A greet fellow Nigerians on our nation’s 57th Independence anniversary. I, particularly, praise the good people of Kabba/Bunu Constituency for believing in the Nigerian project. While our nation is referred to as Giant of Africa, we are celebrating this anniversary as a toddler with elephantiasis.
It is instructive here to state that Africa, before the 15th century, was civilised. The Europeans, however, navigated Africa and enslaved our forebears, destroying our history and every other civilisation we had. Aeons after the slave trade ended, Africa would be colonised by the same West that enslaved us. African countries, except Ethiopia and Liberia, got their independence when the imperialists felt Africans were lettered enough to be given the right to self rule.
Fifty-seven years after Nigeria got its independence, it is still very apparent that we are still far from our dream land. We seem to be slaves, not only to the Westerners who still control our leaders through neocolonialism, but also slaves to ourselves. This is because majority of our leaders are not accountable to us. They care less about welfare of the citizens; they see us all as nonentities yet we run after them to massage their over-bloated egos.
That our nation remains fragile many years after independence shows we have not achieved much in our march to nationhood. From communities in the far East to communities in the core North, there is despair in the land. In Kabba/Bunu Constituency of Kogi State, for instance, there is immediate and urgent need for action and intervention.
George Washington once said: “Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance or the most abject submission.” Our choice at this crossroad needs to be bold, productive and impactful. We don’t have to remain as slaves anymore. The resistance against bad leadership, abject poverty, and failed government needs to be brave. We must make resolve to conquer our common enemies at the poll or remain their slaves.
Let us, therefore, rely upon the goodness of the cause and the guidance of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory lies, to animate and encourage us to the great and noble actions we are set to take.
The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises if we volunteer ourselves as instruments to save them from the tyranny inflicted against them by the ‘slave masters’.
Let us engage each other to always remember that a free man contending for liberty on his own ground is superior to any submissive mercenary on earth.
To this end, this writer, with all sense of responsibility, hereby vows to reposition participatory democracy and change the fortune constituency of Kabba/Bunu Constituency for irreversible development.
In tandem with where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going (the promise land) as a people, there is an urgent need to rebuild Kabba/Bunu Constituency and free the populace from feudalists.
Now that we are once again at the crossroads, we need to make a tougher but wiser decision of choosing someone who truly understands the plight of the people and not a politician who is interested in enslaving us.
The crop of politicians representing the constituency has left us with underdevelopment, youth unemployment, poor state of schools and roads. Above all, the insecurity level is alarming in our communities is alarming.
I urge all youths and well-meaning denizens to increase their participation in the political process. We have another opportunity in the next general election to vote a candidate party that will identify with plight of the people, such as quality education, good health and rural and urban integration. I have offered myself to serve our people in achieving these salient objectives.
We must vote for a paradigm shift in our constituency. Only a new thinking is required to reposition our Jerusalem which lies in ruins. The youth must join hand to ensure we have good representation in Kabba/Bunu Constituency.
We have a date with history. We must not let this opportunity to change our story pass by us. The Kabba/Bunu Constituency needs to be recovered from the feudal lords who have been enslaving our people. Happy Independence once again.
- Sheyi has just finished his Master’s in Conflict, Development and Security, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
