Every October; precisely the first day of the month, Nigeria hosts the world in measure to observe and strengthen her aspiration on self-rule. In 1960, the development of our local political skirmishes became visible.
The future and compatibility of Nigerians overseeing the affairs of Nigeria received high value. Today, the people of Nigeria are taking measures to host the world on her silver Jubilee comes October 1st, 2010. We are taking measures that will allow us be well-positioned when the economy improves, but there could be a while to wait. Many economists and their political scientists have estimated that oil will remain the nation’s mainstay for at least the next decade. Despite the nation’s political wave seesawing around the selfish-minded, one thing that gave us hope is the reinstatement of law and order inside the Niger Delta region as well as bringing the spate of kidnapping in the South-East area political players in the country either take a long-term approach to put things together and do not perform at all.
However, new costly annual budget likely does not work because, squeezed budgets coupled with sagging commodity prices including an atmosphere for viable labour market makes the economy uncertain. Government says that sustaining the economy and ensuring conducive business environment for every race on the planet earth will become her priority precedence to the 50th anniversary on course.
But the utilization rate of few amenities provided by the government over the few years past was in the high percentage range, with about 80% of her citizens undervalued. In the first quarter of the year 2009; the number of unemployed graduates in the Southern Nigeria fell to its lowest level since October, 1976. The result of the falloff was in sequel to the Yar Adua / Jonathan government effort to drag commodities prices and manpower resources to the manageable standard. The effort ungloved the global financial crisis from heating tough in this part of the world.
As the jubilee plans continues to be in the news, the issue of working together is clearly vital in reducing the impact of Nigeria’s failing economy. Nigeria is pleased to celebrate her 50th independent anniversary, on October 1st, 2010. Her Government, Agencies and Industries are looting forward to providing not only a great event, but an opportunity for both Nigeria and Africa to demonstrate its capability in this epoch-making event. The event is expected to attract more than 40, 000 delegates from the international community and visitors from more than 70 countries. The United Nation and her Agencies, amongst others, will convene here using the event to discuss risks of social vices in Africa both past and present thinking on dealing with racism prevention, including force-labour on uncivilized Africans by material Aid to disguise. A pride will be given to Africans. The dignity of Africans will be restored.
Nigeria is housing nearly 20 thousand international spectators this year. Visitors will have an opportunity to meet with political leaders and industrialists from countries like Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United State. Caribbean, Latin Americans, South Americans, Asians, the Gulf-States and Sister Africans will be well represented.
Public perception of Nigeria has dramatically changed over the last fear due to a number of incidents: the Government amnesty program on Niger Delta; the abated spate of Kidnapping Nigeria’s unity government and the institution of favourable economy models by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
A succession of ethnic logjam has challenged Nigeria’s law and order. Her security responders capacity to monitor ethnic violence eruption, predict out drift and recovery state of our minds. Public demand for economic, social and political sustainability has triggered the zeal to give Nigeria a befitting treatment and support to deliver good Government for Africa and the world at large.
In honour of 18,250 days (50-year) of gore and glory, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, including the flower of our youth and some of our most revered intellectuals? We pay our homage to those deathless martyrs. For ever hallowed and enshrined are their names in the annals of this nation. The supreme examples of gallantry and self-sacrifice left by these heroes will be an abiding fount of inspiration for any people fighting to protect their right and dignity. The sacrifices of the women who gave their honour have lent another tragic glory to the liberation war. In spirit the entire people fought along with the heroes although all did not go to the front. There was of course a fringe group of traitors who abetted in the war crimes of the occupant forces and they must be brought to justice even if after four decades.
The zero hour had struck on this day fifty years ago. The nation’s struggles and travails of four decades had reached its climax. Finding all avenues of political accommodation closed and negotiations masked by chicanery and deceit, we had no other option but to face the enemy head-on. A nation of unarmed civilians was pitted against an organized military armed to the teeth and bent upon retaining the stranglehold of their rule by any means of coercion, not shrinking from committing genocide.
On this day we are Nigerians; who must also do some soul-searching to find out whether our homage to the fallen warriors of pre-1960 is merely ritualistic or is based on some tangible realization of the principles and values which inspired them to throw their mortal challenge before a mighty army. This is a question before the entire nation but most of all the successive rulers are answerable. The martyrs laid down their lives not only for a new flag and anthem, although these two are no less important in the affirmation of our freedom. The country is independent. But are the people liberated – the poor, the common people, the tillers and toilers who contribute the most to keep the country running? In 1960 the entire people were united by a granite-hard resolve. What is the state of the country’s unity today?
It is today a class-ridden stratified society where the different strata are driven apart not only by the gap in income but also by three disparate systems of education which continues to undermine social harmony. The goal of the liberation war was to achieve political, economic and cultural freedom of the common man in Nigeria. The present reality is that politics is dominated by muscle power and black money and marred by dynastic claim, economically a third of the people are trapped below the poverty line and getting poorer in the relative sense of falling further and further behind in the wealth gap with no welfare package in sight to lift them out of the morass of chronic deprivation and want. Only cultural resurgence after liberation was remarkable but this too was not universal in its sweep considering the high percentage of illiteracy and increasing religious bigotry.
It is unfortunate that the successive rulers have defaulted in fulfilling the promises of the liberation war on most counts. A fresh resolve can still be made on the occasion of the 50th Independence Day to fight to the finish the unfinished battle. The next few days will see the beginning of new things to come. Holding of the humane and economic standard in an internationally acceptable way will no doubt be a duty belatedly fulfilled. In the same way, the other unfulfilled duties claim urgent attention.
