In the good old days, Eze Akintunde Hassan (not real name) as a student usually looks forward to taking part in activities held every October 1st to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence from their colonial masters.
To Hassan and every other child who witnessed the nation roll out drums every October 1st to mark Independence anniversary, it was usually a thing of joy because it afforded school children the opportunity to partake in parades held across the country.
This symbolic event, which demonstrates to the rest of the world that Nigeria has come of age, and capable of managing its own affairs, appears to be gradually losing its shine owing to factors such as high rate of insecurity in the country and the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
On October 1st, which was usually declared a holiday in Nigeria, the president or state governors normally would take the salute as school children marched past.
Sadly, things took a turn for the worse in 2010 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan when two car bombings said to have been masterminded by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta occurred at the Eagle Square in Abuja, venue of the national event.
That development marred the elaborate event put in place to celebrate the independence anniversary, and subsequent years, forced government to resort to low-key events. Instead of gathering and having extravagant events at the usual venue, the Jonathan administration then resolved to be holding a strictly military event tagged Presidential Change of Guards at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa.
This singular incident has over a decade continued to halt the drive to celebrate a great country. Aside from the Niger Delta militant, the unholy activities of Boko Haram Insurgency, has continued to destabilise the North-East of Nigeria.
Since 2009, the group has been culpable in the death of tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more. About 2.5 million people have fled their homes and towns, and the direct consequence of the conflict was that the North-East was plunged into a severe humanitarian crisis as of 2018, one of the worst in the world – which has left about 7.7 million people in need of humanitarian aid.
Nigeria in the past decade has been bewildered with a series of major security challenges. Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria that once used to be a haven citizens and foreigners as well, has of recent time, become a hotspot that the United States and a few other countries have had to issue a red-flag warning to its citizens on travelling to some parts of the country.
Insecurity challenge such as kidnapping, armed banditry, killings, abductions and of course terrorist attacks among many others constitute the major form of insecurity challenges that Nigerians grapple with on a daily basis.
Concerned industry experts, pointed out that, since the issue of full blown insecurity challenge emanated, Nigeria no longer boast of a secured country even as it pride itself as an independent nation.
They observed that Nigeria’s security architecture is still being tested by global security challenges like terrorism, including peculiar once such as kidnapping and armed robbery.
Incidents of crime are getting more sophisticated, Chibok girls, adoption of Leah Shuaibu are some of the security concerns that are yet to be resolved.
To further dampen the already worrying situation caused by insecurity, Coronavirus pandemic made Independence Day celebration even gloomier as social distancing, and fear of spreading the virus among children forced states to suspend parades.
For this year’s Independence Day celebration, which was supposed to mark the Diamond year anniversary of Nigeria, the Federal and State Governments like Lagos and Ogun opted for celebrate low-key.
Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, said this was not unconnected from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The 60th independence anniversary celebration will be low-key just as the President has already announced. This is not unconnected from the global Covid-19 pandemic which has forced some safety protocols on nations around the world,” he said.
According to him, the celebration will last for a period of one year and end September 31, 2021.
He explained that this doesn’t mean there will be daily activities between now and September 31 but there will be staggered events within the one-year period to commemorate Nigeria’s diamond jubilee anniversary.
The decision by the Lagos State government to opt for a low-key celebration was also due to the ravaging effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This was why Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed that the planned Independence Day Parade at the Agege Stadium and other activities that usually involve around the gathering of more than 50 people, to be cancelled.
He congratulated Lagosians on this auspicious occasion and strongly advises that they should celebrate quietly at home and pray for the country. He asked that they should also observe the Covid-19 protocols, including wearing of face masks to protect themselves and their loved ones.
The Governor urged Lagosians not to let down their guards on Covid-19 so as not to reverse the gains that the state has made in fighting the disease.
Similarly, the Ogun State government also held the celebration in a low-key mood as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to ensure public health, safety and security.
Dapo Abiodun, governor of the Ogun State in a statement, moved the Diamond Independence Anniversary activities earlier scheduled to hold at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta to the Arcade Ground of the State Secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Nigeria may have celebrated 60 years after independence, but managers of the country need to address the issues affecting quality education in Nigeria. It is time we know that education without skill is a disservice of the highest order.
There is need to change our curriculum and restructure our institutions of learning beginning even from the primary schools.
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