Nigeria 51 and Still Crawling

I belong to the post independence generation, the generation which has always looked forward to the day Nigeria achieve it's destined greatness and the generation fast losing hope that it will ever happen. We grew up with pride in our country, the 'Giant of Africa", the richest, most advanced and most populous nation in Africa. Nigeria, we were made to believe, was a major power in African affairs, in politics and even in sports. Nigeria, we believed, would one day sit at the head table with the great nations of the world in international affairs. All that has become a mirage.

What has our country done in the last fifty-one years? Nigeria seems to have abandoned any dream of greatness, our leaders seem to have lost track of what nation building is all about.  All our institutions  have deteriorated over the years. Roads are not maintained, new ones are not constructed, public works completely missing. There is constant blackout and no running water in any major city of the country.  Citizens have to dig boreholes and generate their own electricity on a daily basis.  The public works system has over the years collapsed completely, a situation that brings to light the disgraceful recent public bickering by two former Presidents, Obasanjo and Babangida.  Both men have everything to be ashamed of, combined they ruled Nigeria for more than a third of its fifty-one years and achieved little. 

Obasanjo promised on his inauguration in 1999 to end power failures within eight months, he never did in eight years.  Babangida had a unique opportunity under a military dictatorship to add to the country's infrastructure but did little in that regard and left with a legacy of an election annulment.  In a decent part of the world, both men dare not rear their heads in public but there are always Nigerians to worship and give them the glory they do not deserve.

Nigeria has as a result of these mediocrities been the worse for it. Armed crime still persist, unemployment at unimaginable levels, public institutions below standard,  healthcare a shambles, education barely existing. Public safety? Now we have the added threat of terrorism which if uncontrolled will be Nigeria's death knell.

The country has to change course now, the leadership should begin to think less of themselves and more of the general good.  For our generation, the golden era may never come in good time.  Le us hope it comes even for the younger ones, our children.