Nigeria: The Declination Of The Labour Of Our Heroes Past
Decades of years gone, there existed a group of men and women who rose from the ashes of slavery to courageously place demand for their inalienable rights to freely live above all shades of oppression, impunity and savagery. These group of people sought after hope for a better life to be able to govern themselves devoid of colonial imposition. They had their hopes crafted in brilliance and honesty.
Though they did not in any crooked thoughts and scornful words of UNITY IN DIVERSITY agree but they knew that each of them had nothing in common except for the fact that they were all men with the same skin color forced together as an empire of slaves. Their collective pain of oppression and subjection into inhuman treatments gave rise to the clamor for self determination from British colonialism.
Nigeria, a demeaning coinage that literally means darkness, is such a debasing name given to a certain people seen as nothing but slaves by the British colonialists who forcefully scavenged the land through terror. To the colonialists, Nigeria is a business enterprise and Nigerians themselves, fully regarded as the employees.
The so-called independence given to the state in 1960, was never built on the principle of integrity. The foundation on which Nigeria's independence was premised, is laced with fault lines. Nationhood and citizenship stemmed from delusion and criminality. Although the founding fathers of the Nigerian state collectively believed that there was no basis for unity as they eventually realised, describing the entity as a mere geographical space, totally devoid of any cultural heritage or core value system.
To these Nigerian founding fathers, there exists nobody called a Nigerian in the real sense. In the words of Tafawa Balewa in 1948, he stated: "Since 1914, the British government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country but the Nigerian people themselves, are historically different in their backgrounds, in their religious beliefs and customs; and they do not show themselves any willingness to unite. Nigerian unity is only a British invention".
In 1947, Obafemi Awolowo in his own words said: "Nigeria is not a nation but a mere geographical expression: there are no Nigerians in the same way there are no English, Welsh or French. The word 'Nigerians' is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundary of Nigeria and those who do not".
In 1964, Nnamdi Azikiwe stated: "It is better for us and many admirers around the world that we should disintegrate in peace. Should the politicians fail to heed this warning, then I will venture the prediction that the experience of the Democratic Republic of Congo will be a child's play if it ever comes to our turn to play such a tragic role".
Today, the experiment called Nigeria, has gone totally wrong. The prediction of one hundred years by the British colonial militants has elapsed. And just like an expired drug, Nigeria will be disposed into the dustbin of history. On what part of history are you really, that is bent on defending the indefensible christened One-Nigeria, going to be placed? Your guess is really as good as mine.
Written by Anioke Chukwunonso
Edited by Peter Oshagwu
For Family Writers Press International
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