Who deserves Independence Anniversary Dinner

Last week, I listened to a radio public enlightenment programme in which a young caller passionately begged the producer to kindly explain the controversy of Nigeria being 54 years old in the same year in which her government celebrated what it called the centenary.  From the feeble response of the producer, it was clear he […]

Last week, I listened to a radio public enlightenment programme in which a young caller passionately begged the producer to kindly explain the controversy of Nigeria being 54 years old in the same year in which her government celebrated what it called the centenary.  From the feeble response of the producer, it was clear he did not know much more than the youthful caller. The truth however is that Nigeria is only 54 years old because although she was created by the British in 1914, she was only a colony and did not become a nation until 1960 when she gained independence and nationhood. Why then did our government celebrate 100 years of our nationhood earlier this same year?
Two sets of analysts would answer the question differently. The first set made up of what could be described as critics or supporters of opposition politicians or cynics could imagine that perhaps some political office-holders wanted a catchy budget sub-head from which to draw resources for expenditure on celebrations. So they made us to become a country that was 100 years old in January only to be reduced to 54 in October of the same year. The other group made up of transformation crusaders and development communication practitioners would employ a more patriotic diction. They would simply say what was celebrated in January was the centenary of our amalgamation, that is our coming together, while next Wednesday’s celebration would be the 54th anniversary of our independence from Britain. They would probably add that because government is prudent, it would not celebrate twice hence on October 1, we shall have what has become popularly known as ‘low-key’ celebration.
Those who are not familiar with the Nigerian meaning of the term low-key need to be told that the term captures when a national celebration is restricted to those who have access to the corridors of power. They are, in actual fact the only ones that would witness a simple military parade and later have dinner at the Villa-a place which frequently functions these days as our alternate Eagle Square. Well, there is doubt if the venue of the celebration is as important as those who are privileged to be in attendance. What appears certain is that those who are likely to be at the dinner may not necessarily be those who deserve a national dinner at this point of our socio-political disposition. This view point is influenced by the fact that those who can enter the secured venue of the dinner are not those in need of food as they can from their personal resources organize any form of sumptuous dinner.  
Again, they do not fall within the hungry bracket because before dinner, many of them would have had breakfast, tea, mid-day coffee, lunch, snacks etc. They therefore do not need dinner at government expense. Others who have no business in our national dinner but who will as usual be there include our politicians who are daily re-decamping to wherever their bread is buttered. The same is true of our political office holders whose aides earn more than the highest technocrats.  Of course, our legislators who do not even know how much they earn have no place in our independence anniversary dinner.  
They should not be there to increase the fat bill of next Wednesday’s dinner. In addition, considering that government dinner which usually consists of first course, salad, main meal, wine, sweet etc. could cost much especially when contract fee is added, some of the money for the anniversary dinner should be saved for better use.  A good percentage of the money can be given to Mama Peace to purchase independence anniversary gift items for the sick, the poor, the homeless and the physically challenged. But if we must have dinner, those to be assembled should include victims of insurgency and the traumatized families of those abducted. The gesture would boost the morale of many of them who would remember often that they were never abandoned.
Two more groups of citizens who deserve our anniversary dinner are: first, our sports girls who now make it possible for our national anthem to be played at international competitions. Okagbare and her colleagues in athletics as well as Oshoala and others in football deserve national dinner. Their achievements are best understood when placed side by side with the fate of their male counterparts who have not been quite lucky or those of members of the Nigerian Football Federation who take delight in haunting their nation with the ghost of FIFA.
Another batch of those who should partake of a national dinner is made up of our gallant military forces who we hear have greatly reversed the overwhelming damaging impact of insurgency on the nation. The soldiers deserve a special treat for their current great strides because until a week ago, everyone had virtually written off our military.
We kept hearing stories of obsolete equipment and how our soldiers have developed a habit of refusing deployment; how they were shooting at their commanders in anger; how they were protesting the ban on motorcycles in the barracks and how their spouses were organizing street protests on their behalf.  Alas, it is now a new story of how the former and immediate past shekaus are no more and how lost territories have been recovered etc. Indeed, our military and security operatives should be at the dinner in addition to getting winning bonuses at each junction. This would spur them on to over-all victory and bring peace to our troubled land. When this happens, everything would return to normal and we shall have cause as a nation to put aside low key celebrations and openly rejoice when the occasion demands. But we should not encourage any already well-fed Nigerian to be at the feast.  Indeed, any of the rest of us not in the above list of those who should be at the coming anniversary dinner should for now eat his dinner in his own domain.