NIGERIA AT 62: DEPENDENCE OR INDEPENDENCE

NAME: OLAJIDE FIYINFOLUWA I. DEPARTMENT: POLITICAL SCIENCE LEVEL: 200 NIGERIA AT 62: INDEPENDENCE OR DEPENDENCE The people of Nigeria have waited 62 years to see their country fully independent (we are probably still waiting). This raises the question of what independence means for a country like Nigeria. First, let’s consider the definition of independence. It is the ability to govern oneself without external influence or control. Secondly, let’s put dependence in context. Dependence means being reliant on something or someone else for one's success and well-being. So what exactly does this mean in the Nigerian context? Does it mean that the state is dependent on foreign aid to survival? Nigeria has become a weak state simply trying to survive in the comity of states. Unfortunately, on every development metric, nations like Singapore and Malaysia, who attained independence after Nigeria, vastly outpace the latter. But here we are today, more than half a century later, struggling to measure up with some African states: the only thing we can boast of is our population. But how rich is a nation whose people have lots of babies but struggle to produce? Nigeria is now made up of three classes: an elite that has benefited from governance and its continuity; a middle class that wishes it would get its benefits; and the lower class that struggles for shelter and security. Similarly, many citizens are worried that the advantages of freedom have escaped the nation as only a small minority enjoy the commonwealth while the bulk are homeless, hungry, and vulnerable. Nigeria is at the crossroads. It has the opportunity to stand on its own two feet as an economically independent nation as a country blessed with numerous natural resources, yet it remains dependent on others for basic necessities and lacks independence in the actual sense of the word. We import almost everything we need for survival and there seems to be no signs that things will change anytime soon. For many, Nigeria is gradually becoming a country that is sliding into comatose and leaves her compatriots with little or nothing to celebrate. Years after gaining independence, the nation seems to be regressing in practically every parameter of development. Unemployment, political unpredictability, and insecurity are some of the many cogs in the wheel of Nigeria’s progress as an independent state. Not to mention the exodus of intelligent and talented young people leaving the nation. The rhythm of our poetry and music is primarily where Nigeria's glory is evident. Bravo to our artists and other gifted and hardworking exports who, through their ingenuity, have helped project the country in a good light and as a result brought glory, honor, and pride to Africa. Where is Nigeria's grandeur, which politicians frequently tout, beyond these? Where are the birthplaces of the independence-era promises of justice, freedom, optimism, and equity? Where are the honor and glory that politicians pledge to preserve? The grandeur of our country is a promise, not a fact.