a laughing stock among the big oil producing countries.
-for we the citizens, having the patience to listen to the meaningless numerous independence speeches designed to give the citizenry a sense of hope that is only too far.
all jokes aside,
speeches, prayer sessions, the same old hollow rituals. Almost immediately after, you may expect talks about Nigeria at 50, the landmark, golden anniversary that is bound to come up in October 2010. When Ghana marked its golden jubilee in 2007, there was universal consensus that the country deserved to roll out the drums. But this year, ahead of Nigeria's 50th, what is there to celebrate? This is the same land that produced King Jaja of Opobo, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, Othman Dan Fodio, Queen Amina, Queen Idia, Oduduwa, men and women of valour who stood for something and whose legacies have since become part of the historiography of a country that emerged long after they passed through here. But today, what have we the new generation done with the legacies of leaders past, and with all the opportunities for greatness that abound in our land? This is what should occupy our minds as we look forward to Nigeria's 49th independence anniversary, not the opportunity to award contracts, or to supply small chops at banquets, sew clothes for the emperors and their wives, not the holiday to sit at home and return to work later like our forgetful Federal Ministers after the recent Eid el Fitri holiday. The truth is that the world is passing us by. At 49, we are a nation of malcontents. When last did anyone tell a happy national story made on Nigerian soil?
I am not talking about the achievements of Nigerian-born children of other nationalities who are resident in other lands, or others who are recording breakthroughs because they are far away from this land, but something that is home-made. I can't immediately recall any striking example in the last two years. We mark the country's 49th birthday against the background of stories about rape, kidnapping, murder in broad daylight, election rigging, corruption, and general anarchy. The average Nigerian is despondent. The national mood is dour. Our country has been rebranded into a country of fraudulent bank CEOs and criminal debtors. The world used to talk about plain 419 scams, but we have now added political 419 and banking 419 to the national profile. Nothing describes our failure as a country better than the woeful performance of our national football teams in recent international tournaments.
The only thing that used to bring us joy: football: we have lost it! In 2010, the year of Nigeria's 50th anniversary, the World Cup will be held in Africa. Not in Nigeria. But in South Africa. And Nigeria may not even be there. How nice it would have been for Nigeria to win the World Cup in the year 2010. But we cannot. We cannot even host football tournaments anymore without causing other people heartaches. FIFA had to advise Nigeria to borrow a leaf from Egypt's current hosting of the U-20 youth tournament (Sept 24- Oct. 16) to learn what it needs to do to host the U-17 in October. Less than a month to that event, we are not ready. And to think that we wanted to host the 2010 World Cup, but as in everything else, we bungled that too and lost out to South Africa, obviously a better organised country. What should we do. send us your comment God bless Nigeria.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE NIGERIA!!!
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