[b]At this junctioned junction that our great country lies, and left with numerous options to choose from, recounting our past should not be undermined. Our past must not be totally forgotten, because our past does not determine our future, but it has the ability to predict and correct it. October 1, is not a ritual, nor a day that needs cumpulsory celebration. But a day that should be magnified so that we will have a great story to tell out generation unborn. The limelight of indepence begin to shine on the eve of independence, most uneducated citizens begin to celebrate in ignorace of the efficacy of the celebration, while some educated ones, ganged up in two and threes to discuss and predict the end result of this independence. Some idealists were of the opinion that independence will not yield us any result, comparing and contrasting nations whom have received indepence before our dear nation. The Optimist has their optimism filled to the brim, emphatically narrating and supporting the idea of indepence, they had that strong feeling of optimism, they would say “don’t worry let’s gain independence, and afterwards we would know what to do.” The day was filled with hope. Many writers and poets published articles to justify and condemn independence, to dissect the power of federalism and militarism. The question, “which will work?” , was in their lips, and they couldn’t proffer an answer to it. After numerous debates and discussions, Lagos was lighted up the people’s feelings was ignited like a Midas touch from heaven. But the pessimist came out with their bottle of that old Guinness, “no, indepence is too early for us, we don’t need it….” The people felt all they said was under the influence of alcohol and they gallantly negated it. The moment was enjoyed by all Nigerians, and most people saw the new Nigeria in a very big and clear picture.
The advocate of independence fought with their intellectual ability and prowess, but it was like a cosmic conflict, it was a war between the seen and unseen.
The colonial master came in through the Bight of Benin, they spread their tent throughout the Bight and extended to the southwestern part of the nation with their education platforms. What attracted this colonial masters to us? Is a question our intellectuals then failed to ask themselves. Are they endeared by our endearing population? Are we better-off than them? Why haven’t they colonized Ethiopia instead. Our great future and our gratitude-filled past called their attention. They knew our forefathers had refined iron and made valuables out of it as early as 11,000BC when they knew nothing about it. So, we were exploited, our ideas, culture, knowlegde, intelligence were raped, either consciously or rather not. They came in the early 19th century, and created a colony and territory in our promising nation-Nigeria.
But, what would be our end if we continued like this? was the raging question amidst the educated ones then. In the late 1950s their cry came to the ears of the colonial masters, and they started considering and planning towards it. Their thoughts was in two ways, they considered our independence as a good thing, why also considering what they stand to loose, the oil, iron, control, oppression and the likes. They could not just leave that way, they needed to make a landmark. Towards 1959, they agreed to give us our independence and let us go. So, a day was agreed for the official declaration of interdependence.
Our leaders did not pay connivance to their ways and reactions, they did not read their body languages. All the colonial masters were saying was that ” Make them be physically strong and mentally weak.” They gave our “nation” independence, but they made we thel citizens mentally colonized – mental slavery.
On October 1, 1960, (a day that we are a remembering today) it was a day for the official declaration of our independence. Nigeria’s First Prime Minister Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, received the mantle from the Queen in his well-articulated and futuristic speech, the mental slavery was clearly stated he said ” Today is Independence Day. The first of October 1960 is a date to which for two years, “Nigeria” has been eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent Sovereign nation.” He said Nigeria has been eargerly expecting, so the question is “was it Nigeria that received independence or Nigerians?” The truth is it was Nigeria at the expense of Nigerians. In Sir Balewa’s address,l he rightfully opined that our country should now contribute her own quota to the world. But, are we contributing to the world or adding to the world problem, I think we do the later better, because we are still dependent on the progeny of our colonial masters for most of are used products, things in which they learnt in our very enriched nation. We were left in a chain of mental colonization. Nigerians did not receive independence on October 1, Nigeria did.
We were hypnotized by the tides of that time, all they felt was the enjoyment of the present moment. “we need independence” they will say, but when the question why? came in, everyone desserted the subject. Sir Tafa, delivered a great speech in which our leaders should have built upon, but rather, after the British relinquished power, what their mentally slaved mind could tell them is to start the fight for power.
Sequel to this, we must know that we as citizens has a huge role to play in Nigeria recent economic crash. But we’ll not do a pinch unless we receive or work for our mental independence. The lack of this has led to conflict, riot, ethnicity, tribalism and the likes.
The mental slavery had snatched our patience, that we could no longer wait for our leaders to think, but rather, we push them to make historic mistake which is hunting us.
We have all the dispensations we need to make this nation great better than we’ve ever been. We have a lot of Nigerians abroad making waves. It has been recently observed that if the Nigerian doctors in America are withdrawn today American health sector will feel their impact. We’ve Nigerian ruling many fields of endeavors, but we choose to read the bad news always, see the Negative Nigeria rather than read the good news, and appreciate them.
The British mental colonization has besieged us, that we no longer think right. We think money not how to create them. Our leaders has also succumbed to this mental colonization systemically by making policies at their own digression without examining the future consequences. We need to work out our true independence by ourselves, enough of the pseudolife we”ve lived in the past years, we need to awake to reality. Enough of gender sentiment,religious crisis tribal clash lets face the reality of our nation-that we are one of the vest countries in the world.
Our economy can be revived, if our mental independence is granted. Then we will speak normative statements about our nation with a true mind. Our mind control our world.
Recession is bad, but let’s take a time out , enjoy your, for we are one step into true independence. Let’s stop saying evil about our nation, don’t be eager to read that bad news about the nation, but seek that good news then we’ll place our nation on the path to success. I love to say “God bless Nigeria” can you?
Happy Independence Nigeria and a new month to Nigerians!!!!![/b]