Its October 1st once again,another avenue for the so-called leaders of my country Nigeria to loot our collective treasuries with reckless abandon all in the name of celebrating the nation's independence which is nothing but a flick.Time and time again i have heard the saying that Nigeria is a giant but i beg to differ,if indeed it is a giant,then it is a crippled giant,crippled by what i call "leadership malaise".
On October 1st 1960,there was hope for this nation,it was like everything was in the favor of Nigeria,foreign analysts predicted an African super-power in the making,an economic power house,but 54 years down the line all these predictions are but a mirage ,an Eldorado to the average Nigerians. 54 years of independence has passed,the nation have survived a civil war,the most bloody of coups,the most inhumane of military regimes,but is today confronted with a hydra-headed monster hiding under religious and political cloak to wreck havoc ,this monster Boko Haram has destroyed more lives than can be imagined.This nation is today confronted with intense corruption,confronted with epileptic power supply,confronted with issues of nepotism,tribalism and religious bigots.My Country is a giant on paper but not in the real sense of development or attainment of the millennium development goals.
My country at 54,is a country where as a politician ,your various sins are forgiven you by the powers that be, provided that you belong to the ruling party.The agencies supposed to fight against corruption are now tools in the hands of the political power holders to oppress and suppress any opposition either from the opposition party or from outspoken citizens.
My country at 54,is a country where political parties recycle members and ideologies between themselves thereby leaving the citizens little or no choice on how to carry out their civic right to vote in or vote out any candidate of their choice.Daily,i weep for my country as events continue to unfold to the point where we have found ourselves today.
This is a country at 54,where some entertainers are clamoring for political positions like ants scrambling around a sugar cube and in the process neglect their primary assignment which is to entertain Nigerians and also expose their inexperience and may i say to a large extent their greed and selfishness.Hmmm! I can only but sigh for my country !
This is a country at 54,where the private jet of a highly placed "Man of God " was involved in an arms-deal scandal in a foreign nation a while ago and up till today no reasonable explanation has been given to his "Flocks" on how that jet was in the center of all that scandal,well for me ,i am still bidding my time and waiting for that "robust" explanation if indeed it would ever come.
This is a country at 54,where most roads are death-traps,while govt officials fly above our heads in their state of the art jets,the average Nigerian is left at the mercy of these blood-sucking roads.We can barely boast of good road network in a state not to say the whole federation.What a rubbish !
A nation that has crude oil deposits but is regularly faced with fuel scarcity and high fuel prices,A nation at 54 that can't boast of stable power supply with it immense gas,hydro and wind resources that can be harnessed for power.Na wa ooh! A nation at 54,that has every resources both human and otherwise to compete with the leading economies of the world but would our greedy and kleptomaniac leaders allow that?
This is a nation where a Governor would put up a project and publicize it like he was doing the masses a favor.What can i say? Was the governor elected for jamboree or to carry out projects to better the welfare of the people? I look on with disdain each time a governor commissions a project and praise singers start thanking him,are we supposed to thank him for working with our money,Hmmm! Nigerians never cease to amaze me.
This is a nation that has no visible plan for its educational system,well i wouldn't blame,e the oligarchs and capitalist feigning as democrats because they have one agenda and that is to pass on the helms of affairs of this nation to their progenies,little wonder their kids all school in the best universities abroad while our educational system are left in shambles.
I am indeed pained at this show of shame called the 54th Independence Anniversary.
This is a time of deep reflection and not all this usual jamborees "worth millions of naira".
This is the time for every youth of this nation to ask what does the future hold for us in this nation?
This is the time to prepare to vote out wolves in sheep clothing in the next elections,but who are the real sheep?
This is the time to get bored of their irrelevant and misleading independence speech every year.
This is the time to hold our representatives at the national assembly to account for their time in the hallowed chambers while "representing either our cause or their bulging stomachs".
This is the time to make political office less attractive for the political jobbers by stripping it of all the glamor,fame and wealth associated with it.
This is the time to ask the national assembly for a youth oriented constitution that allows youth to vie for any political position.
This is the time to hold every minister in the cabinet accountable for every projects carried out and every contracts awarded by his/her ministry and every corrupt one should be sacked and prosecuted.
This is the time for us to ask for change in every strata of governance in this nation,not with violence but with our voices,lets us arise and ask for change.
This is our time,lets grab our chance with both hands,no more are we going to be leaders of tomorrow,the tomorrow is now,lets be the leaders we want.
Comparing this nation at 54 to USA at 54 is a huge joke and an embarrassment and please do stop the comparison because it is not helping matters and it makes the leaders adamant to change their attitude and mind set towards governance.
Scrap the independence celebration until we get it right in this nation.
Arise and ask for change,vote right and vote out all pretenders.

By DANICEASARB

Mods fp tins pls