No Country has Disappointed Its Citizens Like Nigeria, Says Varsity Lecturer

As Nigeria celebrates its 59th independence anniversary, a senior lecturer of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Eme Ekekwe, has declared that no country in Africa has disappointed its citizens like Nigeria.

This came as stakeholders called for the reorientation of youths of the country as a means of eliminating the leadership crisis in the country.

Ekekwe and other stakeholders spoke on Tuesday in Port Harcourt at a talk show organised by an All Progressives Congress (APC) good governance advocacy group, Unity House Foundation (UHF).

The talk show, which was titled; "The Leadership Crisis In Nigeria; The Chicken and Egg Rule", had the theme: "The Times Have Found Us To Keep Our Independence And Freedom."

Ekekwe said: "No country in African has disappointed its citizens more than Nigeria. No African country is more endowed than Nigeria. On every independence anniversary, our leaders will tell us to be in sober reflection bit they do not reflect on their own."

Ekekwe, who lauded UHF for putting the talk show together, urged young Nigerians to learn how to ask questions in order to get answers on how to move the country forward.

In his welcome address, UHF Convener, Kingsley Wenenda Wali, said an average Nigerian believes that the country owes him an obligation to take care of him.

Wali said: "The average Isreali feels he owes his country an obligation defend it. But, an average Nigerian believes that the country owes him. That is why a Nigerian will gang up with some Irish firm to dupe Nigeria of $9.9billion."

In his speech, one of the speakers at the talkshow, Chukwudi Dimkpa, described Nigeria as a business venture created by British traders and businessmen in 1900, pointing out that mistrust has been the bane of the country.

Dimkpa said: "We must appreciate where Nigeria is coming from. Nigeria was a business venture as at 1900. The British business men partitioned Nigeria into protectorates. 

"Election is the bane of Nigeria's problem. It was the 1964 election that started the crisis that turned Nigeria upside down till today. Azikiwe, Tafawa-Balewa and Awolowo were very intelligent people who didn't trust themselves.

"The leadership crisis in Nigeria has just been mistrust. What happened in 1964 is still happening today. Different generations but the same attitude. There has to be a generational change in our attitude starting from today." 

On his part, another speaker at the event, Tambari Sibe, said there is leadership crisis in Nigeria because the country did not struggle for its independence like most African countries.

Sibe said: "Our Independence was on a platter of gold. We did not push for it. We were beneficiaries of the post-World War decisions. Most African countries struggle to get their independence. We are toiling with our own because we didn't struggle for it."

Also speaking, a legal practitioner, Golden Tamuno, said Nigeria's effort to get independence in 1953, was thwarted by Nigerians who claimed that the country was not yet ripe for independence.

Tamuno said: "In the early days, we had councils that were ruling Nigeria even from outside Nigeria. Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Cameroun and Nigeria were ruled by one government with a foreign constitution.

"Nigerians made a move for independence in 1953, but we also thwarted that move. The Southern Nigeria wanted independence for Nigeria but Northern Nigeria said we were not ripe for independence."