Nigeria at 54: Forward, backwards or stalling?

Every 1st October, Nigeria and her peoples celebrates independence anniversary to mark its cherished history of freedom from the British with much pain and agony. But as the drum of celebration reaches the air this year Nigerians continues to lament on the failure of leadership to actualize the independence dreams of our forebear and the […]

Every 1st October, Nigeria and her peoples celebrates independence anniversary to mark its cherished history of freedom from the British with much pain and agony. But as the drum of celebration reaches the air this year Nigerians continues to lament on the failure of leadership to actualize the independence dreams of our forebear and the manifest hope for a better future is still far from reality.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to do reality checks to recapture the dreams of the golden independence era and a new beginning of true nationalism beckons on us – the followership to correct the inherent contradictions of the mundane and rent seeking leaders that have taken us for granted for too long and this year celebration should offers us deep reflections and insights to forge ahead in the midst of despair and hopelessness it brings to our collective consciousness as a people in need of change and change is inevitable.
The period after independence also witnessed massive institutional and economic transformation from the regional governments but again the dreams of improving the life of Nigerians became more generally degenerated into a nightmare. Indeed events of recent time in Nigeria point us to the direction that our nation is not firmly rooted in true federalism and the rule of law is yet to take its pride of place in our collective efforts to build a genuine nation.
Therefore, our leaders should as matter of urgency look to its future by looking back to its past to working with its present in order to negotiate those critical milestones toward building formidable base and frame works in order to respond to the negative factors impinging on our common drive that would foster uncommon unity and vision that we are in dire need at this time of national rebirth.
The questions still remain on how to get the right kind of service-driven and competent leaders which are empathetic to the greater Nigeria dream. From  institutional perspectives, Nigerians need a space in a more coherent and comprehensive way to engage in genuine dialogue beyond the existing political stereotypes and prejudices and establish a common understanding on issues of governance and performance by all stakeholders.
As a nation, we should be slow to betray, to abandon, or to accept unwholesome approximations of the Nigeria agenda and we should as matter of necessity and urgency of now and the future remember that corruption is when we as a people accommodate anything that is unworthy by accepting it as expedient for immediate parochial gain at the expense of the common good. We all can be leaders in our own way if we earnestly desire a nation that works and share in values that would re-energize the true spirit of the national pledge. So help us God.
Orovwuje wrote in from Lagos.