The Inspector General Of Police yesterday assured Nigerians of adequate security throughout the period of today’s holiday to mark Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Day Anniversary.
This is coming on the heels of Saturday morning’s massacre of more than 50 students of the College Of Agriculture while they slept in their hostel, located in Damaturu the Yobe State capital which is one of the States under a State of Emergency declared by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan months back.
Though, the president in his last media chat on Sunday, refuted assertions that the plans to make the Independence Day celebrations low-key wasn’t related to the present security situation in Nigeria, one could tell that his reason was far from the truth.
The above is just a tit-bit of what the contraption called Nigeria is facing on this auspicious 53rd anniversary since the colonial masters decided unwillingly (though without bloodshed) to let go of one of her prized possessions.
While the ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strolled away from its third month (with no end in sight especially after the President during his media chat declared that their strike may have been politically instigated), the National Association of Resident Doctors, #NARD through its president yesterday called on it’s members to embark on a Nationwide strike beginning today with the discharge of patients from the wards, then full strike beginning tomorrow. The National Union of Teachers, NUT has also placed the government on notice, on the possibility of joining the strike, if the ASUU strike lingers.
On the Eve of Nigeria’s 53rd independence day anniversary, the vestiges of the Power Holding Company Of Nigeria, PHCN Now Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN consisting of the Generating (GENCOs) and Distributing Companies (DISCOs) was finally handed over to a private investors. Reminiscent of the situation since the restoration of democracy 14 years ago, with the selling of State assets to the highest bidders (some unfortunately not capable of shouldering the responsibility, for which the state’s telecommunications company was lost till today).
For many in Nigeria today, there’re no celebrations, they are yet to see the benefits that accrues from being a Nigerian. They are yet to be beneficiaries of any form of the so called dividend of democracy.
Successive regimes in power have continued to dash the hopes of the people, the so called founding fathers all worked only in their own interest and sometimes that of their kinsmen to the detriment of the common good. This attitude is translated in the myriad of ways in which merit is sacrificed on the altar of political correctness, in the name of quota system, rotational presidency, and the likes.
For the teeming Nigerian masses at independence, they simply replaced white colonialists with Nigerian neo-colonialists. They changed masters, and their fortunes simply worsened with time, despite promises of hope from leaders who had nothing to offer them or had no political will to back their lofty ideas.
I’ve not bothered to chronicle the areas in which the rulers of this contraption have failed the people over time, but in stating and mentioning the social and political climate in which this years’ anniversary is celebrated, I’ve highlighted the gloomy situation, and the likelihood of things not changing for the better in the nearest future.
In all of that,I haven’t even mentioned Nigeria’s perennial curse of corruption in all aspects and facets of life.
Truly, for the many there’s nothing to celebrate.
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