Opinion: Why Nigerians deserve an apology – By ERNEST OSOGBUE

As I think about it daily, it resonates more urgently that Nigerians deserve an apology from our past and present leaders. Nigeria has failed’

Independence was obtained on the premise that Nigerian affairs were best served by Nigerians mounting leadership positions in their country, and thereby bring the dividends of nationhood to the doorsteps of all citizens.

According to the arguments, how could a white man who has his own country thousands of miles away, come to Africa to make decisions on issues concerning Africans? On another level, it was equally argued that the colonial masters were taking what belonged to Africans such as the agricultural and natural resources for the benefit of their nations to the detriment of the African owners. It was therefore untenable for the white man to continue in Africa because his presence was not to the benefit of the owners of the land. It was then agreed that for the benefits of the land of Africa to be enjoyed by Africans, Africans must govern Africa.

Fifty-Nine years down the line in our own case, how has this promise of Nigerians governing Nigeria been fulfilled? Many of us were not born at independence in 1960, but from what we have learnt, there was a general sense of euphoria and an atmosphere of celebration across the land when independence was attained. From North to South, East to West there was a sense that finally we shall take our destiny in our own hands and plot a pathway to a glorious future.

That future is here today, how do we see it? The turbulent post-independence years point at the fact that our national leaders were not able to manage the new found freedom of an independent nation; it was argued that the British, out of selfishness, did not equip emergent African leaders with necessary leadership skills.Since that time however, we have grown as a people, founded our own training institutions, groomed leaders from the cradle to positions of authority and therefore have no excuses to give that the promises and expectations at independence have not manifested. At independence, it was expected that every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, religion, political affiliation, family background or ethnicity would be protected by the Nigerian State.

It was also expected that all Nigerians would have a share of the benefits of independence while fulfilling their obligations to the Nigerian nation.Today however, manifestations at different levels show that these expectations are far from being fulfilled, and Nigerians are wondering why only a clique of persons and their cronies have been enjoying the benefits of nationhood to the detriment of the vast majority. We have seen some people join the Civil Service at 25, and retire at 60 as multi billionaires, become politicians, get elected as governors or senators and end up as ‘trillionaires’. By the same token, others join the Armed Forces at 20, rise to the rank of Generals, and retire at 55 as billionaires. Some others are appointed ministers and after a few years of service they are made for life and retire to a life of opulence and influence.These same people walk the streets with impunity while flaunting their wealth and nobody asks questions.

The above scenario is replicated in almost all spheres of our national life, where people join government service in order to serve the nation and the people, but end up serving themselves. It is becoming clearer by the day that the oath of service taken by those in authority means nothing to them. In recent years it has graduated to a situation where they now ensure a perpetuation of their lineage in government service, by grooming their children and close relatives as their successors.

As time goes by, it is becoming evident that the Nigerian State has failed in the deliverance of the benefits of citizenship to the vast majority of its people. As a result of this, citizens now form secondary-sovereignties; this refers to associations and organizations which offer protection to them, cares for them and to which they owe allegiance. These associations as a collective, battle the Nigerian State on behalf of members, and whatever is received is shared to members. In this category are Afenifere, Ohaneze, Arewa, Middle Belt Forum, PANDEF and even militant groups as MEND, Avengers, IPOB,MASSOB and Boko Haram amongst others.

Other organizations to which some Nigerians owe secondary allegiance include OPC, Miyetti Allah, Churches, Mosques, IMN and many others. When the above scenario plays out, individuals in these quasi-national organizations and associations feel more attached to these associations than they are to Nigeria. This is due to the belief that their needs are best served by the association than by Nigeria. It is impossible for a citizen to apply for a position in a government office and expect to be treated fairly without having a relative in position of authority. Is this the Nigeria our progenitors fought and died for? Recently the Chief of Army Staff openly admitted that the failure to defeat Boko Haram was directly related to the inability of deployed personnel to carry out instructions. If you read between the lines, what the army chief meant was that soldiers were not motivated.

The same scenario is replicated in the police and other paramilitary organizations. How are junior ranking soldiers and policemen expected to fight and die for a country that does not care for them? Over the years only the children of the rich and powerful enter the various services at the officer cadre, the children of the poor can only enlist in the police and the military as recruit constables or privates. Even at that, they are still denied promotion for one reason or the other, and as a result become disgruntled. Across Nigeria citizens are angry, be they civilians or members of the armed services or the police.

There is emerging a clear divide that there are those who own Nigeria more than others and the majority are not happy. Every day we hear our leaders mouth the unity and indivisibility of the nation, but their actions never reflect these ideals. How could members of the National Assembly earn jumbo salaries on a regular basis when the children of poor Nigerians have no jobs? Some graduates do not need jobs, but simply require a fifty thousand Naira (#50,000) startup capital, but have no access to credit, yet legislators go home with millions of Naira daily.

These insensitive leaders blatantly flaunt their wealth in our faces and do not see anything wrong in their actions. Nigeria has earned trillions of dollars from oil and other commodities as foreign exchange since independence, however what is on ground as infrastructure and social amenities which benefit the masses is less than ten percent of those earnings; the rest have disappeared into private pockets.

Every year 70% of the national budget services recurrent expenditure; which translates to the jumbo pay of top government officials and their aides. Capital expenditure which benefits all citizens receives a paltry 30%,how can our nation take care of its citizens with such a budget imbalance? Today Nigerians feel more comfortable in foreign countries than in their fatherland, people proudly brandish foreign citizenships as a badge of honor to the envy of their friends and family. @vanguardngrnews

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