Nigeria still limping at 53

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

As Nigerians mark their 53rd independence anniversary, Senior Advocates of Nigeria and some lawyers say that there is no reason to celebrate.

Professor Fidelis Oditah, QC, SAN, pointed out that poor governance and leadership had characterised the 53 years journey of Nigeria into nationhood.

“People are ready to celebrate notwithstanding the challenges we have individually and collectively. How do you explain this kind of progress, a country with 160 million people, which is supposedly endowed with human and natural resources?” he queried.

Oditah noted that Boko Haram scourge and kidnapping should have been dealt with first before any celebration.
“Last week, a High Court judge was kidnapped in Edo State. A month ago, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, was kidnapped. The idea that a judge, with all the authority, can be kidnapped and ransom demanded by the hoodlums tells you how badly we have been dealing with security issue” Oditah said.

According to him, there are substantial issues confronting the country and what was required was a meaningful dialogue, “not to go on television in a self and wasteful mood to dissipate the resources we have.”

Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, a constitutional lawyer, on his part, described Nigeria’s 53 years of independence as a depressing journey, noting that “what is more depressing is that there is no hope that it is coming to an end very soon.

“It’s been a journey of hope unfulfilled, of potentials that were not met, of failure in every parameter. Look at security, welfare, education, infras-tructure, rule of law, leadership, political maturity, they are all negative. So, we have been retrogressing. It has been a depressive journey.

“Since the military first took over, we have been retrogressing and we have been completely left behind by countries such as South Korea and Malaysia, who used to be at the same level with Nigeria. It is a dismal picture, it is a sad picture, it is a depressing picture.

“People who can bring it to an end will be leadership that is determined to provide service rather than self-service. In other words, a leadership that has principle, wants to serve Nigerians rather than serve himself because that is what has been happening. The quality of politicians we have been getting have been getting bad. Each time we complain of one and that one goes, the next set comes and make it worse.”

A renowned human rights lawyer, Chief Morah Ekwunoh opined that the 53rd Independence anniversary of the country only serves as a reminder of the “our abysmal failure of our political leaders as epitomised by obscene display of wealth massively looted from our collective treasury, unprecedented insecurity, youth unemployment and complete collapse of sectors and institutions of statehood, particularly in the educational and economic sectors.

“It also reminds us of collapse of governance, which should take a deserved front seat with a view to addressing the myriad problems that militate against our development as a nation. Instead and most regrettably, it has taken the back seat whereas desperate politics towards 2015 have taken the front seat.

“The cumulative result of the above indices of complete failure of governance, as unleashed and inflicted on us by the political leaders, is that Nigeria is left as a near, if not fully, failed state in the class of Somalia.

“In sum, our 53 years as an independent state call for sobriety of reflections and prayers for Nigeria, and not for any celebration, talk less of the present lavish spending being earmarked for it in the midst of unprecedented insecurity, massive youth unemployment, complete shut-down of educational and economic institutions, and massive looting of our national wealth. Finally, it reminds us of the brazen trampling of the selfless labour of our founding fathers.”
Former Chairman, Lagos branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Taiwo Taiwo, said that there is virtually nothing to celebrate.

“I can tell you emphatically that there is nothing worth celebrating in the so called independence celebration of Nigeria. But the only thing I can say that is worth celebrating in this country is nothing but sorrow, tears, blood, corruption and undemocratic values,” he said.

Human rights activist cum lawyer, Fred Agbaje, expressed appreciation to God for still keeping the country together as a nation despite what he termed moves by greedy leaders to tear the country apart.

Agbaje also expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that Nigeria at 53 was still limping on wounded legs, insisting that insecurity and corruption were the orders of the day.

He said: “The country is blessed with abundant resources, but those in the leadership position don’t know how to tap into those resources. No country can grow where leaders cannot see beyond their nose. There is no visible development and Nigeria is in total darkness. Most of our leaders are political looters.”