Happy Independence Day?

Sixty-two years today since Nigeria was pronounced an independent nation, Nigerians and her leaders  are still enslaved by the dictates of the so-called world powers. Sixty-two years down the way, our cultural values, livelihoods, governance patterns, religious systems and many more, still submerged by foreign policies and practices.

Dress in a local attire and attend an interview and you would be the first to be kicked out even if you're the most qualified for the job. To be given a chance, you must dress in tie and suits- just look like a foreigner. It beats my imagination that some people eat garri and soup, an African delicacy, with forks and knives. The food is ours but the western world decides how we eat it. Sad!

As each day passes, the system gets more porous and hopeless especially as our leaders now present speeches and quotes of leaders in foreign countries to us as their campaign promises and other functions in Nigeria.

They struggle to identify with foreign countries for survival and relevance. They even configure our daily lives to foreign currencies.

Common sachet water and periwinkle sellers even use the rise in dollar against naira as excuse for cheating their gullible buyers. For crying out loud, what business does Nigeria have with the United States of America currency that both States and Federal budgets is summed up in dollars? Is this a case of inferiority complex? 

We cannot successfully brag of an independent nation when our currency is still dependent on dollars, Euro and Pounds, even in our local markets.

Nigeria can not possibly be talking about Independence when Lecturers have shutdown Universities for over six months today. Students no longer know their fates. Most of them have chosen other walks of life for survival. 

What kind of Independent Nation is Nigeria when we still rely on foreign nations to refine our petroleum? Crude oil that nature gave us for free is sold at very exorbitant amount to Nigerians? No encouragement for local contents?

It is high time our governments went back to the drawing board and ensure that Nigeria is totally independent.

May the labour of our heroes past never be in vain, Amen 

©The Eyes Newspaper