Zik Gbemre

With regard to a recent video being circulated online, of Nigerians having a match parade and celebrating the nation’s 59th Independence Day occasion in all Green-White-Green regalia, we strongly believe the said celebration in far away New York by these Nigerians is totally uncalled for, unnecessary and rather unfortunate. Of what importance is the said celebration? Of what added value will it bring to Nigeria and its underdevelopment status? What exactly are they celebrating about?

The said Independence Day celebration by Nigerians living in the US, can be said to be an ‘endorsement’ of the underdevelopment status of Nigeria, which of course is caused by Nigerian past and present leaders. If we are to be honest with ourselves, there is nothing really that is worth celebrating to mark the nation’s Independence Day by the said Nigerians in New York, US. What are they really celebrating, when Nigerians are still daily escaping out of the country and being killed in the Mediterranean Sea and Sahara desert trying to cross to Europe, and some end up as slaves in Libya?

In the 60s, 70s and early 80s the Europeans, Americans, Indians/Pakistanis were trooping to Nigeria to beg for teaching jobs in the rural areas as Science Teachers. While Nigerians who studied in the UK, US, Germany, etc. always returned home immediately they are done with their schooling abroad. This is because jobs were waiting for them here at home, and it was left for them to choose jobs. But today, all of that is gone. Even those Nigerians celebrating the country’s Independence Day in Manhattan, New York, were actually driven out of the country because there are no jobs, no access to good medical care and basic infrastructural needs to help make life a lot easier for them. That is why they left Nigeria. If Nigeria is that good for them, and is worth celebrating about, they should have stayed back home in Nigeria.

It is the hardship, and dehumanizing life conditions in the country that had pushed many of them out of Nigeria. So, we wonder what exactly are they celebrating about during the nation’s Independence Day? Or were they sponsored by politicians to carry out the said lavish celebration in New York, for reasons best known to only their sponsors. One should have expected that the said Independence Day celebration, should be seen and used as a day by the Nigerians living abroad, to strongly advise Nigerian political leaders at all levels of governance, and demand that they sit up and be accountable to the people they are supposed to govern.

Will they compare the New York environment to the sort of environment in Nigerian cities? The more we think about it, the more we are marveled by the question of what exactly are they really celebrating? Or what do they hope to achieve with the lavish celebration in the said Manhattan, New York city, US? Will these Nigerians agree to come back home now if it is demanded of them? If they really love Nigeria and wants it to improve, then they ought not to have left the country in the first place in search of greener pastures. They should have stayed back home in Nigeria to help try fix/build the country at all levels.

Yes, there is nothing wrong with one celebrating one’s country. But this lavish rally and celebration in far away New York was uncalled for. As we speak, there is no power, no good affordable medical care,no good roads, no railway, no standard airport, insecurity is everywhere, etc. Again, the said lavish parade in New York by Nigerians to celebrate Nigeria’s independence, is totally uncalled for. In fact, it is as if the said parade/rally seems to be politically motivated because there is really nothing to celebrate. This is my take!

Zik Gbemre.

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