New Telegraph

Why do Nigerians prefer bondage to freedom?

Nigeria is a great country that consists of many indigenous languages with colourful cultures. It is also replete with wonderful people who include great men and women, in addition to being blessed with natural resources. History has shown us that these great people and their lands were adopted as a colony by the British and other Europeans, due mainly to the inability of the indigenous people to harness the natural resources for their own benefit. This situation presented the British and their allies the opportunity to take away Nigeria’s resources and then turn the people into their subjects. It was not long, however, when nationalists like Herbert Macaulay, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello began to engage with the British in several talks that began towards self-rule in 1960.

It has to be stated nonetheless that the nationalists suffered deprivations that include arrests, detention and torture of some kind. But they remained undaunted and resilient, while embarking on various campaigns to sustain the struggle. It did not take a decade after independence when Nigeria became a giant country on the African continent as it provided the basis for a haven that would be habitable to all at home and from around the world. The reverse is the case today, 61 years after independence.

Particularly lacking in vision, the current leaders have kept making good governance a tall order, if not rocket science. The economy is in shambles, the social system literally gasping for breath and the political system is endangered. The ordinary people have without doubt been at the receiving end. What can be produced locally is still being imported, as evident in the massive importation of rice, despite Nigeria’s land mass. For the most part, it is not for lack of creativity or ingenuity among the people.

But, the vision to harness creativity and ingenuity is just lacking in the authorities. A 21-year-old man from Kebbi State, Muzzami Umar, recently built a car, likewise a professional welder from Oyo State, Paul Onah, built a helicopter. According to the News Chronicle of October 31 2013, a student from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Kingsley Obinna built a radio-controlled helicopter.

All that is needed is to have their talent harnessed for the benefit of Nigeria. The political will required to revive the ailing refineries at home with a view to saving scarce forex currently being used to import fuel to the country, as well as providing world class hospitals to minimise medical tourism and quality education to minimise traveling abroad to attend schools is also lacking, to the detriment of progress in Nigeria.

Perhaps, unknown to today’s leaders, they have injured the pride of their forebears almost irredeemably due to their penchant for foreign goods. It is just as well that it is not too late for Nigerians to gird their loins in the quest to drum for a change in attitude and mentality by turning the country away from consuming to producing with the target to escape from indirect slavery. It is said that patience is key to success. At the same time, delay is also very dangerous, just as procrastination is the thief of time.

John is a 300 level Mass Communication student studying at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State

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