What is Nigeria?

Reading through the history of Nigeria in the past few months, I was forced to asked Alausa-Issa Sanni, a great reader to share his thoughts with me on the entity known as Nigeria. His points are well-shaped and mind-blowing which I will share towards the end of this piece. Before that, lets look back at the history of Nigeria.

When Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960, hopes were high. With mineral wealth and the most educated workforce in Africa, Nigeria would become Africa’s first superpower and a stabilizing democratic influence in the region.

However, these lofty hopes were soon dashed and the country lumbered from crisis to crisis, with the democratic government being overthrown in a bloodbath military coup in January 1966. From 1966 to 1999, the army held onto power almost uninterrupted except for a short-lived return to democracy between 1979 and 1983. Nigeria became democratic in 1999, the period from 1999 till the present is the longest period that Nigeria has ever gone without suffering a military coup. Stuck in a civil war from 1967 to 1970 that led to losses of lives and properties, Nigeria is still battling with the effects of the war till today.

We have had a total of 13 leaders (backing the second appearances of Obasanjo and Buhari) in 59 years of Independence.

Nigeria is a country where group of politicians formed an association of looters, transformed the whole citizens to invisible pebbles that can only be seen in their pockets.

Nigerians are yet to see themselves as the representation of Nigeria rather than a representation of an ethnic entities.

As concluded by a writer “Nigeria is yet to bear the children to call her own.” Internal crisis and International dishonour always put us at the disadvantage of ourselves.

Nigerians are not ready to budge up in fighting corruption and other ill vices together. A nation like this, its entities will find living together difficult and rigorous. At 59, Nigerians are still shying away from our individual responsibilities, not willing to charge each other for peace and harmonious living, leaving the nation in incongruity.

According to Alausa-Issa Sanni, “Nigeria is a product of convenience. It’s inhabitants were brought together by accident. They have never been unified and they may never be. The foundation is faulty, the house is doomed to crumble sooner or later. Attempts to renovate have been mere lip services. In fact, to survive, we may have to rebuild the house which is not realistic at this point.”

Ahmadu Bello once referred to Nigeria as “the mistake of 1914,” and Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa during one of the Nigeria’s early constitutional conferences stated that Nigeria “existed as one country only on paper. It is still far from being united. Nigeria’a unity is only a British intention for the country.”

Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his book titled “Path to Nigerian Freedom” posited that “Nigeria is not a nation, it is a mere geographic expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are English or Welsh or French. The word ‘Nigeria’ is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria from those who do not.”

The aim of this writing is to ask readers What is Nigeria? What are you doing to enhance the Peace and Unity of this doomed to crumble house? How Nigerian are you?

God bless Nigeria.

Abdulwahab Tajudeen
Abdwahabtajudeen@gmail.com