1st of October every year is a day set aside to celebrate Nigeria’s independence from Britain. It is now an annual ritual. The day is an annual reminder of where Nigeria and its people are coming from and where they are presently. Since 1960, Nigeria’s chequered history of governance has been a mix of both military and civilian rule, each with its own baggage of problems heaped on the nation; the good, the bad and most terrible. President Buhari Independence Speech was, as usual, uninspiring and lacking in substance. I don’t think Nigerians were disappointed. I will rather, use the Independence day to remind us of how we have destroyed the gifts and blessings of God for Nigeria, different from where her peers like Singapore and United Arab Emirates are today.
Nigeria is a major oil producing country but since the discovery of oil at Oloibiri in 1957 is still yet to produce enough fuel and other petroleum products for local consumption. Nigeria’s now spends a major chunk of its foreign exchange earnings on importation of fuel. Is this not stupidity at its highest form? The annual Turn-Around-Maintenance of the refineries became regular conduits for waste and mismanagement. More than half of Nigeria’s daily production of oil which is about 900, 000 BPD are being stolen both at the export terminals and in the high offices in Abuja. Politicians, public servants and businessmen that matter in government and in the society have found a common pursuit: loot, loot and loot.
For more than 7 months, ASUU has been on strike while university students are at home wasting away. A government that cares will never allow such to happen. A country where a civil servant can steal more than N90 billion naira and who is now resting at home on bail, finds it difficult to release 20% of that amount to the Universities. A government whose major investment is in corruption, mismanagement, pilgrimage (religion without righteousness), excessive recurrent expenditure, having an entourage of more than 100 persons to attend United Nations meeting in New York, just for the President to make a speech; a nation where the President sees nothing wrong in many of the names nominated for National Honours who have been part of the problems of the country. Where is the name of late (Chief) GaniFawehinmi, SAN who fought for the Nigerian masses till his death? Where is late Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, the Nigerian physician that curbed a wider spread of ebola in West Africa?
The economy is also in complete mess. The United States dollar and British pounds are now out of the reach of genuine Nigerian traders. Dollar is now above N700 to the naira. In this same country, politicians freely used dollars to bribe delegates in the last primaries of political parties. While government officials get dollars at the official rate and sell at the black market for huge profit or use same for frivolous purchases and trips, other Nigerians must go to the black market. The dual forex system is a fraud.
Nigeria is broke. Really broke. Don’t be deceived by the Minister of Finance. 90% of our annual cumulative earrings go into debt servicing. In 2021, out of N5.5 trillion revenue, N4.2 trillion was spent on debt serving, leaving only N1.3 trillion. Nigeria’s budget in 2021 was N13.57 trillion. It is no brainer that Nigeria would have to borrow N12.7 trillion, which it did. In same 2021, Nigeria political rulers and government officials still continued on the looting and wasteful spree (State-sponsored pilgrimages, thousands of Special Assistants appointed by the President and State Governors, over-bloated cabinet and federal civil service, humongousand unjustified earnings of federal Ministers, National Assembly members, heads of agencies and top civil servants, retaining dead and use-less agencies as conduits for stealing funds, frequent foreign medical vacations by the President at the expense of the Nigerian public, personalizing presidential jets, pardon of convicted former Governors who looted their States’ treasury and all sorts that make a country a banana republic).
There is insecurity everywhere in Nigeria. Even the President’s home State, Katsina State is not even secured. Terrorists, bandits and kidnappers have taken over everywhere. Funds for arms and ammunitions are being looted. For reasons that do not make any sense, the Federal Government has refused to allow States to create and arm their own Police. Ondo State has threatened to arm its own security outfit, like Katsina State. The National Assembly is asleep, and ever willing to do the bidding of the President Buhari except where the personal interests of their members are affected like the passage of the Electoral Act, 2022. The interest of the Nigerian people is not their major concern.
Our Judiciary is still being suffocated by the overwhelming pressure of the Executive arm of Government. Contrary to their constitutional powers, the President and the State Governors are still influencing appointments into the Judiciary and using state security apparatus to harass Judges at their homes. As at now the Supreme Court of Nigeria does not have a full bench. Many States lack enough Judges. The Executive have still refused to allow the Judiciary to have direct funding on a first line charge from the Consolidated Revenue fund as provided for in the Constitution.
Nevertheless, Nigeria is still one. More than ever before, Nigerians are now crying for change. 2023 general election may be the turning point. All Nigerians must get their PVCs and ensure that they exercise their franchise. To these patriotic Nigerians, I say Happy Independence.
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