Celebrating 45 Years of Independence ...
 It was this day 45 years ago 1960 when Nigeria lowered the red blue and white stripe of the Union Jack for the lush green, white and green flag, designed by Michael Taiwo a student at the time.
A lot has happened since then to alter the dreams and frustrate the average Nigeria who once celebrated independence and now questions what it stands for.
"Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand" has given birth to the question “what type of brotherhood do we operate?" Today there are 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory.
In place of the three regions that went into partnership at Independence, there are now six recognised geo-political regions in the maze called Nigeria, in addition to many sub-regions also clamouring for recognition.
Major Players along the way
On October 1, 1960, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa urged us to "move with quiet dignity to our place on the world stage."
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 Later in 1963, Nigeria became a republic within the Commonwealth. Azikiwe, who had been governor general, became the republic's first president.
So excellent was the administration of the  Western Nigeria during Chief Awolowo's tenure in Office as Premier that when in 1953 the British Government announced its intention to grant self-government in 1956 to any Region desiring it, the Action Group Leader asked for and secured it in the same year. 21st Century
On October 1, 2003, the world stage is defined by such technologies as personal computers, the Internet and mobile phones.
The 21st century will be the century of knowledge and the century of technological developments and a century in which the intellectual capital of a nation will drive its economic growth. It is therefore imperative that we invest in our children's education, not only so that they can flourish in a world that demands technological literacy, but so that we can harness their creativity in building our nation.
Our investments in education and technology will be our legacy to our children. They are investments that will bring the best out of the next generation of Nigerians and enable us to reach our potential as individuals, communities, and a nation.
There is a popular old saying: "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will never be hungry." The art of fishing and self-sustenance is more valuable than having a fish on your plate. For Nigerians in particular, this parable reminds us that developing our human resources is more valuable than exploiting our natural resources! |
