HAPPY INDEPENDENCE OR NOT?
Hello My Awesome Tory Lovers!
First let me welcome you to the awesome month of October. I
hope this month is special to you as it is to me. No, it’s not my birth month
as y’all know already but I choose to make any month special, as it pleases me,
so shall it be.
I’m guessing that you were expecting this post yesterday as
the first day of the month, but I deliberately decided to delay it by a day
because I was in an observation mood and wanted to thoroughly carry out my
research before coming here.
Yesterday morning I updated the popular phrase, “Happy
Independence Nigeria” on my WhatsApp Status, and what
followed was unbelievable. Most of my contacts responded saying that they would prefer I tell them "Happy
New Month" instead because they didn’t see any reason to celebrate Nigeria’s 60th Independence.
I took time to listen to several radio stations yesterday
and unfortunately 90% of callers had a whole lot of complains about the all the
things going wrong in our beloved country. Most of them didn’t see any reason
to celebrate our 60th birthday.
A particular lady said, if Nigeria was her mother who was
turning 60 with all the problems she had, she would never celebrate such a mother because she has failed children. Ah! This one enter wella!
The last straw that broke the Camel’s back was that
yesterday I journeyed from my home on the mainland to my folks’ on the Island
and after all the hours I spent on the road and all the cars I saw, none, not
even one had a Nigerian flag or sticker or anything to indicate the
independence celebration. Very unlike Lagosians! It was so glaring that her
citizens have given up on her!
Sincerely, we cannot deny the fact that Nigeria is in a
terrible state. Even our President’s Independence speech aggravated the
citizens more when he compared us with some more advanced countries because he
wanted to justify the increase in fuel price.
Hmm! I am just holding myself because if we want to go into comparison we all know who will be disgraced woefully. Should we tell him? Or let me just off the mic first before I destroy all the furniture industry in Africa.
Am I proud to be a Nigeria? A fact I cannot deny, because I believe
there is a reason God put me in this particular country and on this particular
continent.
Am I happy to be a Nigerian? A million times upset!
Have I given up on Nigeria? Not at all. Why? You may ask, “Where
there is life, there is hope.” So I am still hoping for a better Nigeria, and
this hope lives on as long as I live.
Before you crucify me, let me clarify something. I have given up on these set of rulers we
have, no, they ain’t leaders because they have failed in all ramification and do
not deserve to be called that.
The first thing that needs to leave us as a nation is the
spirit of Selfishness! As a matter of fact, this one is a gigantic demon with colossal horns and fierce dentition! It is
only selfishness that can make a public officer embezzle the citizen’s money without a
conscience. Money that is beyond what their 10th generation can
finish!
Like Honourable Okey Bakassi put it, “The difference between Nigerian public officers and those in developed countries is Selfishness.”
According
to him, the foreign public officers are not Saints or Holier than ours but they
eat the money with conscience. We are not saying don’t eat the money o, but do
something for us, let our system be functional then we won’t bother you whether
you squander or not!
My hope is not in them, but in you and I. Even the Bible
says that, “Faith without works is dead” meaning that something has to be done
even as we await a miracle of total wipe-out of these set of rulers and the installation
of a new set of leaders.
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Me smiling in the midst of chaos! |
I want to use this medium to urge everyone of us to ignore
the government for now, and focus on ourselves and what we can do to better our
lives and that of those around us. Make sure that in your own little space, you
are not a “Buhari” by being unjust to others or exploiting those under you, or
oppressing and intimidating those you feel cannot challenge you.
As an employer or employee, entrepreneur or businessman/woman,
associate, transport officer, public servant, or even family member whatever
role you play, ensure that you are giving your best and nothing less, in fairness and honesty, ensure
that those around you can feel your impact and are pleased with you.
Let everyone of us do our own bit so that God will see our
hearts and crown our efforts with success. Do you know that there are people in
this country who are living so comfortably that they are unperturbed by
government policies and increase in price of fuel?
We all need to strive to get to that point, the sky is wide
enough to accommodate us all.
So I celebrate you as a Nigerian, not the Nigeria whose
government has failed.
I celebrate you as a hardworking, loyal and honest citizen!
I celebrate you for your labour!
Cheers to you, my Nigeria, my hope and future!
Happy Independence to you, my Nigeria, for breaking free
from the oppression of our failed government and for choosing to lay a better
foundation than that of our fathers!
I would really love to read your thoughts in the comment section, do me a favour and drop a word.
May October bring you blessings beyond your expectations.
The Tory Teller loves you and is rooting for you!
© Onyinye Udeh.
Perfectly put.
ReplyDeleteWhy vex for the county when it's the leaders that are misbehaving? I have said it before, I will only view if there's someone worth voting for. Until then, I will watch all if these leaders find and go.
It's been 60 years and that's worth at least appreciating. Awesome piece Tori Teller
Thank you.
DeleteWe will not give up on her!
My Nigeria is not the failed government!
My Nigeria is you!
Welldone Tory teller.! The rot among the Youth is worse...the oil runs down from the Head. We literally need a Godsent inform of a Leader to our beautiful Cuntry out of this huge mess. Our prayer is that God should enthrone a man after His heart, and we will be shocked at how things will fall in place.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I agree with the assertion that each home should work on changing the narrative in their sphere of influence.
Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteWe won't give up.
We'll keep hoping.
Happy 60th independence celebration my beloved country. I love Naija, I no go lie. Thanks for the piece ToryTeller.
ReplyDeleteHappy Independence to you, my Nigeria.
DeleteNigeria is country by fire by force because I was born here, so I have no choice than to pray for her.
ReplyDeleteComplaining about the situation of things is a waste of time. It solves nothing!
Hence, the best I can do is to contribute my quota to her development and leave the rest for God.
It is well with Nigeria.
Amen.
DeleteWe remain hopeful
You're right. It's better We have to try to do our best in whatever we do so that we can be good examples for others. Both young and old. Even Buhari will notice us! So happy, happy Nigerian independence day.
ReplyDeleteNice one.
DeleteThank you dear Presh.