As Independence Day 2016 approaches
As the nation prepares to celebrate 56 years of independence, now more than ever we are trying to understand where we went wrong. The change agenda of the Buhari government isn’t meeting up to expectations and his All Progressives Congress party have resorted to blaming all our ills on the People’s Democratic Party in general and the Goodluck Jonathan in particular. While undoubtedly they do share some of the blame, putting all our ills down to them is too simplistic.
Trending on the social media is a comparison of India and Nigeria that deserves publicity as an analysis of our how we got to where we are todays. The largest country Britain colonized in Africa was Nigeria, and the largest in Asia was India which at the time included present day Bangladesh and Pakistan. India is a far more diverse nation than Nigeria. While Nigeria’s population is rumoured to be around 166 million, India’s is over a billion. Nigeria has approximately 400 ethnic groups, India has over 2,000. Nigeria has two major religions and a number of traditional religions while India has over 300 religions. In the process of colonization the British brought technology and science, Christianity, English language and culture (work ethic, dressing, music, etiquette, food, names etc.).
The difference between Nigeria and India was their approach towards colonization. While Indians took pride in their heritage, Nigerians appeared ashamed of their own. Indians resisted the invasion of English culture and religion but embraced their sciences, technology and work ethic. Today 80.5% of Indians are Hindu, 13.4% Muslims, 2.3% Christians, and 1.9% Sikhs and 0.8% Buddhists amongst other religions. Hindi is the official language while English is the “business language”. In Nigeria we relegated native culture and traditions to the background readily adopting English names, food, dressing and language. We ignored science, technology and work ethic while fully embracing English culture. In India it’s rare to find citizens with English names or wearing suits or skirts.
Throughout our nation either Western European or Eastern Arab cultures have shaped our lives having managed to convince us of their own superiority and our inherent inferiority. In the process we have lost our real identity. As for religion, prior to the arrival of Christianity in southern Nigeria, Arabs had already brought Islam and sharia law which relegated much of the indigenous culture of northern Nigeria. Since independence Nigerians have become stalwarts of “foreign” religions and cultures and have waxed strong to the extent that we now kill each other fighting over the “truth”. Pentecostal churches preach hatred against those not “born again” and invoke “hell fire” on fellow human beings. Fanatical Islamists initiate slaughter in response to so-called “blasphemous” remarks even when Saudi Arabia the headquarters of Islam doesn’t react, but rather proclaims that the main tenets of Islam are peace, tolerance and mutual co-existence. While Boko Haram supporters cripple our economy with mass destruction purportedly in the name of Islam the United Arab Emirates has built the tallest building in the world and is attracting billions in foreign investment uplifting the welfare of its peoples.
In Nigeria we continue to build the biggest Churches and Mosques while Chinese, South Africans, Americans, Europeans and Indians take over our economy and milk us dry in the key business markets of Construction, Satellite T.V, Telecoms, Oil and Gas, Aviation and Automobile manufacturing, holding us to ransom in the process. Ironically the proliferation of Churches and Mosques hasn’t led to higher moral standards. Time and again Nigerians have proved to be people of little godliness to the extent that we are now internationally reputed to be deceitful, envious, sly and superstitious people who lack scruples. In bye-gone days our nation never experienced regular daily bloodshed, but these days armed robbers, religious extremists, kidnappers, ritual killers, political thugs and university cultists all kill indiscriminately. Tragically in the midst of this worsening situation we can’t seem to get our act together. Not only do we producing nothing of any significance, but a complete loss of faith in our institutions makes Nigerians flock to India or Europe for Medical treatment and UK, USA or Ghana for Education. Even in the face of impending disaster our political class feels entitled to drive the best cars, live in the best houses, holiday in the world’s best places and own the most expensive electronics and communications gadgets.
In an undisguised display of avarice Government officials and political appointees who used to be allocated modest Peugeot saloon cars insist on Toyota Jeeps despite the fact that 70% of the population live below the poverty line. In India bicycles, and tricycles are common sights while in Nigeria bicycle riding is a sign of poverty. As our situation has worsened over the years Independence celebrations have become habitually “low key”. In 2016 the government should abolish the idea of celebration altogether and declare that the day should be used for sober reflection and commitment to change from within.