By Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar

SIR: I duly subscribe to the view that Nigeria’s successive leadership have underperformed within the last 60 years since attaining self-government; but I disagree with those who think we should not even celebrate. Here are my reasons.

For any country, there is nothing like attainment of independence; being able to free itself from foreign invasion, control and exploitation. Those who doubt this should ask Palestinians what is their top priority as a people. They should ask the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi people, whether they need full international recognition; they should go to Hargeisa, in Somaliland and question their commitment to full nationhood. Or better still, Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong and ask the people there what is their most important aspiration.

We have seen a consistent determination among the people of Palestine in their attempts to liberate themselves from control and occupation of their land by Israel. Since the first Intifada in Palestine, only God knows the number of people killed, yet the struggle continues. Palestinians are not after food, water or shelter; they are thirsty for independence. Here are people that at several times bombarded, shot and blocked yet, they persist.

I reckon, the major reason why Nigerians take independence of the country for granted is the fact that we got it on a platter of gold. You can’t compare us with territories colonised by Portugal like Mozambique where the Portuguese security agency – Polícia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (PIDE) – killed several liberation fighters of the Mozambique Liberation Front, FRELIMO, and finally bombed the FRELIMO leader, Eduardo Mondlane.

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Or in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde where guerrilla fighters under the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) were hunted and killed, including assassinating its leader Amilca Cabral whose corpse was incinerated with acid.

Take for example, the Mau Mau fighters in Kenya. They were incarcerated, tortured and executed. The ordeals of South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) fighters of Namibia or even in South Africa where 700 school children were shot dead in Soweto etc. are living examples of the cost of freedom.

I think it is time, Nigerians begin to separate leaders from the nation. We should stop condemning the country when it is actually the leaders that are not doing the right thing. Time to focus on the leadership; not tribe, region or religion.

• Comrade Bishir Dauda Sabuwar, Unguwa Katsina, Katsina State.