Nigeria became independent on the first day of October, in the year nineteen hundred and sixty. Three years later (1963), she became a republic. The independence of Nigeria was a dream of many. It was a dream that quenched the lives and seized the breaths of many who fought for it. These are lives we expect our leaders and every other Nigerians to honor, at least, by serving Nigeria, our father land with heart and might and with a sense of service and sacrifice.
From Independence till this second, we have seen many leaders. Men in the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first and only ceremonial president of Nigeria, and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Belewa, the first and only prime minister of Nigeria. These two ruled Nigeria until the advent of military coup de Tats in 1966, the first of which was named the Majors’ coup, led by Major Kaduna, who did not even feel the temperature of the presidential sit himself. This gave way for the short-lived leadership of Johnson Thomas Umurakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, which was between, 16 Jan 1966 - 29 Jul 1966. This government was toppled by the second coup termed the Counter coup which gave birth to the era of Major General Yakubu Gowon (1 Aug 1966 - 29 Jul 1975 ). And then, it was a free fall. This administration lived through the civil war. Yakubu Gowon ruled for nine years and was toppled by General Murtala Ramat Muhammed (29 Jul 1975 - 13 Feb 1976). His administration ended with his death and he became the second Nigerian Military Head of State to die in office after Aguiyi Ironsi. His deputy, General Olushegun Obassanjo, was given the free hand to lead, since Dimka, the leader of the coup that killed Mutala Muhammed, was screwed himself. So, after three military leaders, a bloody civil war, inter-ethnic power struggle and a host of other unpleasant events, Gen. Olusegun Obassanjo relinquished power to a democratically elected civilian government, at least that was what they said,. It is believed that Obassanjo’s administration which lasted for about three years and seven months (14 Feb. 1976 - 1 Oct 1979), was allowed to lit because, he agreed to oversee a transition to a civilian rule. Obassanjo kept his promise and the time of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a time known as the second republic, was ushered in. Accused of corruption and lack of credibility and other things, General Muhammedu Buhari and his strongman, Idiabgon, toppled the civilian government and suspended the constitution. Nigerians were happy that, if not for anything, at least, they have a civilian government. But it was taken away and Nigerians will never forget that. And Buhari did not have a sweet long time because he ruled for only I year and eight months (31 Dec 1983 – 27 Aug 1985). Then came Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who removed Buhari from office in a coup and ruled for eight years with a iron-fist. He was the only Nigerian Head of State who, somehow, succeeded in making himself a Military President. He ruled for about eight years (27 Aug 1985 – 4 Jan 1993 and left the office for Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonican, whose administration was an interim one, (26 Aug 1993 – 17 Nov 1993) Gen. Sani Abacha took over from Shonecan without waves and gave Nigeria a bloody type of leadership, (17 Nov 1993 – 8 Jun 1998). He died as he was preparing to become Nigeria’s forth civilian leader. This made him the 3rd Nigerian Military leader to die in office.Then immerged Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, who led Nigeria into another era of civilian rule after ruling for about one year and four months, (9 Jan 1998 – 29 May 1999). This era is what we are experiencing till date. It was first chaired by Chief Olusegun Obassanjo from 29 May 1999 to 29th of May 2007, when Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’ Adua took over.
These men, at different times in our nation’s history, have being saddled with the enormous responsibility of leading a great country like Nigeria. And they have gotten our appreciation for that, for uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, they say. If you read their names well, you will notice that they sound jaw-breaking, epigrammatic and great. Oh! I forgot! They sound accomplished too. Gentlemen1 Ladies! We all know that the greatness of a man has never being revealed by the sound of his name. Neither has it being shown by his fame, possessions or success, for example in becoming the president of a country. The things that make a man great are truth, love, compassion and kindness for his fellow men, imagination, creativity and benevolence. If our leaders had these qualities or, at least, half of them, the 49 years old Nigeria we see today would have being a better one. They had the chance to build, or, at least, lay the foundation for a Nigeria in which democracy can flourish in its full strength, where the rule of law, freedom of the press and judicial independence reign supreme above every individual. It is understandable that in the present day world, each country define democracy in its own way. But ours, though not the worse, is not the one we can be proud of, at least, not yet. Today, poverty and hunger have become our friends. They found us once and have being around since then. Educational decadence and illiteracy is on the rise. The corruption virus have eaten so deeply into us that no amount of vaccines and no matter how strong can keep even the younger ones from being infected. Politicians and leaders have in their veins the notion that the people of Nigeria exist to provide them with fame fortunes and possessions. Forty and nine years, and we cannot even boast of a dependable fifteen hours a day power supply, a general water supply, standard infrastructures and we want to do what other countries (US, UK, Japan) do. Our graduates cannot find jobs. Universities go on strikes at will without considering the reason why they even exist, the students. Crime wave is on the rise and future of many Nigerians is blink. Our leaders had all the opportunities and power to change all of these and make Nigeria great as she is suppose to be.
In the mist of all of these ills, I have always being a proud Nigerian, because I know what we have in stock. I cannot even begin to mention the enormous human and natural resources Nigeria have to become the pride of Africa and the envy of the world. All we need is a good team of managers in the local, state and federal levels of leadership. It is up to us now to make it right. All of us; the seventy years old, forty years old, twenty years old, all that are alive, in our little ways to stand up and drive our nation to a part of glory. Nigeria is our country, our heritage. This is the land God has given us. Whether you are in the US, UK, India, Russia or China, you will have no other country to call your own. And if we don’t make it better, who will? Our leaders may have failed. But it is not a law that we must go down their path. We have a responsibility to redeem our nation and pass it over to the generations unborn. For, it has being said that every generation owes the next one a responsibility. And I tell you, Nigerians, we owe the next generations a responsibility. The hour has come and now is the time when we must fight for development, employments, good governance, good education patriotism, moral responsibility, peace, unity, democracy and most important of all, we must fight for the future. Nigeria has being falling right from independence and now it is time for her to rise. You have being called upon, Nigerians. Will you answer?
George Esule Michael.
Founder, The Eagles Movement.
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