We Have Reason to Celebrate Nigeria at 66,---- MAO

Fellow Nigerians,

As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, I join millions of our compatriots at home and abroad in celebrating our freedom from colonial rule and, more importantly, reflecting soberly on the journey we have undertaken as a nation and the road that lies ahead.

Our independence was not merely the transfer of administrative authority from the British colonial government to Nigerian hands. It represented the triumph of a generation of Nigerians who believed that our people possessed the capacity and the right to determine their own destiny. The men and women who fought for self-government through political mobilisation, intellectual resistance, constitutional negotiations and, in many instances, personal sacrifice understood that independence was ultimately about the dignity of a people governing themselves.

We must therefore remember the blood, sweat, sacrifices and perseverance of our forebears. We owe it to them, and to generations yet unborn, not to allow their labour to have been in vain.

Nigeria’s political journey since 1960 has been anything but linear. We began with a federal arrangement built substantially around the country’s three major regions: The Northern, Western and Eastern Regions,before the creation of a Mid-Western Region in 1963. Following the military intervention of 1966 and the subsequent restructuring of the federation, Nigeria eventually moved through successive stages of state creation, arriving at the 36-state structure we have today, alongside the Federal Capital Territory.

These changes were driven, among other considerations, by the desire to bring government closer to the people, accommodate Nigeria’s diversity and create administrative structures that would allow citizens to participate more meaningfully in governance.

Our democratic experience has also passed through difficult chapters. The First Republic gave way to military rule; the country experienced a civil war; successive military governments introduced further political and administrative restructuring; and, after several interruptions, Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. Since then, democratic elections and constitutional government have remained the framework through which Nigerians seek to determine who governs them.

Yet democracy is not simply about elections.

It is about the quality of leadership that emerges from those elections and the responsibility with which political power is exercised.

Today, political contests are once again intensifying across the country. Individuals and political parties are mobilising, building alliances and seeking the mandate of the Nigerian people. There is nothing unusual about this. The struggle for political power is an inherent feature of democratic politics.

But there is a question we must ask every individual seeking to govern us:

Why do you want power?

Is it primarily the pursuit of personal ambition, influence and privilege, or is it a genuine desire to serve the people?

This question becomes even more important when the person seeking power has previously occupied public office.

For such individuals, Nigerians should not judge them solely by speeches, campaign promises, political affiliations or the sophistication of their political machinery. We should examine their record.

What did you do when you were given the opportunity to serve before?

How did you manage the resources entrusted to you?

Did you demonstrate accountability?

Did you govern equitably?

Did your tenure expand opportunities for ordinary citizens?

Did institutions become stronger under your watch?

Did you leave behind policies, infrastructure and systems that improved the lives of the people?

And perhaps most importantly, can your past conduct reasonably explain the promises you are making today?

These are not unreasonable questions. They are fundamental questions in any democracy.

Nigeria cannot afford a political culture in which public office is treated merely as a prize to be captured and retained. Political power is a public trust. The resources attached to public office do not belong to the office holder; they belong to the people.

Our democracy will become stronger when citizens begin to examine political records with greater seriousness and when politicians understand that previous public service is not simply a qualification for another office. It is also a record upon which they must be held accountable.

This should apply equally to political parties.

A party should not be judged only by its slogans, colours, campaign structures or promises. Nigerians should examine what it has done wherever it has governed. Where its representatives have previously exercised power, citizens should ask what those representatives achieved, what they failed to achieve and how they conducted themselves while in office.

This is not about permanently condemning anyone because of past mistakes. Democracy must allow room for learning, reform and redemption. But redemption should be accompanied by accountability. A person who seeks another opportunity to serve should be prepared to explain the lessons of his or her previous opportunity.

As we celebrate 66 years of independence, therefore, our greatest responsibility may not be merely to celebrate the past but to interrogate the present.

The heroes of our independence fought for the right of Nigerians to govern Nigerians. The generations that followed fought, in different ways, for the restoration and preservation of democratic government. The responsibility of our generation is to ensure that democracy delivers the dignity, justice, opportunity and responsible government that self-rule was intended to provide.

We must therefore move beyond politics of personality and sentiment to a politics of performance, accountability and service.

The Nigerian voter must become an informed participant, not merely a spectator during elections. We must ask difficult questions of those seeking our votes, regardless of their party, ethnicity, religion, social standing or political connections.

If someone has been entrusted with public resources before and has demonstrated accountability, equity and meaningful service, the electorate should examine that record honestly.

If, on the other hand, a person’s previous opportunity to serve was characterised by conduct that raises legitimate questions about accountability and stewardship, Nigerians equally have the right to demand answers before entrusting that person with greater responsibility.

That, to me, is not vindictiveness.

That is democracy.

Independence gave us the right to govern ourselves. Democracy gives us the right to choose who governs us. But the exercise of that right carries an equally important responsibility: to choose with memory, knowledge and discernment.

At 66, Nigeria has travelled a long and difficult road. We have made progress, suffered setbacks, survived crises and repeatedly demonstrated the resilience of our people.

The journey is far from over.

Our task now is to build a political culture in which public office is understood principally as an opportunity to serve rather than an avenue for personal advancement; where political competition is vigorous but principled; where those who seek power are willing to submit their records to public scrutiny; and where citizens understand that the power to determine Nigeria’s future ultimately rests with them.

As we honour those who fought for our independence, let us remember that the greatest tribute we can pay them is not merely to celebrate Independence Day.

It is to make their sacrifice meaningful by building the Nigeria they believed was possible.

Happy 66th Independence Anniversary, Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Chief Mustapha Abdulhakeem Owolabi (MAO)

The Akinfiwatolu of Egbaland

Write from Abeokuta