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Centenary  celebration or corruption celebration   

Nigeria, a country that was glued together by the British in the year 1914, is been celebrated today for spanning a hundred year.  I do not know the reason for the celebration when the people they are meant to protect are killed everyday,  some in their sleeping beds while some  catches up with the misfortune when they are in their working place.

The reason for the celebration, could it be for aging hundred years as a country  or that someone is trying to use it to solidify his chances of clinching a political position come next election.

Today, at the state house Abuja, so many individuals ,to be precise one hundred persons were  honored with an award to mark our hundred years as a nation together and also to appreciate the individuals for their contributions to our national  development. But when the awards were been presented to these individuals for the so called contribution to national development, my mind began to wander, reflecting  to know or grasp what I will say these individuals achieved but nothing tangible I could see only the negative impressions and marks they have made in our society.

The former heads of state OBASANJO,IBB, ABDULSALAMI, SHONEKON, GOWON, BUHARI and SHEHU SHAGARI  were  all honored   for preserving and protecting the integration and oneness of our nation. Yes the truth is that the country has not split but what has been thrown in for the country to still be united  is somehow far much immeasurable to what is being protected, for instance, the hundreds of thousand of lives if not millions that were wasted during the civil war . When they are been presented with the awards I asked myself whether these individuals, the cause they fought so hard to protect and to preserve whether they sought for the consent of the individuals they represented ,or the masses who are the chief deciders of what happens in the governance before getting engaged in those actions. Someone who is not part of the ruling class in Nigeria will tell you  that disintegration is the best thing that will happen to this nation while some says that the real federal system where the state manages what comes out from it , use the resources for the development of the state and pay some percentage to the central government will be the best. Which means they are canvassing for the autonomy of the states.

I am still asking myself this question while I write this, whether the thing said by these individuals or the preceding statements uttered by these people is the best solution to our problems ? Disintegrate or remain united but be autonomous states? Nigeria became a non dependent nation in the year 1960 through diplomacy, our leaders sought for a way to liberate our nation from the colonialists that bloodshed will not be part of. But , since the independence of our nation, our  nation has lost more lives than some countries who got their independence through battles and wars, starting with the massacre of 1967, the OPC activities in the western part of the country and the ABIOLA'S RACE in the nineties, and the recent killings in the northern part of the nation.  What could be said to be the cause of this problems, the incessant killings?

Could it be the difference in beliefs and value systems? Or could be the problem of not understanding each other which is the problem of language. The northerners are crying and demanding for disintegration, the westerners demanded for it and Easterners are still demanding for it , because of how they are treated and marginalized in the country they call theirs . I have nothing else to say but to question the reason why this country is still together. Is it together because they want to continue to improve their status, sorry, to the detriment of the peasant public;  or because they have seen the good the future holds for us when we are together if there is any? I  don’t have the answer to that question but I know people who do…… the political leaders in our dear nation do.  A poor person who has no money, and goes to steal and is caught, will be left to the court to prosecute but once someone in the political scene siphons money meant for public  use is caught it will not be for the court to handle but for the fellow political friends, that is the level of impunity in our nation.  Everybody preaches against corruption but no one has the moral strength or courage to fight it or lead a corrupt free life.  

If we are to ask questions as to why our nation is in this state where everybody refuses to  be  addressed as a Nigerian in the international world because of the level of destruction of the beliefs of the African people when  we are still the keepers of our brother, when we  still share our clothes and foods. When we still believe in the  peaceful co existence amongst ourselves. I think the question should be directed to the former heads of  who were awarded on 28 of February 2014. They led us and each of them represent a particular time in the history of Nigeria when we experienced a positive or non positive leadership. The problems of Nigeria was perpetrated and masterminded by these former heads of state who were honored only for holding us together and not for bringing development. They  are only interested in our being together and nothing else, and things that should encourage our oneness is not put in place 

The principal reason for writing for writing this is to let us see that we are part of the cause of whatever that is happening to us. It is time to look into their activities and try to checkmate their actions. They represent us and should do as we say and not we doing as they say if we really desire to have a better future or even build one for our children.  Start building from that little position you occupy.

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