It is on record, and the reality on ground that our dear native land, Nigeria clocked 64 years few days ago. A man of Nigeria’s age, all things being equal, may have entered the twilight of his life, to take stock whether he has run a good race within the time frame, no matter the opinions of the onlookers. Right or wrong, there may not be too much time left for a man of six decades plus, supposing the life span of a nation is a hundred years.
The celebration of The Catholic Herald Centenary is very instructive and also apt at this time. It teaches some lessons, one of which is, that the publication has come a long way, and would continue to soar in all situations. It reinforces the fact also that 100 years indeed, is a great milestone that should not be glossed over. Yes, the life span of a nation may be inelastic, but for humans that have expiry date, progress of any nation is gauged by accounts of each passing generation.
The much talked about Nigerian society, and the well-being of her people is expected at this time to have improved, because the present generation wants to make a difference, since there may not be much time left. They also believe that rhetoric of the time by the ruling class appears to have diminished the labour of our heroes past, instead of something more positive and meaningful. Although, that was a stanza in the old national anthem that has now been thrown into the dustbin of history.
The generation of today also believes that it is foolhardy for us as a country to swallow hook, line and sinker what other countries of the world are telling us about our society, especially in the area of managing the economy, whereas it’s Nigerians that are bearing the brunt; dying of hunger and deprivation. The ideal thing therefore, is to develop home grown solutions to our myriad of problems which Nigerians are capable of tackling.
The story of Nigeria’s journey so far in the last 64 years could also be described as mixed bag of fortunes, given the present situation of the country. Many have attested to the fact that Nigerians are facing the hardest time ever. At the risk of their own lives, the citizens are leaving the country in droves not minding what awaits them. At these trying times, many are also praying to God to end it all, and wishing the nation a rebirth. Nigerians looked forward with enthusiasm to the October 1 Independence broadcast of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even as he openly acknowledged he has heard the people’s lamentation loud and clear.
Given the tensed situation and the hunger in the land, people had hoped that certain policies, especially the ones that affect them directly would have been addressed almost immediately. They expected the President to blow hot on the issue of corruption, and fish out those implicated. Other tough measures to address the imbalance in the society, especially those who feel marginalised should have been taken. Mr. President was at same time expected to unburden the mystery surrounding the power sector. Decisive action against what NNPCL has become of late, and why it failed to meet up to the yearnings of Nigerians ought to have been looked into.
Nigerians expected that message of hope in the true sense of it, where innocent people are not punished unjustly, but alas, the usual appeal to the suffering masses to be patient was louder than ever! That the people gathered to protest on a national day like October 1 is an issue the federal government should consider as a clear demonstration of their frustration. All that the citizens want, is to see and feel the message of hope that this administration is pushing down their throats in the midst of hunger and deprivation. Those who should identify with the people’s suffering are being decorated with national honours, which to say the least, amounts to insulting our collective will. Commentators on national issues believe that the government needs to come out to clearly implement or pursue people-friendly policies to avoid creating more problems for the starving population.
The bitter truth is, the people are helpless and need the government to do something fast. The appeal for patience is good, but for how long would this appeal assuage the hungry masses without concrete steps being seen to be taken by the authorities to save the situation? With our independence anniversary celebration done with, and having marked many years of unbroken democracy. The point however, is that while we look forward to yet another national day of celebration in the future, today’s fanfare should make positive impact in the lives of the people and the society in general.
We enjoin our compatriots to remain steadfast and prayerful because at a time like this, it’s only prayer that can save the people and the nation. The government too should realise that vying for political office is not a jamboree or to grab everything and run away with it. The appeal to be patient all the time has resonated with this government. The leaders too, should have it in mind that the wealth of the nation is for everyone and not for the few. It’s high time for the leaders to do the right thing and not just appealing to the people to be patient. Leaders are elected to solve problems and not to shy away from them.