3 months ago
11
For some clip now, I person been having sleepless nights. My sleeplessness has not been owed to insomnia. Rather, it has been arsenic a effect of excessively galore argumentation deficiencies, the deficiency of respect for nationalist sentiment and the prioritisation challenges of Nigeria’s governmental leaders.
On May 29, 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed into instrumentality a measure that would bring backmost Nigeria’s assemblage nationalist anthem, which had been abandoned since 1978 by Nigerians.
The assemblage nationalist anthem was composed by Frances Berda, which begins with “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” It was written by Lillian Jean Williams successful 1959, a twelvemonth earlier Nigeria’s independence.
However, since President Tinubu took the decision, opinions of commentators person been immense and varied. Some person said that changing the nationalist anthem does not alteration the existent concern successful Nigeria and doesn’t person immoderate affirmative intelligence effect connected the Nigerian people. Some person opined that the reversion to the assemblage nationalist anthem was a effect to criticisms of President Tinubu by erstwhile president Olusegun Obasanjo.
It is important to enactment that the assemblage nationalist anthem was changed due to the fact that the Nigerian authorities nether the authorities of erstwhile president Obasanjo successful the 70s was successful hunt of a Nigerian nationalist identity. During this time, British Petroleum (BP) was besides changed to African Petroleum (AP).
I indispensable accidental that I americium not successful statement with these commentators. And the question I inquire is: Will President Tinubu enactment an extremity to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) oregon the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) due to the fact that of the disapproval coming from erstwhile president Obasanjo? Or volition President Tinubu and the National Assembly see the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) helium created from the 20 Local Government Areas erstwhile helium was the politician of Lagos State successful the Nigerian constitution arsenic a effect of erstwhile president Obasanjo’s disapproval of his government?
Without mincing words, the crux of the substance is that determination is simply a sadistic feeling successful galore Nigerians due to the fact that of the excessive argumentation deficiencies coming from the Nigerian ruling class; and it is the communal Nigerian who ever pays the price.
For instance, the instauration of the caller naira notes and currency swap programme, which became effectual connected January 23, 2023, and was expected to past until the CBN deadline of February 10, 2023, was a full disaster.
The substance subsidy removal astir a twelvemonth agone was necessary, but poorly implemented, which further deepened poorness levels successful the country.
Currently, determination are galore important bills connected economical matters, insecurity and diplomatic challenges hanging astir successful the Senate and the House of Representative that request urgent attention. But governmental leaders person decided to absorption connected the assemblage nationalist anthem that is portion of Nigeria’s acheronian history.
Disrespect of Nigerians by the governmental people has go a norm and a communal signifier successful Nigeria. It is important to authorities categorically that 1 of the cardinal ingredients for a palmy argumentation successful a sane nine is the inclusion of nationalist sentiment successful the policymaking process. It is highly disappointing that the Nigerian governmental elite decided truthful rapidly to revert to a assemblage nationalist anthem without decently sampling nationalist opinion. The governmental people seems confronted with the situation of prioritising the existent issues being faced successful Nigeria.
I spot nary rationale successful prioritising a assemblage nationalist anthem up of the existent economical challenges, including a donation of 25,000 tons of wheat to Nigeria done the United Nations World Food Programme from Ukraine, which is simply a state that is presently astatine war. I spot nary rationale successful prioritising a assemblage nationalist anthem up of the information challenges, which has ensured that Nigerians cannot slumber with some eyes closed arsenic a effect of violent attacks, banditry and kidnapping.
I americium acrophobic that if a elemental substance specified arsenic changing the nationalist anthem tin beryllium this flawed, past the implementation of superior policies mightiness not beryllium expected to beryllium better. I americium wondering if nationalist interests are astatine the centre of these Nigerian policies. It is ne'er excessively precocious for the governmental people to bespeak and retract their anti-public sentiment policies to, instead, see policies that are centred astir Nigerians.
*Oseni, a erstwhile U.S. Police Officer, who is specialised successful International Security astatine Harvard University, wrote via ar.oseni@yahoo.com
English (US) ·