WORRYING SIGNS OF RETROGRESSION IN NIGERIA @ 64 π³π¬
By Prince Jibril Ette
The last time independence anniversary was celebrated with pomp and pageantry was during the 25th anniversary when President Ibrahim Babangida was in power.
Independence Day is a strategic occasion to showcase National advancement in homemade technology, military prowess, hardware and infrastructure developments.
It’s also a period of pride and patriotic zeal.
These days independence anniversary celebrations are hushed up and observed in seclusion with morbid and palpable fear among the political class.
The secluded style of observing independence anniversary is twinned with the words of our elders, ” guilty minds are wary of even their shadows”, and elders like pictures, don’t lie.
In my youthful days, the thought of October 1st was ecstatic and fascinating.
We used to save money for Dr. Pepper ( the soft drink has long gone extinct and it was produced in my community) and Fanta for months just to feel good on independence day.
We used to anticipate with joy the luxury of eating in a restaurant and licking uncountable bulbs of ice cream unrestrained.
Those fun memories are unknown to the noodles kids of today.
If this is not a glaring evidence of our RETROGRESSION as a nation, then nothing is.
How do we get back our bygone days?
How do we celebrate our independence with pride and patriotism again?
The panacea is simple.
First, we must be honest with ourselves and resolve to do away with foreign form of governance with its unhealthy policies.
Democracy is not working for us.
We have to invent our own form of government with traditional authorities vested with the selection of men and women of proven integrity and candour to manned our political offices.
Yes traditional authorities from hamlets to urban communities knows who is who and individual antecedents fair and square.
Democracy as is borrowed do not allow for such selection, more often than not, cultists and shady people have found their way into corridors of power, and the result is endless apathy and ineptitude in governance.
Secondly, we must stop relying on advice from colonial governments, they have their interest to protect.
Covid season has amplified the fact that nations can stand alone and survive.
Unfortunately, this lesson from COVID19 pandemic is not implemented by heavily endowed nation like ours.
This by no mean is advocating a “cut-away” hermit kind of living.
But rather dealing with any friendly nation on our terms and doing away with any parasitic alliances that add no value to our corporate lives.
If it means going back to horse back and bicycles, so be it.
After all , no one travelled much during COVID19 era, and we survived.
Gradually citizens are losing touch with the political class except those feeding from their leftovers.
Fear of massive revolution is heating up with the ember of #ENDSARS and #endbadgovernace still smoldering in the air.
We surely have to return back our happy moments of independence anniversary.
Indeed we must.
May Allah bless Nigeria π³π¬
Prince Jibril Ette ayu-Akpanim
Muric Chapter
Akwa Ibom State
(vitalnewsngr.com)
