SIXTY-ONE YEARS AND COUNTING (The story of an unhappy state)

 John E. Augustine

On the first of October 2021, Nigeria became sixty one years as a republic. Although her citizens were not too excited about the news as majority of them went on that day as casual as they could. "Why?" you may ask. What else? If not the deplorable state of national security, the outrageous hikes in the prices of both local and foreign goods due to the battered system wmthat crumbles the economy, the poor educational sector, the ever continuous strikes of government workers due to unpaid salaries, inadequate minimum wages and bad working conditions, and let us not forget corruption.

All these facts considered, it becomes no wonder that  Nigerians are in no mood to celebrate. A famous adage connotes that a fool at forty is a fool forever. Nigeria is sixty one, which begs the following questions: Should we be grateful that we survived this long, should we accept that there is no longer hope and await a bleak future, should we pack our bags and head for greener pastures elsewhere, or should we keep on according to the words of the late Fela Kuti "suffering and smiling"? All these and more will be addressed in the course of our discussion. 

Having an attitude of gratitude is very advisable in most cases. A lot of people believe it shapes your outlook of life and gives you a positive mindset. However, is it advisable to be looking at Nigeria and how she has been since her independence? Yes! A lot of things are worth being thankful for. A good example is her name and reputation for being the giants of Africa, that  we were once at the zenith when it came to African affairs. Another example is how fast we got on our feet after being under the British colony. 

 We are indeed blessed with both mind and mineral resources which is probably why we are still keeping on despite the horrendous condition of the nation. That being said, should we also be grateful we survived sixty one years? Isn't that just being complacent? I daresay it is! We can do better than just survive. Our history is proof of the amount of reserve we have and we should use that to our advantage now more than ever. On that note, let us take a look at another instance.

 Hope! The single most powerful force that has united both theists and atheists since the dawn of time. Everyone irregardless of race, culture, past or present believes in hope. it has saved many and has let many down. The latter are then forced to accept that there is no hope. Could that be the case in our nation? Could it be we have exhausted all our chances of rescue and restoration and all that is left is to wait with broken hearts for the inevitable peril? Definitely not! 

There is still hope as much as there is still good and as much as they are still people who are ready to stand for and make change. And there will be always be people like that so evidently, there will always be hope. Ultimately, what we seek is a good land, one flowing with milk and honey, one fertile enough to germinate our dreams. We thought Nigeria was that land but recent happenings suggest otherwise. So should we look elsewhere? With over 75% of the world still in lockdown, terrorism and racism still rampant in most countries, where else is there to look? Let's say we don't look elsewhere which according to the above is a safe and wise decision, for how long will we act oblivious to the state of the country's economy, security and education? Will we continue to smile and laugh like we use to while the federation goes downhill? Definitely not! We are better than that, better than mediocrity and complacency, we are a people who have been through worse and have come out better for it. I believe that we will come out of this as well and stronger too.

As I prepare to draw the curtains, I would like to say yes! There is hope and a good reason for it but there is also a lot to be done and there is great reason for it as well. No one should suppose that hope will take care of the work that needs to be done. Along with prayer, nationalism, patriotism and constitutionalism should be practiced by both the government and the governed. Finally as we celebrate the fact that Nigeria is sixty-one and counting, let us make it count for something.