By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
Former Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Sir Mike Okiro, has said that he feels like crying considering how Nigeria has degenerated since her independence in 1960 and now.
Okiro ,who said he was one of the four young Nigerians who lowered the British flag at independence and hoisted the Nigeria’s green white green flag in its place, said he felt like weeping “because what we anticipated as small boys is not what we are seeing.”
The retired IGP, who spoke on Monday at a press conference at the unveiling of the logo of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), NigeriaFirst, noted that a lot things have happened in Nigeria since independence.
Okiro, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the NGO, said, “”Nigeria fought a civil war, had military regimes, went through democratic settings, here we are today.
“Nigerians are crying, the economy is bad. When I look back, Nigeria is what it is now than what it was during British colonialism,” he regretted.
Okiro wants the government and the citizens to go back to the drawing board because “it takes two to tango”.
While stating that the system of government being ran in a country doesn’t matters, Okiro added, “British practices parliamentary system; America, presidential. It depends on the people that manages it.
“Nomenclature is immaterial, because democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people,” he added.
Okiro called on the government to address the security challenges in the country and ban importation of goods into the country, reasoning that with such steps, things would improve in Nigeria.
His words, “Security personnel should be well paid; they should be well equipped and well trained.
“I don’t see any reason why we should import anything to Nigeria. Nigeria has everything.
“In the 1980s, when Babangida came in, he banned importation of sorghum and wheat; he banned importation of flower. Nigeria breweries were making beer with sorghum and maize.
“I believe Nigerians can eat what they produce. Ban importation in Nigeria that will reduce the pressure on foreign exchange,” he advised.
The event was the unveiling of the NigeriaFIRST’s Honors Award 2024 to mark NIGERIA at 64 and JusticeNOW International at 5 with the theme: Nigeria We Hail Thee, in Brotherhood we stand for an Advanced National Patriotism and Indigenous innovations
