NIGERIA AT 62: DEPENDENCE OR INDEPENDENCE

NIGERIA AT 62: DEPENDENCE OR INDEPENDENCE A few words aren't enough to capture the Nigerian feeling of independence. The fatherland of millions was finally free from the shackles of colonialism, just like the characters in George Orwell's Animal Farm. With independence came high expectations of economic and political stability and development, as well as advancement and furthering of national and local aspirations. Realities after sixty two years of independence however portray Nigeria to have derailed from meeting these expectations. Though blessed with enormous resources such as crude oil, fertile land, solid mineral resources, openness to sea routes and of course, a teeming workforce population, Nigeria has been bedeviled with underdevelopment. One would expect a sixty two year old country to stand on her own and be able to cater for her citizens without necessarily being at the mercy of younger nations, but 'independent' Nigeria fell off. We have relied on oil for decades and our economy now staggers as the demand for crude oil lessens drastically. We industrialised by an import substitution industrialisation policy that has led to an import-dependent economy. That is, we import much more than we export. We make use of imported goods and foreign-based services more than local ones, and thus local markets and industries have been relegated. Beyond rudimentary farming, we can hardly do anything on our own. In infrastructural development, technology, artificial intelligence, scientific innovation and research, Nigeria relies heavily on other countries. We prefer Chinese, Lebanese people constructing our buildings, and supplying our technological facilities. 'Independent' Nigeria lags behind in human capital development, as our brains and prospects don't hesitate to find greener pastures when the opportunity comes. Politically, Nigeria in her three historical republics, with the current fourth, has basically been a shadow of other prominent political systems of certain developed countries. To be factual, our democracy has always been at first, a replica of the British parliamentary system, and later that of the United States of America. The downside of this is that we become too rigid to embrace certain features that suit us, and find it hard to apply Nigerian solutions to Nigerian problems. Being truly independent thus will mean collaborating to build a Nigerian political system that enables us to tackle our internal problems in ways that best fit us. Our true independence will be said to have come when we can strengthen our local industries, create more avenues for production and export, as well as make concrete efforts towards technological stance. When production is more locally concentrated, unemployment is reduced to the barest minimum, and the capacity of the workforce is enhanced, especially with regards to modern-world requirements of the AI age. That way, we get to import less than we currently do, and we are able to diversify and generate revenue through other means asides oil. Nigeria needs to rise above her peers and earn respect in the global space. The less we depend on and borrow from developed countries, the more prestige we accrue to ourselves. Robert Marvellous. Department of Political Science. A Part One Student.