My country, Nigeria, gained independence from the British government in 1960, and ever since, the country has been running a democratic government. A democratic government is a type of government in which people are free to elect their representatives without fear or intimidation. According to my elementary school definition, “It is a system of government by the people, for the people, and of the people.” However, this definition of democracy is just mere words on paper as citizens are often intimidated during elections. I’m aware that there are so many bad things you have probably heard about this country. I mean, I could spend a whole day talking about the rotten system of government or the destroyed-beyond-repair economy. With the way things are going, the economy is receding and no one is doing anything about it- it is tempting to assume that the country is cursed.
However, this is not the case. Nigeria is one of the most blessed countries in the world, it is just unfortunate to have rotten leaders. In my last post, I discussed natural disasters. I'm sure you have heard news of how countries suffer from natural disasters like frequent earthquakes, wildfires, flooding, and volcanic eruptions. Nigeria is lucky enough not to experience these things. Of course, sometimes, natural disasters happen, but it is nothing compared to other countries. Nigeria is also blessed with natural resources. Nigeria is one of the fore distributors of petroleum as it is a natural resource obtained in our country. Yet, the price of petroleum is more expensive compared to countries that buy from us. How ironic! When it comes to agriculture, Nigeria is well blessed. Throw a seed into the ground, water it and after some days, it starts growing. This is not the case in some other countries.
So, what could possibly be going wrong? If the country is blessed with these resources, why then is its economy declining? is it referred to as an underdeveloped country, not even a developing country? Well, in the end, it all comes down to corrupt leaders who misuse the country’s resources for their personal interests. Today’s edition of Hive Learners prompts asks us to share a little history about our country. What happened in the past that has affected us today and what changes can be made to ensure that mistakes of the past are not repeated?
There are so many things to discuss. I could discuss the mistakes we made before independence or the first 30 years after independence, but that would be too far. Two years ago, after many years of suffering, Nigerians had the opportunity to change things for the better. The key to opening the golden door was in their hands. But instead, they threw it into the ocean, far beyond reach. The last presidential election was held on 25th February, 2023. Before this period, the country was ruled by APC, the leading political party, for eight years. During these eight years, the economy of the country declined. Every sector of the country suffered due to bad governance. After the 8-year rule finally ended, people were relieved for two reasons. One, it was time for another person to rule. Two, a new presidential candidate who seemed to care about the country emerged. People referred to him as the “savior” who would come rescue Nigeria from the mess they had been for the past 8 years.
Before and during the presidential election, people, especially youth, campaigned for this “savior.” It was time for a change. However, during the election, Nigerians made the worst mistakes and are paying for it till today - they let tribalism and bribery distort their mindset. One of the issues Nigerians face is tribalism. Years ago, tribalism led to war which caused the death of more than 100 people in my state. Instead of voting for the right candidate, so many people voted for the opposing political party simply because they allowed their tribal differences to get the better of them. The least we could have done was to overlook the differences, consider ourselves as one Nigeria, and vote for the right person- the candidate who'd change everything.
Another mistake many Nigerians made was to let themselves get bribed. I witnessed firsthand scenes of how citizens were bribed with 5 thousand naira and some cups of rice. It doesn't make sense to me in every aspect. Why would you sell your vote for five thousand naira and some cups of rice, only to suffer for the next four to eight years? Two years ago, Nigerians made these grave mistakes and we are paying for them now. Today, the price of things has skyrocketed. Literally, everything has gotten really expensive. Well, sometime in the future, Nigerians will be presented with this opportunity again, and I hope they learn better and do not repeat the same mistakes.
Thanks for reading.