We see clear tribal divides when celebrating this country called Nigeria. Growing up in the South-South, we never celebrated Independence day. The South-East definitely do not celebrate Independence day either. Anyway, happy birthday to Naija for whatever that's worth.

@Ugbede

I liken him to that Guy who is old enough and has all it takes 2 cater 4 himself but still decide 2 remain in his fathers house asking for all manner of support when his contemporaries like GHANA who is just a few years older than him are out there making things happen

I really get mad when people start comparing Nigeria with Countries like Benin Republic, Malaysia, Ghana and other small countries who are  doing better than Nigeria because they have no basis for such comparisons. Here's a Country blessed with such enormous natural and human resources (she had really come of age) that can easily transport her to take up a leading role on the world stage and she is behaving worst than a toddler country. Even the war ravaged Liberia is more organised than( excuse my making such superfluous comparison).

I mean we have no call comparing Nigeria with such small countries ( Maybe that's why she's so complacent). I say, Compare her with America, China, Japan, and maybe the war ravaged Germany. That way, she may be challenged and snap out of her complacency.

Chief John Odey is Nigeria's minister of information and communications. He says despite some setbacks, the country has a lot to celebrate. "For us, it is a landmark; for us, it is an important event. It is an important event because it is an inspiration for all of us Nigerians. It has both economic and political significance for us. Our country has a blessed existence and we are celebrating it.

I was listening to the local radio opinion broadcast on Independence,yesterday, and I think the guy painted the Nigerian situation so well in the most concise and staight- to-the-point manner when he said and I quote
" The only people who had gained independence in this country is the ruling class, as for the rest of us we are still dependent"
That may be trite but in a way you can't miss the  truth and Irony in that statement.
On one hand I will ask the ruling class to celebrate their independence, they can afford to! But on the other hand  I will advice them to be sure if there is anything to celebrate. For what may appear to be their independence now may easily turn sour on them. What appears to be their freedom to oppress the poor and loot them blind, may easily become their waterloo. The situation easily calls to mind  Edgar's "The Masque of death".[quote][/quote]

Exstar:

@ayomifull,
How many of these have you practiced?

Why do i have to tell you that and why the question?

na our oga be this (umoru), before d going became good.

'

'

Happy Independence to Nigeria!!

If you don't celebrate your independence anniversary, who will do it for us, all is not well with Nigeria, but a time to celebrate is a time to tell God, thank you so far, thank God we are not Somalians( since I have known what my name is , I have also known a country called Somalia and that they all this while being fighting themselves), we have survived a civil war, of course we will surely get to our promised land.
You can believe the cup is half full or half empty, but one thing is sure, God has been good to us,

The country called Nigeria is a mumulity

Nigerians have an incredible capacity for taking bullshit especially from the government. These people know we take whatever they dish out (dictatorship, denial of rights, corruption, bullying, etc). We prefer to swallow and hope and pray for better days - its gone on for too long people. It sound and looks like a joke now when people say they are waiting for better days. And, hey stop asking God to change Nigeria, he did that long ago by giving you and I the brain to discern good from bad. Don't tell me you need God to come down to tell you bribery and corruption, yahoo yahoo, armed robbery etc are bad. The sycophants among us drive me mad. Even when we talk and complain simply as humans do, they want to show you how advanced they have become - acting as if they know something we all don't or trying to show how patriotic they are. What does it take to make a Nigerian say: "Hey, I've had enough and want to make a change in my life". Because, believe it or not, we are our own problem. If I change and you change, the nation will change. One of the best answers on this thread (apart from my own of course  ) is this one from Sholeyb. I think If each of us does half of what he says, Nigeria will change and our rulers will change too. Because, honestly, who are these politicians and rulers? Its you and me.

Quote from Sholeyb

May I suggest that we all start to do something no matter how small. I appreciate the way people feel about the whole situation, but let's be honest no matter how much and how often we complain it cannot change the situation.

Things to consider

Training young children in your area for free
Donating your used clothing, books, shoes etc to local children
Donating raw food stuff to families you know are suffering
Investing money in local traders biz, e.g pepper seller, meat seller etc. I can hear people saying NO WAY, who can I trust. We have to start somewhere
Visiting hospitals and donating baby clothes, paying off a new mother's bill.
Digging a well in our village
Opening a library in our old school
Teaching people to draft a CV and how to conduct themselves at an interview for free.
paying for a child's education that you may not really know but their plight has come to your knowledge
Visit homes where we know that there are disbaled or sick people there just to help them clean, wash clothes etc. Even just visiting and cahtting to them may be all they need.
Donating beds, duvets, story books, body creams( u know that cream you bought that did not suit you and u want to throw away), to shelters for drug addicts. prostitutes, orphaned childern etc
Volunteering to go to the market for a vulnerable adult that lives next to you
Raising money in your office for people who need surgery but cannot afford it.

This christmas is a good one, buy a very nice and useful hamper for that woman that stands in front of your office selling boli or soemone else, it would make their christmas.

So many other things I cannot think of right now.

Imagine a scenario where  a driver hits someone because the brakes are bad, if we knew about it before hand and could afford to sort it out and did nothing we are as gulty as the driver. I am not saying encouraging people to be irresponsible, but people we know are genuinley trying but can't make ends meet.

How many of us volunteer our time to our churches, mosques etc.Think about it
I hope this makes sense

@IBEXY and SHOLEYB

Please teach us how to give what we DO NOT have.

A FOOL AT 48, ANY HOPE?

48 YRS OF SURUGEDEE.

carmelily:

@IBEXY and SHOLEYB

Please teach us how to give what we DO NOT have.

You can start by doing the ones you have. Scan the list, there are lots you can do without really "having". Lets leave the ones that involve too much money. For example:

Training young children in your area for free - this is a humanitarian act that requires virtually nothing from you. Simple advice and guidance.
Donating your used clothing, books, shoes etc to local children - who does not know one or two people around who would appreciate even a used shirt. Be kind to people.
Donating raw food stuff (or cooked) to families you know are suffering - this can be even guguru and epa. No matter how small.
Teaching people to draft a CV and how to conduct themselves at an interview for free. - you will never know it but thousands of people have skills but cannot sell it because they can't draft a CV or write a proposal.
Visit homes where we know that there are disabled or sick people just to help them clean, wash clothes etc. Even just visiting and chatting with them may be all they need. - my brother is this one hard to do?
Donating beds, duvets, story books, body creams( u know that cream you bought that did not suit you and u want to throw away), to shelters for drug addicts. prostitutes, orphaned children etc - not too hard to do.
Volunteering to go to the market for a vulnerable adult that lives next to you - the list goes on and on
Raising money in your office for people who need surgery but cannot afford it. - charity begins at home (or was it in the office)


and I will add:

Try and change your way of life if you are involved in any of these: armed robbery, yahoo yahoo, bribery, corruption - the list continues.

Now you know how to be a Nigerian. Now you know the first steps towards transforming our nation.

Thank you. And by the time we are through doing all these, Nigeria would be where it ought to be at 48. How simple to "transform" our nation. Why didn't i think of it 1st?_hissssss

Weep not Nigeria

otokx:

Weep not Nigeria

yes, wail, rather

I love you NIGERIA with so much passion!, Ndewo!

Carmelily

I do not mean to insult you, but this is the type of attitude that brings a nation down. I once attended an underprivileged hostel to paint the walls; this did not require a lot from me neither will it from anyone apart from your time and willingness to be of help to a fellow human being. I went with a lot of my colleagues and by the way we are all 'high flying lawyers' ( I do not mean to brag, but what I mean is that we are time constrained due to the nature of our very demanding and ever busy jobs). There is always something you can give, time, money, knowledge, skills, encouraging words, leading by example.

This brightened the day of these kids, who in turn will not feel like the society has forgotten them and may deter them from engaging in criminal activities, a lot of people engage in criminal activities because they feel the society has let them down and that there is no hope for them.

It does not take a lot, KINDNESS goes a long way. The main problem we have in Nigeria is what is called 'hardness of heart’; human beings are not seen as human beings. What I am saying is that anyone and everyone can do it.

If 50% of Nigerians do this, the problems are half solved. Think about it that way. I apologise if you feel insulted, I mean no offence

a 48 year old wey still dey wear diaper.
that one na man?

truely, the country is in a complete mess @ 48 but i believe we av 1 thing and only onething to celebrate that being; on the 1st of october 2008 we still have a nation called NIGERIA, we should trace our steps back to our very selves make amends then extend it to our neighbours then with God's grace we wud start to get it right, long live NIGERIA, amen!!!

happy birthday Nigeria.

[b]Nigerian independence in 1960 was not by accident. we were quite due given the efforts and aspiration of our fighting and founding fathers. What has made nonsence of the whole efforts and wishes is the inordinate ambitions of the rulers post independence. so we cannot say it was not good to have been free from the hands of the colonial whites. One day, God will see us through.

In any case therefore, i say a big congratulations at 48 to Nigeria our dearest father land.

Osoinno

'

naija is 48 almost a century

I, for the most part, have been an outspoken activist against all ominous and nefarious principles that have hitherto governed our society. Many have labled me as unpatriotic and insensitive and have even taken it as far as declaring that i display a profound apathy to the Nigerian struggle (None of which are true). But even I know the importance of our independence, and as such I say "Happy Birthday Nigeria".

Because despite the appalling excuse that is our current system of governance (governance with out check and balance) where power and corruption are the guiding principles and fundamental maxim that constitutes our federal republic. Independence and the ability to be self governed as s sovereign state, still awards us the opportunity for change. The ability for all denizens of Nigeria to map out the path to a better and brighter tomorrow. It is with this cognitive comprehension that I proudly and honorably state "October 1st not only is a day of independence from foreign rule, but also a day that serves as a reminder that there is still hope, and most importantly, the future still lies in our hands.

lets not all quick to blame Yaradua, the poor guy came to power and met it in a mess that has been created all the years back, i pity him seriously, The wahala load for nigeria is too much for any man to handle alone, corruption has eaten so deep that even the cleaners in government ministries are corrupt.

i listened to Pastor bakare's speech on nidependence day and 1 valid thing i took from his speech was that, lets start fixing nigeria individually i.e. lets start from ourselves.

we should say no to individual corruption(bribry, tribalism, fraud, e.t.c) when we fix ourselves individually. then Nigeria's problem is half solved.

theres hope for this great nation and i believe in that hope/change.

Happy bithday sha, at al at al na im bad pass,


1 luv my fellow naija people

This same lazy excuse - its been bad for years, the person after Yar'adua will say the same thing. WHEN WILL THE CHANGE BEGIN?

No one is asking him to 'solve' all the problems, but tackle what you declared you would do with complete focus and drive.

Saying a cleaner is corrupt is really not the point here - Abuja was built when corruption existed, so was NLNG in Bonny and many other such facilities - if the people in charge make up their minds and do what they are supposed to do, changes will be seen.

like i said if everyone starts saying no to corruption individually (including people in power and me and you and all nairalanders) the country will move forward better.

No doubt about that - but being the President places great responsibility on you to LEAD that and CAUSE change - if you cannot do it, GET OUT.

I do not 'pity' Yar'adua, no one forced him to be president. he supposedly had a vision - now is the time to bring it to pass, we've had enough words and speeches to last a lifetime - what we need now is ACTION.

Corruption is not the only problem, people need to DO what is necessary to move the nation forward and not just sit down and blame 'past leaders' like all the nonsense we've heard this week.

debosky:

No doubt about that - but being the President places great responsibility on you to LEAD that and CAUSE change - if you cannot do it, GET OUT.

I wonder!!!