Ravaged @ 60

 I listened to the president's independence speech yesterday and I was further convinced that at sixty, Nigeria has no ambition for advancement. In a generation where civilization has become the ambition of every serious nation, Nigeria finds resting comfort in mediocrity and self-delusion. There is no serious move to make Nigeria rise above this abysmal level of fooling herself.

I have always associated Nigerian governments with lies. Governance in Nigeria has always thrived on lies but the current government which came on board to change the shameful status quo took lying to a whole new level. If the president is grateful that Nigerians have entrusted their hopes and aspirations to him for a better and greater Nigeria, how has he actualised this in his more than five years at the helms of our affairs? Does he not know that Nigerians are groaning in increasing poverty, insecurity, failing economy, increasing corruption, barefaced nepotism, official robbery and many more? How have all this translated to properly harnessing our hopes and aspirations which we have entrusted in his hands? I don't think there's ever been a time, Nigeria has been this badly yoked like it is under Mr President. It sadder that he has even refused to take responsibility rather he has passed the blames on his predecessors; his habitual trait. Yet, he sits languidly at the lowest rung of the achievement ladder.

His speech yesterday morning inspired no enthusiasm neither did it bring hope in any form. He even justified the pump price of petroleum increment and insisted that fuel will sell at 161 Naira. This he did by making very puerile comparison with other countries; Chad, Niger and Ghana. The questions that come to mind are what is the fuel consumption rate of these countries and what are their production output? He went further to jeer at Nigerians by saying Saudi Arabia sells at 168 Naira per liter and it does not make sense for Nigeria to sell cheaper than Saudi Arabia. How both ludicrous and insulting this is? Has the president not come to terms that at 30,000 naira minimum wage, Nigeria is not up to 10% of the minimum wage of Saudi Arabia? Who is advising this man and who writes his speeches? Why are they always embarrassing him?

Anyway, I am not too inclined to discuss President Buhari today. Other days will afford time and space; so, we will keep this matter and many more for another day. Let's focus on the sixtieth independence anniversary of Nigeria.

I still see Nigeria at Sixty years of independence as a lost child in the woods who might had at one time been an adult. At independence, Nigeria as a country had existed for fifty six years and she became a sovereignty shortly after oil was discovered in Nigeria. It was expected that Nigeria would be a great and prosperous nation.

Nigeria has always been a land of many resources, from arable land that produced both cash and food crops to solid minerals and then, a land rich in hydrocarbons. There was no reason why Nigeria would not be a super nation if her resources were harnessed properly.

The sunny days came all right for Nigeria but it was an instance. Nigeria played a leadership role in Africa and had her place in the comity of nations. She went into a three year devastating civil war that threatened her sovereign existence, then like a lascivious curvy woman on heat yet helpless, she was subjected to serial rape by the same military that had sworn allegiance to defend and protect her territorial integrity as well as defend her from both internal and external aggression. She was barely six years as an independent nation when the mindless rape and brutal violation began.

The military clan was rapacious in its intent and from one beret on Boots to another, the Nigerian political life was under detention while the military class partied over our nation and dictated with force. They even killed themselves just for the control of Nigeria political destiny in their own coup d'etat.

In 1979, the second republic was birthed and Alhaji Shehu Shagari had barely begun his second term in office when he was ousted by the military and the worst years of military rule followed. Nigeria witnessed the wanton violation of their  rights with the military government'' promulgation of draconian decrees, the bastardization of the economy, the erosion of our social values, the heightening of corruption, the annulment of a free and fair election, the clamping down of the media and pro-democracy activists, the massive purloining of the treasury and the gross abuse of the stolen privilege.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar terminated the military interregnum when he handed over to his former military boss turned politician, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a retired army general. It cannot go without saying that the military took us through a dark period in our history and brought the nation to her knees, we cannot overlook that the longest bridge in West Africa - the third mainland bridge was built in Lagos by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and the biggest estate, Gwarinpa Estate was built in Abuja by the late Gen. Sani Abacha. Many other infrastructural developments were recorded under the military and the issue of terrorism and commercial banditry were alien to Nigeria.

Returning power to civil rule came with expectations that Nigeria would experience a renaissances, boom in economic growth, fight against corruption, proper and accountable handling of the economy, infrastructural rebirth, better standard of living, respect and protection of human rights and so on. All these turned out to be mirages.

The political class seemed to have learnt so well from the former military overlords who had no clear political plan other than to suck the economy and fatten their deep pockets. The politicians came out like hunger lions who have been caged for too long and denied of foood pounced on the nation, doing worse damages. 

Obasanjo, probably alarmed by the rapacity of corruption, established two anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption. There was little gain but even his government was too tainted in the malefeisance it sought to fight. At the end of the Obasanjo's regime, the economy managed to breathe with reliefs on its eternal debts. However, corruption stood towering. Electoral corruption led to the emergence of the government successor.

From Obasanjo to Goodluck Jonathan, it was the People's Democratic Party, a party that saw being in power as a never-ending feast which growing of large tummy was the fad and self-aggradisement was in order. The people suffered. They yearned for change. 

The All Progressive Congress, a coalition of strange fellows and former political foes was coupled together. The APC were fantastic specialists in spin doctoring. They capitalised on all the failings and shortcomings of the PDP government and spun propaganda that made Josef Goebbels look like a learner against the Jonathan's government which in itself had no bearing on governance. It is a lie that Jonathan was a democrat who conceded defeat because he respected the rule of law. If he was a democrat, why did he stop Timipre Silva from his second term bid as governor of Bayelsa State? The man failed simple! 

APC recruited all forms of machinations. It brought together all those who were united their hatred against Jonathan. They dutifully utilized hate speeches against Jonathan and his government, deepening the hate and they called for change. Change became the APC's slogan. They called on Nigerians to change the government so as to enjoy a better life. They presented themselves as the Messiahs and promised heaven on the Nigerian space on earth.

Terrorism had heightened under Jonathan with Boko Haram reigning terror on North East. It became politicised because whenever the government took a drastic action against the terror group, the then opposition would cry out that the government was committing genocide. Jonathan proved too weak tobact decisively in estimation. The opposition used the terrorism against the government of the day, highlighting the government inability and cluelessness in handling the situation. Change was needed and the opposition promised to end Boko Haram terror within three months if elected. That promise is today a flowery scam that only once smelt nice and its fragrance has turned stale and maladourous for obvious reasons. 

The dream of the founding fathers of our nationhood, like we like to proudly deceive ourselves was to have a nation where justice, peace and unity reign and also have progress. It is based on this that our leaders continually demand patriotism from her citizens whereas they remain the most unpatriotic clique of people who do everything to perpetuate mediocrity and destroy the nation. 

At sixty, there really not much to write home about Nigeria, a nation naturally endowed to be one of the greatest, blessed with both human and natural resources. At sixty, Nigeria is a tale of many woes. Official corruption has been institutionalized, the fight against corruption comes with no bite and corruption just thrives, so much so, it has become a mainstay of the Nigerian political culture. When people are elected or appointed into office, instead of delivering services as expected, they go into contest of who can perpetrate corruption the most. Sadly, corruption has become a culture.

Social amenities that are the quickest signs of a nation driving towards civilization, are in shambles in Nigeria. In this age where serious nations are using nuclear energy to power electricity and have long overcome the challenge of both power generation and distribution, Nigeria is still lost in marshalling any initiative to give stable power supply to Nigerians. Our health sector as attested by sitting secretary of the current federal government is moribund, so health service delivery is in shambles. Nothing is working properly in Nigeria. 

Insecurity, failing economic, moribund social amenities, police brutality, skewed justice system,  official thievery and bad governance have continued to plunge Nigeria deeper into the abyss of backwardness . However, it will be very wrong to blame government for all these failings. This cannot be Buhari's fault. It is not the fault of the leadership. It is the fault of the followership who have refused to demand for good governance. 

Until Nigerians as a people wake up and rise against bad government, Nigeria will continue to remain a sleeping giant with no hope of rising this, mediocrity will continue to be the norm and generations will continue to be wasted. Only those who get into government to perpetrate the official assault on Nigeria will enjoy good life. 

At sixty, Nigeria stands viciously raped, violated, torn apart, wretched, bleeding and badly maimed by her own political elites. Her citizens yoked with the terrible vicissitudes of life, begging for life.