Independence Day: Sixty and Sick-still
I grew up singing songs about a better Nigeria.
Song that stirred up every nerve in me as a child to be the change Nigeria needs. We are the leaders of tomorrow. They light that will extinguish the darkness, all that is a charade.
The Vision 2020 gave so much hope back in the day. Today, no one speaks about it. It may be that the man with the vision was suffering from myopia, ooops 🤦 let's not speak ill of the dead for what is dead may never die.
Once upon a time, we believed in the Nigerian dream, a country with so much prospects, blessed with varieties of natural resources. From crude oil to limestone, tin ore, gold and to crown it all, a fertile land.
Little did we know that the oil boom was our own doom. The corrupt leaders built mansions for themselves and left the masses unsheltered, not even a single room. Difficult to differentiate between day and night because we always grope in darkness. Build me another Dam, they said buy generators.
When they say we are the Giants of Africa, I feel I laugh at the  imp that is speaking, you have clearly his your candle under a bushel. There is weeping and gnashing of teeth everywhere. Dead bodies lay on the street due to insecurity
We keep playing politics as a game, for every level there is another devil. In this game, we have lost a thousand time we have to restart, never moving forward like the case of Balam and Balack, I am a failure, stuck at level 1.
I send troops for peace keeping every year yet my house is a war zone. Kidnap and indiscriminate killing of innocent people by herdsmen is the order of the day. I find it difficult to go to my place of worship, run run run, there is yet another suicide bomber.
A country that doesn't encourage industrialization, certificates upon certificates I acquire and yet no job.
Go to school dear child and you will be rich, here I am a common tricycle rider with a PhD in the bag.
Little wonder the youths go into cyber fraud and theft. We are tired of waiting for every election to be gifted a cup of rice. You keep coming with fake promises each time and I listen, never again will this happen to me.
Yes today is my Independence day, I'll love to hear the president's speech. There is power outage and I'd love to fuel my generator. Upon stepping out, I'm arrested by men in Black for owning an iPhone and the locks on my hair. I am beaten to stupor until bail is paid.
There came a man from the Niger Delta with vision and calmness. The major tribes stood against him without giving him a single trial. Let us bring back the Mephistopheles that once ruled us. Here we are falling continually in this bottomless pit.
I would go on and on and on. But why do I pour my heart out this way?
I believe if you love someone, you should be able to tell the person to his/her face when things are blowing out of proportion, Nigeria I love you and my faith in you will never waiver.
All these, I saw in a trance and I'm just waking to reality
Happy Independence