64 years of growing pains!

64 in human years is a retiree. 64 years in the life of a country is a teenager, maybe a pre-teen. In 1840, 64 years after independence, the United States had not experienced cars, homes with electricity, or telephone service. At the time, these life-changing inventions were yet to be conceived.

Even America’s fabled Secret Service, currently struggling to protect its 45th President, was only mandated to protect presidents in 1901, after the assassination of a third president, McKinley. Insecurity has deep roots.

Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, written during the English Civil War, warned of a life outside central authority that would be ‘nasty, brutish, and short.’ Decades later, ‘The Acts of Union’ established Great Britain in 1707. Yet, over a century later, in the mid-1800s, Dickensian tales of a capital city swathed in crime, corruption, and squalor would shine the spotlight on the need to reform health, education, and children’s services.

So, while it’s obvious that our human and natural resources in Nigeria have been squandered over the last 64 years, should such growing pains be expected? Is it right to compare our externally cobbled-together country with Japan, Canada, or China, which have experienced their own rites of passage? Are our expectations realistic?

Regardless of historical context, the question many citizens want answered is: how does Nigeria start to fulfil potential? How can we reduce unemployment? As well as reduce importation, improve security, and ensure basics such as electricity, food, fuel, and accommodation become affordable.

The myriad challenges require homegrown solutions. Last week, the President voiced his support for the much-touted solution of reducing the volume of unprocessed exports, which accounts for a fraction of the final retail cost. Supported by the right incentives and policy, this could lead to an increase in productive capacity and more value added to raw products locally, which should translate to bigger profits for Nigerian companies. Furthermore, at the national level, this should lead to a better balance of payments position and more favourable foreign exchange (stronger naira).

Still, good intentions leading to favourable outcomes are not always assured in Nigeria. It’s why we are left to ponder the head scratching paradox of why locally sourced and refined petrol should cost more than imported petrol.

Inflation in the last year has wreaked untold hardship, and the scary part is not knowing if we’re past the worst. Yet, across the span of 64 years, it’s only right that we appreciate our notable achievements. The success of Nigerians abroad, in academia, the medical services, or the corporate world, as well as in innovation and information technology, is often heralded. It speaks of the untapped potential that drives many to distraction for having to remain in Nigeria. However, even for those that are Nigeria-based, the global success of Afrobeats, Nollywood, and our literature is only the tip of the creative iceberg waiting to be released.

As long as we’re living, there’s always a reason to be grateful and to give thanks, hence, it might be a low-key “Thanksgiving” or celebration as the country turns 64, but give thanks. It doesn’t mean there’s not much to be criticised, but what does it profit a people to prattle at pity parties? Again, as much as criticising our country might be a national pastime, how do you respond when a non-Nigerian derides Nigeria? Of course, many of us are ready to invoke the wrath of Shango on such occasions.

External criticism of Nigeria is what led to a notable incident in Ibadan, soon after independence. At the time, the country was taking stock of its progress a year after independence, when a postcard comparing the living conditions in Ibadan with the writer’s home country, the United States, was exposed. The students were indignant; they caused a great furor, and the outcome of this affair is set to be highlighted in one of the plays in the upcoming Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF) organised by Terra Kulture. The burgeoning theatre scene, a great ally of Nollywood, is another reason to be grateful.

In 64 years, this is the first time we have experienced 25 uninterrupted years of democracy. That’s certainly worth celebrating. You may not like many of the politicians you’ve seen or read about, but I would rather persevere with our democratic experimentation than return to an era of men who trained for war, only to use the instruments of war to seize and retain power by any means.

Will Nigeria remain a teenager forever? We have no shortage of adult advisors, but similar to most teenagers, at some stage, they have to be let go to run their own race and forge their own path. In this voyage of discovery, we wish Nigeria Godspeed.

Ola Opesan is a consultant in education and media. He has held positions of headship in three schools and is a published author and filmmaker.