I HAVE listened to many hours of exhortation by our leaders to Nigerians to unite in the celebration of 50 years of independence. Only one leader as far as I can recall made any effort to acknowledge the part played by some groups and individuals at the risk of their lives and employment, to ensure that independence was secured.

Many of us have often behaved as if independence was always there to be plucked like a ripe apple when desired. It was not a simple or easy task to accomplish. Lives and jobs were lost, and in many cases, some Nigerian freedom fighters served terms in prisons in the struggle for independence.

Anthony Enahoro is a living example of those who sacrificed everything, toiling for independence. I remember his newspaper editorial in one of those Zik’s chain of newspapers titled “Whose Empire Day?” It was a very direct assault on colonial administration.

The Governor General frowned but it was the Nigeria Police that acted on behalf of the Queen of England. Tony was taken to court, charged with sedition and sentenced to 33 years imprisonment with “hard labour”. And that was the beginning of his other series of transgressions and similar punishment.

I have not heard our present leaders, some of whose claim to leadership is dubious, specifically mention the role played by the freedom fighters of the colonial era.

I did mention earlier in this piece, that only once, and by one of the flamboyant speech makers was the Zikist Movement referred to. That was by President Goodluck Jonathan. It is also quite possible that he acted in error for that Movement has not been mentioned again in subsequent speeches by him or any other leader. That is unfortunate.

In 1950, the homes of about 28 young Zikists were raided in search of anti-colonial literature. Twenty-two of us were, arising from that raid, arrested, tried, and put in jail for being in possession of seditious documents.

For me at that time, it was of little consequence as I believed that fighting for independence and irritating the colonial government had its price and I and others were prepared to pay that price. Before me, had been Zikist comrades, Agwuna, Nduka Eze, Raji Abdallah, Fred Anyiam, Kola Balogun, M.C.K Ajuluchukwu and Mokwugo Okoye.

In our set were Bob Ogbuagu, Peter Osugo, Mbazulike Amaechi and I (all four still living) and Paul Maije, Ikenna Nzimiro, Sunday Achara.

It hurts that nothing is being said, much less done about acknowledging the contributions of our post-independence foot soldiers. Modesty does not allow me to give the details of our activities in politics and trade union practice in the course of the struggle to secure the independence we are all now enthusiastically celebrating.

Things must be left to stay as they are. After all, the Nigeria we live in today is not the same as we looked forward to during the struggle in the ’40s and ’50s.

But being an optimist, I will stay up waiting to see if things will not turn out well after all.

Did Hedley Donovan not counsel that sometimes it takes strong nerves just to watch things turn out right? As none of the actors, the nationalists, the agitators and the foot soldiers of the pre-independence era is below 80 now, (I am 84 and easily the youngest of them), we believe that the best is yet to come.

The Nigerian Ports Authority can begin the alleviation of my pains by promptly commencing to pay its pensioners(I am just one of them) their hard earned pension entitlements consisting of 12 per cent and 30 per cent of existing rates.

It is not discretionary as the management of the NPA has argued. It is obligatory. Government in its magnanimity has stated that as a matter of policy, whenever salaries of its serving staff are raised, pensions will also be raised correspondingly.

If I should receive my proper pension payments, as directed by the Federal Government, it will go a long way to making us, who built the NPA from its cradle to the octopus it has become today, more physically and mentally prepared to see the point in celebrating independence with the rest of the populace.

Mr. Nwana , a commentator on national issues, writes from Lagos.