Congratulations to our dear Nation Nigeria celebrating 56 years of independence. How interesting to see Nigeria evolve as the years have gone by go by so fast.

There is this diminutive and bovine-faced, but immensely gifted, intelligent and very versatile chief executive officer. He had a tall, stupendously handsome, but very lousy and unserious subordinate (let us call him Handsome). The CEO could barely stand him; he hesitated but very little in calling him, “Big for nothing” and “Good for nothing,“ especially if he bungled an official assignment, which was pretty often.

So it’s 56 years since independence. Who knows where they imagined we would be? Yes, Hebert Macaulay and co-dreamers. Perhaps in the neighbourhood of Indonesia. Fate can be treacherous and life cruel, but many disasters are self inflicted.

Like any leader, or indeed any patriotic Nigerian, our Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has of late, been showing considerable concern for the country’s economy. Fresh from a two-month, fully paid Sallah break with his fellow distinguished legislators which they must by now know that the country can no longer afford, he recommended the sale of some of the country’s assets and the sack of the Ministers of Finance and Budget and Planning.

While we Nigerians are still struggling, in the 21st century, to provide ourselves with basic amenities like round-the-clock electricity and spectacularly failing to deal with simple challenges like running free and fair elections, other nations in Asia and the Western World are relentlessly moving onwards and upwards.