The countdown has since begun. Nigeria’s 50th anniversary of political independence is suddenly upon us.
The countdown has since begun. Nigeria’s 50th anniversary of political independence is suddenly upon us.
The government in its wisdom is planning to roll out the drums to celebrate Nigeria’s 50 years of nationhood. Beg, what kind of nationhood is worth celebrating? For a nation still grappling with providing her citizens with very basic amenities and services, an “Owambe” kind of celebration is not exactly appropriate. A nation still in search of its soul, a people still tottering on her journey to emancipation and still lacking in visionary leadership is not one that throws a lavish party at fifty.
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But let’s pause and ask before we interrogate further what Nigeria needs to do at fifty-what role did the people play in the decisions and planning of how to celebrate Nigeria at 50. Or was it just the government and some miss-guided political appointees that made the decision on behalf of –We the People-. Why didn’t the President use his face book page to ask Nigerians about how they wanted Nigeria at 50 celebrated? If he did, he would have received tons of brilliant suggestions, different from the ones he got from his ministers, presidential advisers and senior government officials who though paid and maintained with our collective resources see nothing wrong in squandering Ten billion naira or is it Fourteen billion naira on what is clearly a 50th anniversary jamboree. Mr. President would have found out through his face book page what Nigerians wanted. He would have discovered that most Nigerians feel strongly that it is wasteful and unnecessary. That the money should be applied to tackle some other immediate problems or invested in primary school education or loans to millions of unemployed graduates. Mr. President would have found out that most Nigerians are frustrated and unhappy about the turn of events in their country and are angry that in the face of glaring government incompetence at all levels-federal, state and local- the federal government still wants to go ahead with squandering such a huge sum on celebrating nothing. The thousands of reactions on his face book page alongside reactions in the print and electronic media would have provided Mr. President with a strong alibi to confront the federal executive council members and win the argument in favor of the people to tone down the celebration. If you ask me-it is still not too late for Mr. President to have Nigerians about their reactions and then for him to move to halt all wasteful spending towards the celebration of near nothingness.
Nigerians want a period of sober reflections, a period of serious brainstorming as to why we are where we are now. Nigerians want our leaders to reason together and locate where the rain started to beat us and proceed to apply themselves to the exacting, yet noble demands of good governance. Our 50 years of celebration should bring together our best minds to critically access the progress of the Nigerian state and interrogate the fundamental question of if this is where our nationalists who fought for our independence wanted us to be after 50 years. If the answer is NO, where did we fall of the wagon and what needs to be done to make sure the next 50 years will not resemble the past. If Mr. President makes this happen, he would have bequeathed to Nigerians a worthy 50th anniversary birthday present in the form of a blueprint for action. He would have secured his place in history as a leader who rather than submit to executive amnesia, broke ranks and chose the road less travelled.
While in part I agree with the argument by some persons who feel that Nigeria has a lot to celebrate and the billions of naira already budgeted alongside the activities planned is justified, I am in total disagreement with the manner of the celebration and the billions being invested. How can Nigeria justify such spending in the face of grinding poverty suffered by millions, unemployment, crime and decaying infrastructure? While many may yet argue that Ten billion cannot solve all these problems, is it not true that the mere fact that the government is willing to throw this much at a mere celebration is symptomatic of the quality of leaders we have and the quality of thinking taking place. It also signpost s the inherent wasteful tendency of those in power. Who are those that will eat the cake, clink the wine glasses, and execute the contracts for Nigeria at 50? Who are those that will do the 50th anniversary dance and eat the dinners? It is the same small club of executives elected and appointed who see Nigeria as a huge gold mine. As usual, -We the People- will be condemned to watching them enjoy themselves on television and in the Newspapers and wake up the morning after to find out that nothing has changed.
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To make sure that I am just not vetting and to justify the positions of thousands of Nigerians who have condemned the spending billions to the 50th anniversary, I did a small research. My research sought to find out what the billions of naira if otherwise spent could have done in the lives of Nigerians. Here is what I found out- Nigeria, with an unemployment rate of nearly 5 per cent (a figure climbing geometrically) according to CIA fact book translating into millions of unemployed youths, could have simply used the 14.5 billion naira total for the anniversary celebration as a welfare fund for the unemployed youths. The money could have been the first down payment to facilitate the proposed Social Security for unemployed graduates in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Senate a few months back proposed a bill entitled "An Act to provide social security for unemployed graduates and aged in Nigeria," sponsored by Senator Anyim Udeh, has earmarked N12.7 billion for the scheme in which unemployed graduates in the country may earn between N10,000 and N15,000 monthly salaries.
I also found out that on the alternative, the government could have used the money to fix relevant portions of the dilapidated 102 kilometers Lagos-Ibadan expressway which has become both a death trap and a robbers haven. In any other sane society, the two recent accidents on the Lagos –Ibadan expressway where human flesh got mangled with raw steel in balls of fire would have moved any responsible government to immediate action. Messers Bi-Courtney Highway Services which after sixteen months of securing the N89 billion reconstruction project from the Federal Government ought to have had its contract revoked.
The spurious defense of the October anniversary budget by some Ministers and the hurried manipulation of figures and downward review of the exit figures by the lawmakers in the face of public condemnation is symptomatic of a leadership in disconnect with the people. Rather than cut the budget by half, they only chopped off a few millions to placate the noisemakers.
Unfortunately, most of the governors have taken a cue from the huge budget of the federal government. Most of them plan to spend not less than one billion naira for the 50th anniversary celebrations in their states. Which means close to another N36 billion naira will be squandered making a total of almost N50billion. In a country where millions live on less than a dollar a day and millions yet unemployed and struggling, this is unacceptable. We need look no further to now that the people who rule over us do not give a damn about the suffering of the ordinary man. Else, how can the government of Goodluck Jonathan justify a contingent of almost 120 persons to the UN General Assembly in New York for just two-days.
Well, I have news for all those who think they can lord it over us and still miss-manage our resources-the people are watching. But Nigerians should not only watch but act. Indeed, I call on all unemployed graduates to fill the different stadia and parade grounds around the country on October first with placards bearing their names and the number of years have being without jobs. Nigerians who are unhappy should organize peaceful protests and marches to express outrage at what is clearly a wistful spending. Infact, Nigeria’s NGO community ought to be in the lead of this mobilization so that our leaders can hear it from the people.
For those in government who have placed Nigeria on the auction block, they will have to account. Ultimately, history’s judgment will not be kind on all those who partake of the 50th anniversary bazaar and who continue to preside in their official capacity over the rape of Nigeria’s resources. Mr. President- CAN YOU DO SOMETHING!
Sunday Dare is a Journalist and Author of “Guerrilla Journalism- Dispatches From the Underground”
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