Which way at 60? This and many questions lingers in the air as the popular giant of Africa turns 60 years today!
The cliche that says “A fool at forty remains a fool forever” is an adage that every Nigeria would relate to in this current trying times. Is age just a number in this regards or does 60 means a lot?
From 1960 to the year 2020, Nigeria has gone through so many revolutions, reformations and is still a work in progress. The country has been lead by several leaders and pioneers both of which incorporated certain and major histories in the country. (Either good or bad)
As long as we could tell, the major hill stone in our dear country for the past years and still counting has been the very issue of corruption. Corruption in Nigeria means a lot of thing. It is the word that sums the totality of money laundering by politicians, mismanagement of fund, inadequacy of the three arms of government, tribalism, religious crisis just to mention a few.
At 60, what exactly could the so called giant of Africa could boast of? Or probably 60 is way too young to expect nuzzling development from the Giant.
Now, let’s take a look at several sectors in the country.
Education: “knowledge is power” have been substituted with “power is power” and if the later should stand, education will remain irrelevant in the country. Aside that, the educational sector in Nigeria has since been in a drift as from 1978, ASUU was formed. Although ASUU as strongly maintain it’s stand for a just course but how does one define a justice that basically throws students into a marathon frenzy after several of months away from school? Most federal Universities remain in ruins and state of abject poverty and yet, Nigeria raises it’s giant flag high!
Recently, the reward and or award given a first class candidate of any college in the country is equivalent to a mere mock compared to several tokens given out in other occasions. These and many more unfavourable acts has lead to the formation of the so called “marlians” in the country. These sect of youth strongly believes that going to school is a waste of time and hard earned money. The popular “school na scam” could be heard in every hook and cranny of the country.
A sarcastic jest of the poor involvement of the government towards education and the educational sector. In addition it has be culled that the federal government of Nigeria offers a minimum of 0.1 percent allocation to federal Universities annually which is statically way below the stipulated amount for such.
Industrialization: The agricultural sector has taken a drastic turn in the country recently. Although it was a survival quest by Nigerian youth to shun poverty. Following the recent outburst of the Nigeria President, Muhammed Bihari on 18th April 2018 being Wednesday. The president has said in clear language that the Nigerian youths are lazy and want everything free, for the mare reason that Nigeria has wealth in it’s oil.
Amidst the protest by youths, a lot has joined Entrepreneurship as a means of survival since the leaders of yesterday are still the present leaders.
Health and healthcare: Just like other sectors in Nigeria, the healthcare is equally in a drift. For the past years Medical staff and union has continually joined in the rampant strike actions either as a result of under payment of workers, poor infrastructures, low or no supply of health care supplies including drugs just to mention few. Considering the fact that “Health is wealth” most rural areas are far more worst in terms of health facilities, health workers. Although minor revolutions have been made in this regards, most rural area are yet to get the tip of the iceberg.
As the popular giant of Africa, the Nigeria healthcare is under a state of emergency. Because these sect, manage, control and prevent the spread of diseases and infections, it is always right and necessary that the sector is treated with priority and equal distribution of medical resources throughout the country. The sudden outbreak of the novel covid-19 is an evident and an unarguable reason the Nigeria healthcare sector should be reformed in future.
There is a maximum need for the USA approved medical intelligence and surveillance (MIS). MIS is a good start to improving the healthcare sector so as to evolve with the tasking need in medicine in the future.
Nevertheless, there’s another cliche which says that “life starts at forty” and if that should be the case then, there’s every time for the toddling Giant, Nigeria to wake from it’s slumber and practice the slow and steady so as to make the coming years a memorable and a historic one. A leap of faith would surely count if we dare tie the bunch of unity an equity in service.
At 60, all hopes are not lost yet, with faith and unity Nigerians have their heads up high waiting on till the sun smiles again in prosperity. And that, the very act of not giving up, the ever willing urge to never give up is one major trick up our sleeves. The Giant maybe a toddler for now, but time reveals a chick from an eagle.
