60 Years Of Independence: A Journey Full Of Sorrow By Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed

The masses are yawning and gnashing their teeth with pains, grimacing over hunger and frustration that have crippled their livelihoods. They are helpless, many homes have been desolated because of economic instability.

Crime abounds in a society where one is unable to eat a square meal in a day. Nigeria has become a crime scene because people are desperate to survive without recourse to possible consequences.

Those at the corridors of power have no clue about governance; which accounts for why 60 years of a journey has yielded no results.  The maladministration, incompetence, intolerance and the evils inflicted upon the people by the vagabonds in power since the day of independence has been a wound that the masses are nursing.

A country that claims to be the giant of Africa could not provide any form of palliatives for the masses during the pandemic, and is unable to provide shelter for its homeless population. Nigeria is a country endowed with natural resources, but has produced a chain of bad leaders after 60 years of independence from the colonial government.

Nigerians remain in captivity after several decades of so-called independence. For instance, freedom of expression and the inherent right to peaceful assembly have been confiscated by the government, using all security agencies to intimidate, harass, arrest and even kill people who demand for good governance. Today’s Nigeria is the same as the military juntas we have experienced and fought against in the past.

Unemployment, inability to get a job and enabling environment to start up a business has made the majority to indulge in all sorts of atrocities. Poverty is hunting everyday Nigerians so much so that the country is now recognised as the world’s capital of poverty.

After 60 years, we are still struggling to survive. Youths have turned to yahoo fraud, prostitution and the jobs meant for the masses have been shared amongst the same criminals who have held power since 1960.

As the saying goes, those who know the ills of darkness should not harm the moon. Insecurity in the country has taken a new dimension, our economic space has been compromised.

Politicians are overseeing all sorts of killings: ethnic rivalries, religious bigotry, herdsmen and farmers clashes, banditry and boko haram killings.

People resort to violence because of frustration and failure from the government to protect the citizens from internal and external attacks. Violence escalates by the disgruntled citizens who are seen to be treated like second class citizens.

Until our political and religious leaders imbibe morals and values that constitute a virtue in the society which will navigate unity and meet up with the demands of the citizens, the country will continue to sink and citizens will remain restive.

Our healthcare system is in coma, no provision for timely medical attention. Thousands are dying especially those in rural areas without access to good medical attention.

The insecurity in the health sector, which includes diversion of drugs and resources meant for the public healthcare to private hospitals. We need constant surveillance with an efficient workforce to enhance and monitor outbreaks like COVID-19.

Where the government has the political will, it is doable to build an ultra-modern hospital in each local government in Nigeria.

Educational system in Nigeria has been affected with moneybags politicians who buy certificates without attending any school, while millions of children are out of school.

Many children are subjected to child labour because poverty abounds, some parents find it difficult to enroll their wards because they can not meet up with their daily needs.

Morality as a good conduct with the virtue of uprightness in education has made some people to be good ambassadors to their societies. But the reverse is the case nowadays; bad policies in our educational system presents a major setback and a challenge that needs to be dealt with.

We are in a country where those who went to the public schools cannot compete with the ones in private schools because of bad leadership and lack of foresight. The money budgeted for education is siphoned every year by political gladiators who fly their children abroad to study.

There is a need for aggrieved Nigerian citizens to unite and form a formidable force to fight the vagabonds in power  through a revolution of consciousness. We need to change the narrative in this country by awaking the fighting spirit in each of us.

It is time we stop celebrating mediocrity over merit.