Let me start by wishing every reader of this article a glorious Happy Independence to Nigeria, our Dear nation at 66. I wish everyone of us more glorious and better years ahead as individuals and as families.
Let me also state very clearly that even though Nigeria is not where her founding fathers dreamt for her at Independence Day of October 1st, 1960, we thank God that the nation is still together and not at war.
I also want to state without any reservation that as I write this piece, my heart bleeds not for anything but for so many great opportunities wasted which could have catapulted Nigeria to the height of a global player in world affairs that God destined for her. All hopes are not lost yet as the grace of God can still manifest one more time for restoration of all that had been eaten by locusts.
One very pertinent question that kept coming to my mind is: What exactly happened to Nigeria? How did a country endowed with so much extra ordinary human and natural resources still be struggling to find her feet with so many basic necessities of life: vast agricultural land, enormous oil and gas reserves running to over several trillion cubic feet, gold reserves worth over 87 billion US dollars yet untapped, huge consumer market and some of Africa’s finest intellectuals become a nation still struggling.
There is no doubt the young Independent nation faced military coups, counter coups and long years of military intervention, it is also true that the nation also witnessed early civilian Republics that collapsed before the return to democratic governance since 1999 till date.
Let me also affirm emphatically that this piece is not about pointing accusing finger to one government, one political party, one military regime or one generation of leaders, it is about the story of a nation that has repeatedly changed its political actors without unfortunately changing the underlying culture of governance, production, accountability and national development. Put in another frame, this piece is a mirror of what I called, the paradox of the Nigerian Elephant, enormous in size, immense in potential, blessed with everything required to move mountains, yet still struggling to find her feet.
How do we explain this and who will believe that a country that once dreamt of becoming an industrial giant now imports an astonishing range of goods that it could under the right conditions, produce domestically. From machinery and pharmaceuticals to processed foods, and everyday consumer goods, the import bill tells the story of a productive capacity that fails to keep pace with the country’s needs.
Add this to the mathematical calculations of an average Nigeria citizen. There was a time in Nigeria that with a small amount of money with great purchasing power one could buy a car, establish a small business or make a meaningful investment in a family’s future. For example, this writer by the grace of God bought the first family car(a four door Datsun cherry, Tokunbo, grade A) for just #30,000 at an automobile shop at Surulere Lagos, the receipt is still kept till today. That same amount can not buy a relatively good car battery nor side mirror for same brand of vehicle today.
This above comparison is not just about inflation, it is about the purchasing power, productivity, wages, savings and the changing value of the Nigerian dream. The most painful part of the story is that Nigeria has never suffered from a shortage of brilliant people. In almost all parts of the world and from whichever continent, Nigerians have excelled and are still excelling across the nations of the world in medicine, engineering, technology, academia, business, law, finance, entertainment and virtually every field of human endeavour.
From that perspective, there is another question: If the people are capable, the resources are abundant and the opportunities are enormous, what could then be the problem?
Look at the list of countries classified together with Nigeria as being in the category of Developing nations and where they are now. Countries like China, India, Singapore and Malaysia to mention just a few. They all embarked on sustained transformations, through different combinations of industrialisation, education, infrastructure, technology, institutional reform and long term economic planning.
On the other hand, Nigeria spent decades debating the same fundamental questions on electricity, roads, refineries, food production, education, security, healthcare and jobs for the teeming millions of her vibrant youths and young adults who are in their high profile productive years.
Another set of Questions: How did we get here, who Did Nigeria offend and what should be done to get us moving as a nation truly destined for greatness.
Did we offend our enormous rivers by failing to harness them for power and irrigation. Did we offend our fertile soil by allowing a food producing nation to become increasingly dependent on imported food. Did we offend our young people by giving them education without enough productive capacities, leading to a harrowing challenge of scams and fraudulent practices, hitherto alien to the Nigerian youths of yesteryears. Did we offend our scientists and engineers by allowing so much of our talents to flourish glowingly outside our borders than within. Or Could be that we as a nation sometimes offend our future by repeatedly choosing short term political calculations over long term national development.
From the foregoing, we can say boldly that having visited Europe, Middle East and the United States by virtue of our media career and our active career with the NTA, only few countries have the human and natural resources to contend what God has destined Nigeria for.
As we round up this article, let it be stated clearly that Nigeria must change the course of her doing things if the giant elephant will arise and begin to shine. We as a nation must produce more than what we consume, manufacture what we currently import, educate for productivity and not certificates alone, make corruption to be very costly in terms of consequences for those caught and tried legally and convicted, put in place long term economic policies that puts continuity beyond political administrations with a serious investment in agriculture, manufacturing, science and Technology.
Finally for Nigeria at 66: If the nation’s leaders find the right political courage to take certain actions, it will be a matter of time before the Elephant in Nigeria wakes up and begin to shine and become a torch bearer to the global audience.
In summary, The Elephant status with which many countries labelled Nigeria several decades is still true and alive, the Elephant is still enormous in size and still very strong. However, No elephant is created to crawl. Every Elephant is created to stand up and display its ordained great stature which is often compelling or irresistible.
Here lies the challenge for Nigeria at 66, God has done everything that the Almighty creator can bestow on a nation to become great. It is left for everyone, government, organisations and the citizens to rise up to this great challenge of making the Nigerian Elephant to arise and begin to shine.
