Nigeria: Infant At 61

Sir: It is a well-worn axiom that nations are made and not born.

There is no nation today that did not start as a geographical expression. This is because a society must start from one phase of development to the other. However, to our dear country, the reverse is the case. At this stage of our political imbroglio, we do not need a political scientist to tell us that Nigeria is facing chronic political instability. 

According to Thomas Hobbes, the government is essential for an orderly society and this is why we can submit that the unprecedented insecurity, political instability, killing, corruption and the stage of crawling the country suddenly found itself was as a result of a total absence of government; or weak leaders in the government. Thomas thereby concluded that life in the state of nature (where there is no functioning institution) was solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. This is the story of our country today.

It saddened the heart to see thousands of our youths who are the future of the country moving out from the country, as though they are being pursued by the news of a looming Armageddon. More than ever in the annals of the country, the brain drain is at its highest. Yet, there seems to be no end in sight to such quest and thirst for greener pastures in other terrains. Thus, there is and continues to be an exodus of potential young men and women from the shores of this country. This is a result of mass unemployment and overstretching of inadequate and poorly maintained infrastructure. 

To build a great nation, strong men must emerge. Crawling child at 61; what a shame! Compare our currency with the other top currencies in the world today. The result will bring uncontrollable tears from you. To add insult to this injury, the educational system, which ought to be preparing the young ones for the future has collapsed. West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) are about money now. Parents pay special fees to secure good grades for their children at the secondary school level.

The wickedness and lawlessness in our country, if it remains unchecked, may develop into a fully-fledged revolt unless the citizenry becomes more active in forcing the government to adhere to its policies. There is a saying that the court is the last hope for the common man. This is not true in our country, anymore. Fellow Nigerian youth should do more to liberate the country from the shackle of corrupt and self-centred leaders. Even in the presence of all these ills, there is still a little hope on the horizon, one, we must hold on to before delay becomes the death of a nation. God bless Nigeria!

•By Oluyemi Abodunde Agbabiaka, a law graduate and aspirant to the Nigerian Law School.