By Gbadamosi Joseph
In October 1960, our dear Nation, Nigeria was granted Independence. This development has irrevocably triggered a series of reactions on the part of the populace. While some are of the opinion that Independence was never meant to be and has caused more harm than good, others feel it was a blessing and an integral development to the progress of the Nation.
Year after year we celebrate this event with mixed feelings. Happy to be out of bondage on one hand, doubting if we are not really in bondage of a different nature on the other hand.
In October 1966, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) commented in a memorandum that “ Africa’s most populous country (population estimated at 48 million) is in the throes of a highly complex internal crisis rooted in it’s artificial origin as a British dependency containing over 250 diverse and often antagonistic tribal groups. The present crisis started with Nigerian independence in 1960, but the federated parliament hid ‘Serious internal strains’. It has been in an acute stage since last January when a military coup d’etat destroyed the constitutional regime bequeathed by the British and upset the underlying tribal and Regional power relationships. At stake now are the most fundamental questions which can be raised about a country, beginning with whether it will survive as a single variable entity…”
At a later period in History, U.S Analysts said that “Nigeria is still very much a tribal society where local and tribal alliances count more than National attachments”.
This, of course, is little compared to the sea of pessimism that surrounds Nigeria’s Independence.
Political Apathy has therefore spread like a disease in the hearts of Nigerians. Due to disappointments over time we have lost belief in our Leaders, but whether or not the pessimism of the outsiders have elements of truths in them, one fact remains, The Future of our dear Nation lies in our hands.
It would have been excusable to leave the reins of our Nation at the hands of the Political Leaders if not for a Yoruba adage that says “If your neighbour chooses to eat dangerous insects and you refuse to caution Him, his restlessness at the dead of the night will disturb your own sleep.”
If there is any lesson the current pandemic should have taught us, it is that “there is no place like home” .We cannot run away from our land. Now we are faced with our own failures, we cannot run to other countries as the pandemic is even stronger there. The state of our health sector now stares us in the face. We have nowhere to run to. This has shown us that it is either we get involved or watch our society go down the drain.
Political Apathy in no small way robs us of a lot of benefits we ordinarily should have enjoyed as citizens of Nigeria. The ideology that ‘my small quota does not count’ should be done away with if we are ever going to make progress.
Nigeria’s population as at Feb 8 2019 stood at 200,962,417, during the 2019 Elections however only 84,004,084 registered voters were recorded. The average turnout was 49.78%. A little less than half of the population. This is obviously not good enough.
Every Nation that achieved anything worthwhile took the bull by the horns. Nigeria needs more than epileptic reconstructions at every change in Government, Nigeria needs a total renovation. These renovations will only happen if we all get involved.
Truly, I believe that we have more than enough reasons to be disappointed in our Government. But, if the reasons are minute, compared to the many advantages of social reformation then it is only logical that we pursue progress and not sit like rams awaiting slaughter.
A Popular Maxim in Law states “ IGNORANTIO NON EXCUSE” which means “IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE”. We have all been told of the negative effects of political Apathy but turned deaf ears Instead.
A resultant effect of our negligence and resignation to fate is that we will live the rest of our lives telling the story of our failed Government to our children and the reality of our foolishness will only become obvious to us when our unborn children stares us in the face and asks “But Dad/Mum what did you do about it?”
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