By Mustapha Cisse
Independence story: Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960. During the Pre-Colonial Period, Nigeria was inhabited by various ethnic groups, including Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo. These groups had their own systems of governance and cultural practices.
Lord Frederick Lugard who was The Governor-General of the Northern Protectorate proposed merging the two territories together in 1913. The British Colonial Office approved the proposal. (January 1, 1914) The Southern and Northern Protectorates merged to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
Then comes the colonial Era (1914-1960), Thats how the Britain colonized Nigeria in 1914, by merging the Southern and Northern Protectorates. After that, Colonial rule imposed Western education, Christianity, and British administrative systems.
Nationalist movements emerged, seeking independence. 1940s till 1950s Nationalist leaders like Herbert Macaulay, Obafemi Awolowo, and Nnamdi Azikiwe advocated for independence.
Herbert Macaulay – Journalist and activist: He founded the Lagos Daily News and used his writing to critique colonial rule. – Co-founder, Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP): Macaulay’s party focused on constitutional reforms and self-governance.
Obafemi Awolowo – Founder, Action Group (AG) party: Awolowo’s party advocated for federalism, social welfare, and economic development. – Premier of Western Region: Awolowo implemented policies like free education and healthcare.
Nnamdi Azikiwe – Pan-Africanist: Azikiwe advocated for African unity and self-determination.
Founder, National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) party: Azikiwe’s party focused on national unity and constitutional reforms. In 1957, Nigeria gained internal self-government.
In 1960, Nigeria became an independent nation, with Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and President Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Post-Independence Challenges – Ethnic and regional tensions led to civil war (1967-1970) also known as the Biafran War, was a devastating conflict that ravaged Nigeria. – Military rule and coups disrupted democratic governance such as; In 1966: First military coup, led by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, overthrew democratic government.
1967-1970: Biafran Civil War followed. 1975: Second military coup, led by Murtala Mohammed, seized power. 1983: Third military coup, led by Muhammadu Buhari, toppled democratically elected government. 1993: Fourth military coup, led by Sani Abacha, annulled democratic elections. – Economic struggles and corruption hindered development.
Economic Struggles such as; # Dependence on oil exports: Vulnerability to global price fluctuations. # Inadequate infrastructure: Inefficient transportation, electricity, and water supply. # Limited diversification: Over-reliance on oil sector hinders growth in other sectors. # High inflation: Erodes purchasing power, affects standard of living. # Unemployment: High rates, especially among youth.
Notable Corruption Cases:1. $2.1 billion arms deal scandal (2015) 2. $16 billion power project scandal (2018) 3. NNPC’s $10 billion missing funds (2013). In 1999 Nigeria transitioned to democracy. Today, Nigeria faces ongoing challenges, but remains Africa’s largest economy and most populous country.
Notable events in Nigeria: 1. 1914: Amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates. 2. 1946: Richards Constitution introduced. 3. 1957: Internal self-government achieved. 4. October 1, 1960: Nigeria gained independence.
Citizen dreams. In the year 2017, I was honoured as a comrade by the cadet platoon command Apata, Ibadan. So today, I will be passing my message under the capacity of a comrade that I am. To remind you all that the duty of our country is on every one of us, So, as you close your eyes to dream, don’t close them to be blind.
Don’t close it to be blind to the suffering citizens, don’t be blind to the exploitation of our resources and don’t be blind to the killing of our people for foreign corporate boards & interests. We must dream for the victims of aggression, we must dream for the dying children, we must dream for the victims of oppression.
Have seen so many lost in vanity So they don’t speak to the progress of our country & they don’t teach about the resources we had & they cheat on so many generations to come.
The society doesn’t care about the community, has no donations to the homeless people, no support to the health centres & no assistance to study institutes.
Citizens now only care about living a life of luxury. That’s why the only things we get are the things money buys. So tell me, who will manifest the vision of our lost generation, who are dreaming for the past heroes?
What if Azikiwe hasn’t dreamt of the country What if Ahmadu Bello hasn’t taught us about our identity What if Awolowo hasn’t struggled for his country And what if Tafawa Balewa hasn’t represented us well There would be no independence today. So I say, if we do not raise warriors, the next generation will be slaves again.
Independence story & Citizen dreams, Happy independence
Mustapha Cisse is s Public Affairs Analyst.
