Anniversary: Unfulfilled dreams of founding fathers, by Zik’s widow; Ofeimun, ACN

Posted by admin Headlines, Nnamdi Azikiwe (1963-66), Presidency Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

LAGOS—MIRRED in socio-economic and development cesspool and engulfed by recurring ethno-religious crisis and insecurity, some eminent Nigerians and groups, yesterday, said the country was yet to realise the visions of her founding fathers, 51 years after independence.

Professor Uche Azikiwe, former dean, Faculty of Education,University of Nigeria, Nsukka and widow of the late first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, said she never imagined that Zik’s dreams for Nigeria would be unfulfilled 51 years after.

She said: “I had thought that Nigeria would have become a leading nation in the world, the giant of Africa in the real sense. There is nothing preventing Nigeria from achieving the tall dreams of the founding fathers. I believe Nigeria will achieve the dream of the founding fathers. It has all it takes in terms of manpower and natural resource to achieve greatness, but sadly, we are yet to achieve greatness. I am optimistic that Nigeria will achieve the dream of the founding fathers.”

A renowned poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimun and the country’s leading opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, agreed with Mrs Azikiwe’s view.

Ofeimun lamented that since independence in 1960, Nigeria’s story had been one of dashed dreams.

He said: “The story we have had to tell till this moment is the story of great dreams that were dashed. And, if you cast your mind back to those early years, you will understand that the British deliberately created a society that would live in division, a society that will always be against itself and our leaders could not resolve their differences enough.”

ACN, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the country had little or nothing to celebrate at 51 because she failed to realise the dream of her founding fathers.

It said that all hope was not lost, provided the leadership and the citizenry would roll up their sleeves and put their shoulders to the wheel.

Lai said: ‘’There is so much work to be done if we are to even begin the journey to where we are supposed to be as a nation after 51 years of nationhood.”

But we can only do that if we tell ourselves the truth, instead of engaging in sophistry. That truth is that in these past 51 years, we have fallen short in almost all aspects of our national life.’’

ACN said perhaps the biggest problem was the mediocrity of the country’s successive leadership, which it said had led to a lack of vision and little or no development, especially if Nigeria was placed side by side with the countries that gained independence about the same time as she did.

‘’Without a bright and brave leadership to steer the affairs of state with a rare vision, courage and selflessness, our country has failed to meet the yearnings of the citizenry in the areas of welfare and security; infrastructure, rule of law, transparent election, economic growth and overall development.

‘’Today, our country is at the very bottom of every ranking by development agencies, no thanks to our low marks in all the relevant indices. Security is almost non-existent as life has become so short and brutish for hapless citizens, in the face of unrelenting kidnapping, armed robbery, ethno-religious crisis and extra-judicial killings.

‘’Those who are lucky to escape being mowed down by armed robbers, kidnappers and sect killers are not spared a gruesome fate on the roads, which have become death traps due to years of neglect. Nothing signifies the near total collapse of our infrastructure than the parlous state of our roads nationwide,’’ the party said.

It said despite the phony statistics being reeled out by the government of the day indicating economic growth, the people have yet to experience a better life, as their dining tables are becoming leaner their pockets emptier. ‘’For a country that has earned billions of naira in oil revenue, this is nothing short of a disaster, and the only explanation could be the massive, mindless corruption that has seen a huge chunk of the national wealth siphoned off by fat cats – while successive governments have failed to tackle the corruption canker-worm!

‘’In spite of the mouthing of the rule of law by successive administrations, the rule of law has been turned to the rule of the jungle, with dire consequences for all. Worst of all, the judiciary that has being the last hope of the common man is now on the verge of being destroyed by those believe it must either serve them or serve no one!

‘’Yes, we have somehow managed to remain united even after a devastating civil war, and have always managed to pull back from the brink. But the simple test of the state of our nationhood today should be measured by the answer to the following question: Are we better off today than we were in 1960?’’ ACN said.

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