NIGERIA's INDEPENDENCE: TO CELEBRATE OR NOT?
I read in dismay a whole lot of articles and pieces that have
been written about Nigeria's independence, in which many
opined that the nation has nothing to celebrate as she
clocks 56 today, 1st October, 2016. Aside dominant
corruption and increase in crimes, other reasons given by
such deep thinking writers include: bad governance, lack of
basic amenities, underdevelopment, terrorism, malpractices,
injustice and many much more. Consequently, we need not
scream for independence!
There are always two sides to a coin- head or tail, and
opinions in life are more or less like a talking drum (ìlù
gángan) while it faces someone at a time, it equally backs
other. Admittedly, I would probably opine otherwise, life
itself is good or bad depending on how we personally view
it. Besides, I savor objectivity in expression of mind. So,
this writing is just an addition to other writings in the literary
archives on Nigeria's Independence, not a rejoinder to
anyone whatsoever.
Following from the remains of colonialism in Africa, which
was a bind of disempowerment which Africans found
themselves as a result of new ways of life foisted on them, I
am assertive to reflect on colonialism in a way that picks
holes in the colonialists' claims about altruism and
benevolence. Matter of fact, social injustice, corruption,
deceit and alienation are lighter scourge of colonial rules.
So, all we have been doing since this day 1960 is
recovering from the heavy blow of imperial rule, in
which we lost our balance. We lost our culture and beliefs,
the IDENTITY that by Providence, made us Africa. A new
way of life was imposed on us. Gradually, things were falling
apart and the centre could no longer hold! Quoting Okonkwo
in Achebe's Things Fall Apart:
"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and
peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his
foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our
brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has
put a knife on the things that held us together and we have
fallen apart" Colonialism therefore brought disunity and loss
of identity. This we keep striving to attain while other areas
of development are left untouched.
The argument is that before the advent of the White men,
our fathers recorded a whole lot of development ranging
from discovering new settlements, expansion of lands for
farming, chieftaincy et al, we had our identity and the
strange ideas of men on canoe drastically brought us
backward.
Forceful marriage could also be said a reason while we
might have not grown as expected. The White, fully known
our diverse cultural beliefs, though similar in a way, decided
to merger us, forgetting that friendship comes before
marriage. We knew of wars among the tribes coined to be
Nigeria, yet the evil- spirited White joined us together. But
we have reasons to celebrate this marriage (independence)
as against all odds, we are still ONE NATION. One may be
intent to talk of insecurity- killing and co, well, insecurity is
everywhere. Even it exists among our colonial masters and
other developed countries. So ours isn't exceptional. The
fact that we are still a Nigeria against their prophecy of
disintegration of 2014 and less pronounced secession of the
Biafra cum Bokohara scourge....., we deserve a celebration.
We must be conscious of the likely psychological effects of
the gloomy pictures of Africa as the jungle to fit the
"backward, primitive and crude" on the development of
Nigeria. Africa is identified with Black and to them, black is
evil. Imagine: black Maria, black list, black market, black
sheep, black book, and black as a symbol of mourning. This
has caused us a lot of Ill feelings of our identity. Yet, BLACK
has pride, strength and is mighty.
In the final analysis, our development as a nation or
otherwise is creditable or otherwise to our colonial masters
who changed our identity under the guise of colonialism in
which they disrupted the people's flow of life and culture-
the culpability of European interventions in the tragic fate of
Nigeria!
Our current political brouhaha and terrible state of affairs
are, perhaps, a result of what we were forced to accept
after taking away our own identity. However, Nigeria needs
to wake up, put in more effort and reshape her identity. It's
only a stone throw to our Canaan land. Let's celebrate
independence in anticipation of goodies ahead as we
recover from the heavy blow of colonialism.
God bless Nigeria!!
God bless Africa!!!
© 2016
' Tayo Ogunkanmi P. (T'flo)
been written about Nigeria's independence, in which many
opined that the nation has nothing to celebrate as she
clocks 56 today, 1st October, 2016. Aside dominant
corruption and increase in crimes, other reasons given by
such deep thinking writers include: bad governance, lack of
basic amenities, underdevelopment, terrorism, malpractices,
injustice and many much more. Consequently, we need not
scream for independence!
There are always two sides to a coin- head or tail, and
opinions in life are more or less like a talking drum (ìlù
gángan) while it faces someone at a time, it equally backs
other. Admittedly, I would probably opine otherwise, life
itself is good or bad depending on how we personally view
it. Besides, I savor objectivity in expression of mind. So,
this writing is just an addition to other writings in the literary
archives on Nigeria's Independence, not a rejoinder to
anyone whatsoever.
Following from the remains of colonialism in Africa, which
was a bind of disempowerment which Africans found
themselves as a result of new ways of life foisted on them, I
am assertive to reflect on colonialism in a way that picks
holes in the colonialists' claims about altruism and
benevolence. Matter of fact, social injustice, corruption,
deceit and alienation are lighter scourge of colonial rules.
So, all we have been doing since this day 1960 is
recovering from the heavy blow of imperial rule, in
which we lost our balance. We lost our culture and beliefs,
the IDENTITY that by Providence, made us Africa. A new
way of life was imposed on us. Gradually, things were falling
apart and the centre could no longer hold! Quoting Okonkwo
in Achebe's Things Fall Apart:
"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and
peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his
foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our
brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has
put a knife on the things that held us together and we have
fallen apart" Colonialism therefore brought disunity and loss
of identity. This we keep striving to attain while other areas
of development are left untouched.
The argument is that before the advent of the White men,
our fathers recorded a whole lot of development ranging
from discovering new settlements, expansion of lands for
farming, chieftaincy et al, we had our identity and the
strange ideas of men on canoe drastically brought us
backward.
Forceful marriage could also be said a reason while we
might have not grown as expected. The White, fully known
our diverse cultural beliefs, though similar in a way, decided
to merger us, forgetting that friendship comes before
marriage. We knew of wars among the tribes coined to be
Nigeria, yet the evil- spirited White joined us together. But
we have reasons to celebrate this marriage (independence)
as against all odds, we are still ONE NATION. One may be
intent to talk of insecurity- killing and co, well, insecurity is
everywhere. Even it exists among our colonial masters and
other developed countries. So ours isn't exceptional. The
fact that we are still a Nigeria against their prophecy of
disintegration of 2014 and less pronounced secession of the
Biafra cum Bokohara scourge....., we deserve a celebration.
We must be conscious of the likely psychological effects of
the gloomy pictures of Africa as the jungle to fit the
"backward, primitive and crude" on the development of
Nigeria. Africa is identified with Black and to them, black is
evil. Imagine: black Maria, black list, black market, black
sheep, black book, and black as a symbol of mourning. This
has caused us a lot of Ill feelings of our identity. Yet, BLACK
has pride, strength and is mighty.
In the final analysis, our development as a nation or
otherwise is creditable or otherwise to our colonial masters
who changed our identity under the guise of colonialism in
which they disrupted the people's flow of life and culture-
the culpability of European interventions in the tragic fate of
Nigeria!
Our current political brouhaha and terrible state of affairs
are, perhaps, a result of what we were forced to accept
after taking away our own identity. However, Nigeria needs
to wake up, put in more effort and reshape her identity. It's
only a stone throw to our Canaan land. Let's celebrate
independence in anticipation of goodies ahead as we
recover from the heavy blow of colonialism.
God bless Nigeria!!
God bless Africa!!!
© 2016
' Tayo Ogunkanmi P. (T'flo)
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