Sixty-four odd years ago, most Black and Coloured peoples under colonial bondage, and those on the other divide accelerating the demise of the colonial project, were euphoric that Nigeria would be the pride of the black race, would aggressively project the African persona, and potentials to the world, and would be a game changer in international relations. But those were wishes not horses, which could not be ridden by beggars.
Despite the hiccups of forging a plural nation, Nigeria’s developmental state laid the foundation of a modern economy driven by a vibrant petroleum sector, overcame secessionist pressures, facilitated the formation of ECOWAS, and played crucial roles in global, African, and subregional peace keeping and enforcement, with an aggressive Africa centred foreign policy.
The supersession of the developmental state by the neoliberal project however dashed the hopes unleashed in 1960. Instead of life more abundant, it became increasingly restrictive; rather than building an egalitarian society, the nation became more unequal; and instead of a freer society, the nation is becoming despotic; rather than uplifting Nigerians out of poverty, their poverty is deepened.
About 64 years after independence, and almost half a century after a severe national test, there seems to be a lack of national consensus for Nigeria’s union to be perpetual or transient. The transgressions of the ruling elites, which have divided the nation into opposed publics have made a lot of Nigerians to lose hope in Project Nigeria, because they have been enslaved by new slave masters masquerading as democratic saviours.
Some nations struggled for freedom, to be enslaved thereafter by stationery “bandits”, in alliance with vested external interests, engendering fresh emancipatory struggles.
In Nigeria, the conflation of the neoliberal, and the liberal democratic projects raised the stakes for mega corruption, emboldening the ruling elites to steal the nation blind, dropping all pretenses for selfless public service, massively enslaving the nation, requiring a fresh struggle to emancipate it.
It speaks volume of the national resolve to build an egalitarian and corrupt-free society, if substantial budget padding could be cavalierly glossed over and swept under the carpet.
If the British could tolerate Michael Imoudu’s 45 days nationwide strike, then how independent are Nigerians, whilst its native slave masters are unable to tolerate a 10-day national protest by impoverished Nigerians? And if a ferocious military regime could be subjected to a crippling nationwide strike, what could be the justification for a democratic regime to be averse to public protests and strikes?
The regionally inclined nationalists, who negotiated independence in 1960, and other Nigerians, had high hopes for the new nation. But 64 years after independence, despair has displaced hope, despotism has replaced freedom, and a new crop of leaders are enslaving the nation. It is the patriotic duty of Nigerians to unite and reclaim the nation.
Jahun, a public affairs commentator wrote from Dutse, Jigawa State
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