WEEP NOT MY COUNTRY, I BELIEVE IN YOU

An Article by Joseph Akinkuotu

While many keep pondering if indeed the 54th birth of Nigeria's independence is worth celebrated, many have garnered reasons to celebrate her 54th year of existence. I still keep pondering on the gimmick adopted by the those colonial masters who came with religion in their left hand, and killing weapons in the other hand. They came with the intention of adventurism. They trooped into our land unaware via our shores, forced their way into our land, forced the traditional rulers who resisted their invasion into unplanned exile to various unknown lands of no return; They bagged into our way of life, used us against us, and left with a huge and massive exploitation of both human and our natural resources. Hum.......Thank God for the emergence of the late foremost Edo born anti colonial and a pro democracy activist (Late Sir. Anthony Enahoro) who was the first dogged and articulate Nigerian to move the motion of Nigeria's independence in 1953.

Oh! I pity mother Nigeria. Her own wealth is been milked and syphoned by her dubious children, who to their personal aggrandisement had so far enthroned Kabalocracy at the dethronement of democracy. I pity her because her Legislative arm of government has now turned a legislooting industry of the federal republic. I also pity Mother Nigeria because she was stylishly granted a political independence, and still held captive in attaining her economic independence.

Perhaps, Ayi Kwei Armah was right in the literal justification of the title of his famous book"The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born". What about now that The beautiful ones are now being born, but ugly ones have refused to be recognised and identified? They have clinged tenaciously to the power of what I don't know, thereby chewing raw, the lives of their both unborn and born beautiful ones.

Oh! Grand Mother Nigeria!!! I hope someday, you shall be alive to witness the emergence of the beautiful ones you have giving birth to, who shall drive and create an enabling environment for the making of a properly called Nigeria. A Nigeria that even a growing foetus in the womb will be so anxious to be welcomed, a Nigeria which will be a giant of Africa, not by geographical location on the map, but giant in all global and diplomatic ramifications.

My country, I believe in you. Irrespective of the current situation in my country Nigeria, I still see a new horizon of her lost glory being repatriated. I see a weak Nigeria of today waxing to become a stronger nation tomorrow in the comity of nations.

Undoubtedly, her avalanche of incredible human & mineral resources, with her wide variety of vegetation, from the wetland in the south, through the rain forest in the central and the savannah in the north has maintained a celestial discussion in the global terrain. Despite the corruption stigma of her people across the globe, I can still see clearly our Nigeria of the most populous black race as a blessed nation inhabited inherently by good people. With the current health and security crisis encapsulating her socio-political and socio-economic terrain, I still see a resilient Nigeria nation wining the seen and unseen battles engulfing her coast.

Regardless of her heterogeneous nature which encompasses her existing multi ethnicity plurality and her people's religious dichotomy, I still clearly see a unified Nigeria where I or my children to come will not be judged by the trademarks of their tribe nor by their religious affiliation, but by the sagacity of their dexterity prowess.

I, Joseph AKINKUOTU still strongly believe in my country NIGERIA, and I implore and charge you to never stop believing in her!

By: AKINKUOTU JOSEPH DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY

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