NIGERIA @60: POINTS TO NOTE TOWARDS THE NEXT 60 YEARS OF THE NATION'S DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS BY RWANG PATRICK STEPHEN (A POLITICAL SCIENTIST)

The history of great countries or powers of the world is often full of the strides they made decades and centuries past towards their various nation buildings.

 Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Egypt, Rwanda, Namibia, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, Brazil Ghana, South Africa, Cuba, Libya and the central Africa republic etc. over the years has made input and output towards progress.

Everything a nation does either build it or destroy what was built-up.

The history of Nigeria seems not to be too fair and good to read by us the younger generation and I hope it won't be the same for the future generations.

Aside politics or impolitics, political rightness and correctness, vain appraisal and invisible praise to Nigeria after it's 60 years of nationhood and after 114 years of amalgamation, what has changed?

It is worrisome indeed to know that, Nigeria is worse today than it was 60 years ago,1960 to be exact.

What our founding fathers fought bloodlessly to achieved has either been destroyed or mare by the second generation,third and fourth generation leaders after them, if I am to reflect this in republic, the first to fourth republic's expedition of Nigeria hasn't done well as the military leadership respectively.

Void of sentiment and unwarranted bias, what were the core issues, challenges, problems and troubles of Nigeria in 1914,1960,1963,1966,1970,1979,1983,1993,1999,2003,2015 and 2019 are those things still facing us today as if nothing was  done to correct, avoid, solve and avert them?. It is a disgrace that what ought to have given way is still facing us in the eyes today after six decades of inglorious and ungracious nationhood journey.

When the colonial masters were in charged and in control of the nation; for their exploitation and exploration purposes, they built rails, roads, hospitals, construct governmental quarters and housing,invest in agriculture, unite and create chiefdoms and Emirates, partition national boundaries, create ethnic boundaries and unity among the people, this happened also in India. The Indians consolidated on what was inherited, while Nigeria went the other in colonial handover and hangover.

Invariably, other countries solidified on the colonial legacies and have become third powers in the world, of course, Nigeria didn't do they same thing rather it's more backward today.

It is physically and spiritually clear that: Education, Health,Water, Rails, Road, Housing, Equality,Equity,Unity, Agriculture,Social Development and progress, Electricity Employment, Underdevelopment, weak Governance,  retrogressive Democracy, lack vision by leadership and citizens lost of interest etc has remain a huge problem since 1960 in Nigeria. 

Also,look at our political institutions, the political class and elites, our political styles and method of politics, culture and tradition of our people, the Democratic style of the nation, accountabilities in government by leaders, lack of commitment to duties by citizens in civil and public services, the contributions of private citizens to the nation, entrepreneurship, empowerment, youths and women role to national development, sacrifices made by elites, our religion and social institutions, Foreign Policy and National Interest, national cohesion and National Questions, among other things, have they all been progressive or retrogressive? Can we boast and challenge ourselves that we have done so well in the aforementioned?. We need to review a lot of things as a nation and as a people.

The handshakes across the recognized regions of the North,South,East and West of the nation, has it been successful and how united are Nigerians today comparing to the past unity and love between us?

The unrecognized zones of Northwest, northeast, North Central, Southwest, Southeast and South South, aside the struggle for power rotation, have they contributed immensely to our growth as a nation in fostering unity and progress?

We are aware that the Vision 2020 was an illusion as things are bad in Nigeria today as they were 20 years in the year 2000, and the new Vision 2050 has been projected, the question is, will Nigeria and Nigerians be better than they are today in the next 30 years?

What are we doing as a government and people to put the nation on the pedestal of development in 2050? It is hard work that builds and transforms a nation not mere projections without action.

Since Nigeria at 60 is been celebrated on low key due to insecurity, insurrection, insurgency,fear of the unknown and as account of unverified security challenges, aside that, because Nigerians are not happy with the country and have nothing to hold on or to be of proud as public or private citizens, hence the low key celebration is necessary. In other climes, citizens looks forward to seeing this day in good mood and higher hope because of the contributions of the state to their lives, so they proud to people of that republic or federation.

 The celebration of Nigeria low-key Independence started years back due to insurgency and Terrorism activities in the country.

Will Nigerians be celebrating their Independence in low-key mood again in the next 60 years? Action must be taken now to make the living Nigerians happy in the year 2080 when Nigeria will be 120 years old as a free nation. Then, about 20% of Nigerians living today will still be on the face of the Earth.

With the increase in electricity tariff, high cost of living, expensive and outrageous price of food stuffs, hike in commodities, utilities and hospitalities, higher rate of unemployment and inequalities, unequal opportunities to all as some are A-List, B-List & C-List citizens, ethnic divisiveness among the people, tribal wars, lost of hope in the nation, leadership visionlessness and followership lost of interest, lack of core national interest and total absent of state of the union, as it appears today, what then will be the hope of Nigeria tomorrow as a country and envision of Nigerians as a people in the years ahead?

Certainly, as a patriotic Nigerian in the spirit of patriotism, one have to say happy Independence to us, indeed the nation has been good to some few while a huge number don't see anything to be happy about or wish Nigeria at 60.

Conclusively, when J.F. Kennedy told Americans to seek or look for what to do for the America and not just looking for what America will do for them.

The the nation has already put in place structures, institutions, solid economy, sound policies and governmental policies cum programs, constitution, level play ground, way of life, system of government, equity and equality, opportunities, fundamental human rights, democracy, free market, industries, sound  and affordable education system, good road network, affordable housing, strong military and paramilitary, laws and norms to guide the people, freedom and liberty, good Justice system, separation of powers, better history of their journey documented for the future generations, leadership and followership roles to nation buildings, Foreign Policy and national interest etc for the betterment of the citizens and people of the United States. 

Hence, the citizens went to work to develop their country, can the Nigerian government say the same thing to Nigerians?

Even if Nigerians want to look for what to do for Nigeria, are there institutions and infrastructures in place for them to lean on in other do something for Nigeria?

Rwang Patrick Stephen

A political Scientist at Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State.

A concerned citizen.