Letters

Selfish leadership, disunity in Nigeria’s diversity

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5 years ago

Today, Nigeria celebrates her 60th golden jubilee. As usual, the annual activities to mark the independence celebration had earlier been outlined by the Federal Government. Even before today, political analysts, financial experts and public commentators had expressed their views on the country’s independence celebration. To the optimistic group, 60 years of independence is worthy of celebration because the country has been able to cross the social, political and economy Rubicon in spite of numerous challenges raging from political instability that lead to different military coups.

For a country that houses more than 350 ethnic groups managing to coexist, the golden jubilee is a source of inspiration. To this group, it is cheering news that the country has been able to survive the glaring and outright theft of its resources by so-called leaders steering the affairs of the country. For a country like Nigeria to witness several coups, political tension and civil war but emerge stronger calls for jubilations.

The pessimistic group view the country’s 60th anniversary as one that reveals the country’s movement of one step forward and three steps backwards. To them, Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and natural resources. Sadly, the country is not at par with its contemporaries that attained the same independence. They have argued that since the first republic which the country witnessed the first generational leaders that were imbued with foresight and patriotism, Nigeria has since become a shadow of itself with nothing to celebrate.

The present crop of leaders lack patriotism and are preoccupied by divisive politics and passion for wealth accumulation. They have continued to exploit the country’s fault lines not for nation building, but as a ladder to attain leadership position. It is not an understatement to say that lack of good leadership has further compounded the country’s political and economic woes.

Whatever may be the positive or negative perspectives of the country’s checkered history since independence, the golden jubilee should serve as a period of introspection. It is time to take a look at our constitution and government structures, identify the factors that become cogs in the wheel of our development.

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua,

Kaduna State.

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