NIGERIA AT 62: DEPENDENCE OR INDEPENDENCE

Name: Sysavane Usman Part: 200 Level Department: Geography Nigeria at 62: Dependent or Independent It was on the 1st October 1960 that Nigeria officially gained independence as a nation and was free from her British colonizer. It however remains a valid question weather we are truly independent as a nation. I personally believe that just as no single person could make progress without the help of another, so too is the case for any and every nation. Even nations we consider developed still rely on the intellectual and material resources of other sovereign nations. (With China as an exception of course.) Even America still imports her oil today. But if reliance on other nations does not necessarily translate to a nation being dependent, what does? After careful thinking I have come to realize that true independence is only achieved when a nation’s needs can be met without the need for sacrifice of other important requirements even if they are less needed. It has been in my experience that some nations that claim to be “independent” are forced to give out their natural resources to sovereign at an unfair worth in order to meet the ends of its citizens. While it is true that said countries are independent of their former colonizers, it is a sad reality that such nation is still in a state of political bondage where they themselves are the crafters of their chains. However, the main reason for such conditions of a nation is the fact that it is developing nation amongst developed ones. If this factor where to be put into account, then the false independence of a such nations should be a temporary thing. This however, is only true if the nation is in fact developing. The question of whether or not Nigeria falls into this category of false independence is one I still can’t seem to fathom. While it is true that Nigeria has in fact shown promise of development, negative factors in such as corruption, embezzlement and godfatherism have also proven to be prominent in the Nigerian government. Such factors undoubtedly infringe the progress of any kind of nation let alone a developing one. Indeed, one can argue that such government flaws exist in all nations, but Nigeria has suffered an incredible amount for a developing country. This negative impact on Nigeria has caused a significant number for consequences for the nation. Some very well affecting its future. The inflation and insecurity within the nation alone is bad enough to punish its citizens for the sins of the government, but the rapid rate of emigration of young potential minds from Nigeria may very well leave her in a condition worse than we have ever seen. In conclusion I have no definite answer to whether or not Nigeria is truly independent. Rather, I believe that her true independence lies in her ability to rise above the current recession and continuing growing as a nation.