By 2014, Nigeria shall be celebrated as an entity which has survived 100 years as an amalgamated nation. The British who brought us all together to become one nation are always described as enemies of our people. Is the effort toward unity good or bad? The nationalist movement rose against amalgamation and confused us that a united country is not good. They stood against one Nigeria, one language and a common identity. The outcome of their fight against amalgamation was the tribalization of Nigeria into Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba under the deciet of creating North, East and West as regions. The military emerged after independence and created states as better than regions. From the 3 regions that were almost independent within independent Nigeria, we were replaced by 12 states, which have divided into 36 states now. Under the civilian leadership, states that were created as administrative units are fast becoming independent units and points of identity for citizens. Today, Nigerians are falling toward becoming foreigners in Nigeria because of state of origin instead of place of residence. By 2014, shall the desire for national unity be closer to us than 1914? If we are losing the core elements of what our forefathers achieved 100 years ago, can we say that this generation of Nigerians are a blessing or a curse to this nation? So, what could have happened if we were alive 100 years ago? If the present day Governors were the Governor Generals 100 years ago, will anything called Nigeria have been born? With the ethnic heroes as state leaders, are we moving forward or backward? What shall the present Governors offer to Nigerians by 2014 as Governor Lugard did in 1914? It is so unfortunate to witness the systematic fall of Nigeria from amalgamated Nigeria through tribalized regional Nigeria to state focused Nigeria. If we continue to move backward at this rate, we may soon arrive at 36 nations from Nigeria where we shall require visas to move from one state to another and will need resident permit, provide evidence of enough funds to be able to reside anywhere outside our ancestral place of birth. We need to wake up now or we shall not see the Nigeria of our dream again. As long as the federating units of the nation are against the nation and the people, we cannot succeed.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:30:32 +0000
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