Education
Nigeria @ 64 Its Arithmetical implications.
By Dr Jarlath Uche Opara
Hurrah! 64 years looks good on you? Your roads very slippery, sloppy with potholes?. Hunger, poverty and deprivation looming large? giving everyone, especially the poor masses blows and punches of their lives? Is 64 really good on you?
64 years? Good and better! Anything to cheer and cling glasses for? Anything to wriggle waist for and dance with joy and happiness beyond the gift of life?
You are more than 64years.
1914 Age of amalgamation. You still remember 1967 to 1970? Certainly! you wouldn’t want to remember those years. Gruesome, gory with marks of agony, so indelible in many hearts. A pogrom! The pains still there, the blood dripping as if it happened yesterday.
The reason for some of the issues and challenges we have as Nigerians are not far from the events and activities of these years ( 1967-1970) A nightmare to remember!
You remember 2019? The joy and jubilation that heralded it ? We thought we could be better off by the entrance of democracy. Hmmm! See where it has dumped us and the various pains and agonies inflicted, caged, suffocating every Dick and Harry, making it difficult for one to breathe. Democrazy or democracy?
1804-1808: The Fulani Jihad led by Usman dan Fodio you remember? You exited even before then.
1851-1867: The British colonial presence in Nigeria. You remember too? It began with the establishment of trading posts by the Royal Niger Company. You equally preexisted the dates.
1900: The British officially established the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate, laying the groundwork for the amalgamation.
It is obvious you existed before all these years. You existed far before 1960. You are an ancient of days.
64 years! Just an independence age, given to you by those who purportedly discovered you even when you existed hundreds of years before their sojourn to your space. Ridiculous!
They claimed to have discovered you in primitivity, shone light of civilization to you, changed everything about you for their selfish interest and made your identity, values and culture look archaic, crude and inferior. Better or worse for it? All were orchestrated to enslave and impoverish you.
You fell for it and today how do you feel? Liberated or still caged? Happy or saddened? Used and continues to be used?
64 years of mixed reactions is what we celebrate. Independence or neo colonism? 64 years of self development or self destruction? 64 years of freedom or fiefdom?. 64 years of liberation but still caged. 64 years of motion without movement. 64 years of still sucking and crawling?
64 years looks good on you? With the commensurate development and success? 64 years ago Nigeria was filled with values not need. On the International economic table Nigeria was coming with values not needs. She was the Queen of value, not need. She was a voice in the global space then because of her values. Today, after 64 years what values does she bring on the table? Non! No value anywhere, displaying needs and going cup in hands begging @ 64. Sad!
How old is Dangote? How old is Otedola? They seem more successful and fulfilled in their age, an age bracket not far from Nigeria independence age. Why should it be ? Where is your success Nigeria? Vague or obvious?
From Abubakar to Azikiwe, Awolow to Tafawa , Enahoro to Macaulay and Ahmodu, down to all the leaders that ever bestrode the leadership horse of Nigeria, none was without a skeleton in their cupboards, though a mole hill compared to mountains of skeletons of our present leaders; who steal and siphone with impunity and barefacedness.
Corruption has been there in the system. But not as endemic as it is today. 64 years of independence has been a journey from obscurity to obscurity. From bad to worse, from pains to agony ,from hunger to penury, from insecurity to banditry.
64 years in 2024 is a year of Arithmetical positive implications . It is a year that holds a lot of hope in hopelessness. A year of greatness in grumpiness. A year of fruitfulness in fruitlessness. A year of surplus in wilderness. 64 your independence age? 6+4=10. 6-4=2 . 2+10=12 Word has twelve letter word = Restorations.
So Restorations is a package for Nigeria @ 64 . At 64 years Nigeria will enter into her Restorations phase.
A phase for R.E.S.T.O.R.A.T.I.O.N.S( Return Every Stolen Things ,
Obtain reconciliation According To Items One nefariously Stole/ Stashed)
Nigeria @,64 is a year the poor masses would reconcile with those who have stolen and stashed Nigeria resources, and would be willing to return them. They will get reconciliation based on level they would be the ready to return those stolen items.
It is a year the thieves in our political space would have the desire for R.E.S.T.O.R.A.T.I.O.N.S.
64 Years is a year of hopefulness going forward.
Happy independence anniversary Nigeria and Nigerians. 64years, retrospectively may not have given Nigerians moments to cheer up . But going forward, R.E.S.T.O.R.A.T.I.O.N.S are assured.
Happy S.I.X.T.Y-F.O.U.R ( Sustainability In Xcellent Technological Yielding, Fostering Opportunities Utilising resources) This is my wish, my prayers and my prophesy for you @ 64.
It may look darkest, but the dawn is not far away. It might sound bitter, but the juice from it very prophylactic. It may look broken and shattered, but the cracking noise and sound of dry bones coming up alive reverberates. Nothing to be happy and joyful at 64 years. Life is still something to cheer for! For this we are grateful, hoping for the best in this our generation!
Dr.Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com