REFLECTIONS ON NIGERIA AT 63

Nigeria will stand tall among nations, reckons Aliyu Tanimu

Sunday, October 1st marked Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Day. The celebration was low-key as Nigerians reflected on the journey so far. It comes at a time when Africa’s largest economy has long been in freefall since the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Youth unemployment, inflation, and debt are at an all-time high and continue to climb. More than 60 percent of the country lives in what is called ‘multidimensional poverty.’

Electricity is still abysmally poor; the national grid has collapsed multiple times this year, and uninterrupted power remains a myth. It also comes at a time when Nigeria is still grappling with violent extremists, such as Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North East, IPOB separatists in the South East, as well as bandits in the North West and North Central. Nigerians of all ages are disillusioned with the country’s progress over six decades, leading to a significant decline in their patriotism.

 No one cared to know what the President had to say, except for pundits and analysts who were glued to their TV screens to dissect and analyze the president’s speech. We should never forget the efforts made by our founding fathers who fought relentlessly; their sacrifices and selfless service will never be forgotten.

Nigeria gained independence in October 1960 amidst fanfare and wild jubilation because Africa’s giant had attained independence from their colonial masters. At that time, Africans looked up to Nigeria, which was Africa’s shining armor, as we looked after our brothers in times of need. We fought to liberate Liberia and Sierra Leone. We fought against apartheid in South Africa, bankrolled the freedom fighters, and provided sanctuary to dissidents. Nigeria is a nation of high prestige. Dubai was a mere desert. Dubai used to borrow from Nigeria. Everywhere you go, once you mention Nigeria, you’re treated with respect.

Sadly, Nigerians are now treated with disdain by their own neighbors, Ghana and across the globe, simply for being Nigerians. Being a Nigerian is not a crime; not all Nigerians are criminals. We have great minds and talents who have put Nigeria on the global map due to their achievements in various fields. Nigeria is Africa’s music and movie powerhouse, but we haven’t been able to manage and brand it as effectively as South Korea’s KPOP and KDrama. This represents a form of soft power because we can tell our own story to the world, rather than relying on the Western media’s version of Nigeria. With the surging popularity of Korean entertainment overseas, it challenges Hollywood’s long-standing dominance in the industry. Moviegoers now have an alternative to Hollywood, both off-site (TV) and on-site (Netflix and other streamers), that not only promotes LGBTQ rights but also projects America as the only world savior. Kidnapping for ransom has become the new lucrative goldmine for crude criminals. Almost every day, we hear reports of kidnapping across the country, draining Nigerians of their hard-earned money and sabotaging the economy. The government must rein in these evildoers, and kidnapping must be nipped in the bud.

Oil was first discovered in Oloibiri, in Nigeria’s Bayelsa State, in 1956. Afterward, Nigeria built her first oil refinery at Alesa Eleme near Port Harcourt. The refinery began operations in late 1965 with a capacity of 38,000 barrels per day, enough to meet domestic requirements at the time. An additional refinery, delayed by political maneuvering over its location, was constructed at Warri, opening in 1978 with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day. This plant was entirely owned by a parastatal, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which, starting in 1979, also held an 80 percent interest in the earlier plant. Technical problems and shutdowns for routine maintenance reduced production, and the combined total of petroleum processed by the two plants in 1979 averaged 89,000 barrels per day—about 83 percent of the domestic requirement. A third refinery, with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, began operations at Kaduna but did not become fully productive until the mid-1980s. A fourth refinery was completed in March 1989 at Alesa Eleme, increasing Nigeria’s refining capacity to 445,000 barrels per day.

The refineries mentioned above are currently dormant. We still haven’t been able to fix our moribund refineries; hence, we sell and import fuel overseas.

It’s not all doom and gloom. Nigeria is still a great nation and the envy of many, blessed with abundant human and natural resources.

Is there nothing to celebrate? Yes, we do. We celebrate the sacrifices made to attain this day. We will never forget General Murtala Muhammed’s infamous speech: ‘Africa has come of age.’ We will also never forget the speech of Late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Nigeria marked her independence.

We can never forget General Yakubu Gowon’s speech at the end of the war. The victorious Yakubu Gowon famously declared, ‘No victor, no vanquished,’ and made it clear that the aim of the federal government was the reunification and reintegration of the former citizens of the Republic of Biafra into the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  Their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Solving Nigeria’s problems requires a multifaceted approach:

 Governance: Promote transparency, accountability, and good governance to combat corruption; invest in quality education to empower the workforce; reduce dependency on oil, stimulate agriculture and industries; develop critical infrastructure to boost economic growth; improve healthcare access and quality for all citizens; address security challenges through law enforcement and community engagement; foster national unity, tolerance, and social cohesion, and seek global partnerships for development.

It’s a complex task that demands concerted efforts from government, citizens, and the international community.

We are still hopeful that Africa’s sleeping giant and superpower will one day stand tall and wake up to reclaim its rightful place in the comity of nations—the Nigeria of our dreams. With the right visionary leader at the helm, this is possible.

 Tanimu, freelance architect and writer, writes from Kaduna