From independence to stagnation: Nigeria’s 65-year journey

By Collins Nkwocha

Nigerians were enraptured when they got their independence in 1960. They were expectant and full of hope as they looked forward to making the nation an enviable one that would witness immense and rapid development, but it’s intensely painful to discover that all the hopes and aspirations that Nigerians nursed during their independence were never actualized as the nation looked stagnated after independence.

The General Overseer of Land Of Grace Healing Ministry, Bishop Chukwuemeka Odigbo, has reiterated that there’s absolutely nothing for Nigerians to celebrate at 65 because the Nigerian nation has refused to grow; it is just like a day-old baby, despite being 65.

“What are we celebrating, we are celebrating hunger, austerity and intense hardship and hunger, we are celebrating terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, we are celebrating unemployment, most of the youths don’t have any legitimate that accrues income for them, that’s why most of them are into nefarious, dubious and fraudulent acts, how can we be crying and be celebrating at same time, it’s not possible, Nigerians are crying,” he lamented.

The clergy maintained that the nation is characterized by injustice and inequalities.

“There is so much injustice and inequality in the nation. When was the last time an Igbo man ruled Nigeria? The people from the North and the West have different laws that govern them, while the Igbo-speaking people are subjected to harsh treatment, oppression and victimisation,” he further lamented.

Finally, he called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu for justice and equity because he maintained that Kanu didn’t commit any crime, saying that he’s just fighting for the emancipation of the Igbos, who are solely marginalized in the Nigerian nation.