Every October 1st marks Nigeria’s independence. As Nigerians celebrate 58 years of suffering, mismanagement and corruption called INDEPENDENCE, Is Nigeria really independent? We claimed to be independent yet, we still seek help from white imperialist who came and extorted our fore-fathers. The United Nations always refer to us as under-developed nation, we are under-developed to the extent that we still import tooth-picks, as blessed as we are in Nigeria, we still take our crude oil to foreign countries to refine, Is that not a shame!
The truth is that we still have what Fela Anikulapo Ransome-kuti called “COLONIAL MENTALITY” which means that we are slaves before but they gave us independence yet, we still behave like slaves to the whites. This has been proved in many ways. It’s so shameful that we can’t do things on our own without the intervention of foreign countries which is why we seek help from The United States to tackle Boko Haram yet, our soldiers would be on the highways claiming “superman”.
It has been seen practically, that we can’t rule ourselves, ,we are one of the best crude oil producers in the world yet a lower class citizen cannot afford kerosene because of the high price. We have fertile lands, yet a common citizen can hardly make a living with farming. It’s only our callous politicians that exports cocoa, groundnuts and the likes. Obasanjo farms Ota, is a typical example: “Operation Feed The Nation” turned to his own field.
Our politicians cared less about us, what they are good at is to travel around the world, fight in House of Assembly for their own personal interests, loot our funds and make noise around with sirens when they go out. Our healthcare and educational system is nothing to write about. Our government failed to provide our hospitals adequate facilities meanwhile, our sick President goes to London for medical tourism! Our schools lack basic learning facilities but their own children goes to Harvard, Yales, Oxford and the likes for schooling.
The worst part of this is that we the poor citizens are so foolish to the extent that we sing and rejoice to our corrupt leaders. We worship our scandal-ridden religious leaders like gods. Lest you forget, we the so-called Nigerians are the ones praising, dancing and praying for these politicians that impoverished us, who go abroad to hide our country funds there. I believe Donald Trump was right for saying “ Black man with Black sense” what a shame!
Sadly, the problems of this country have gone beyond prayers, yes! If not, we have minerals but we cannot do anything with them. We were shouting when Trump said “ Poverty is a disease to the whites but to the blacks it’s very normal”. Now, tell me are we not the one that gave him the privilege to say that to us? Look at what’s happening in our National Assembly, those we voted for to represent our interest are amending constitution to favour themselves at the expense of 200 million Nigerians yet, we kill ourselves for them.
The present administration now have no economic blueprint plan, rather than noise and false propaganda, characterized with hatred and impoverishment. Majority of our political leaders are treasury looters who are intellectually barren but using the ill gotten wealth to oppress us that voted them in power.
We cried for independence but we have failed to rule ourselves. I write to Nigerians today that, is it not time we stop deceiving ourselves about this independence of a thing, stop following these wicked politicians we called our leaders and look back to where we are coming from so that we can think because with this present situation, Nigeria can’t progress.
Muhammed Adeyemi writes from the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo. Contact via muhammedadek2015@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above write-up is that of the writer and do not necessarily project the views of THE PRECISION
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