INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: WHY NIGERIA NEEDS REVOLUTION by Olabanji Joel

Today should be a day of celebration as freedom from slavery and colonial rule was brought to an end by our heroes but with the situation of things today, is independence worth celebrating? Are we truly independent? What has been the progress made so far in this country?

Truly, we have literally been free from colonial masters but we still depend on them for many things which include decision making, economy growth, security support and financial aids. Therefore, are we really free?

Furthermore, it's true we are free from colonial masters but what about the political masters that we have today, they have shown themselves to be worse and inhumane if compared with the white men, they have created more hardship and pains, greed and selfishness has been their will, corruption has been their way, subduing the masses has been their way. Are we therefore totally independent? The existence of this country is in the hands of minority who gather the gains for self and gives our crumbs and gains to the masses. Revolution is indeed the way!! 

In so many countries around the world today such as Hongkong and South Sudan, we can see how displeasure against bad governance was unanimously expressed. Over the years, we have been recycling same old sets of people in politics while nothing new can be pointed at in the country, instead the country keeps on going down economically day by day and the only growth in the country is the increase in population which has no specific statistical value due to lack of data base. Revolution simply means change, the change needed in this country is a fundamental change, that is a constitutional change, this is a long overdue review, revolution to get the country free from corrupt leaders and to give unto all a better life as deserved.

The transition from military rule to democratic rule in 1999 which was fought for by heroes who believed democracy would bring a better standard of living never caused an improve living standard, instead, the various arms of government ranging from the executive to the legislatives have turned the country to money making ventures and are working against the aim of democracy which was fought for. 

Need  for revolution ranges from need for a better economy, a better power supply, better health care delivery, better standard of living, a true practice of democracy, fight against corruption, community focused projects, security, agriculture and all other sectors in the country.

What has been the benefit of a common man from the government?

A common man buys land, build on it after paying to the government for building approval, construct borehole or dig well, fence the house round for security, buys pole, cables, contribute for transformer together with all needed to get electricity and at the end connect it, only for the power company to come around to ask for electricity tariff. Also, the children of the masses go to schools by paying substantial amount of money only to graduate without getting adequately employed, the latest statistics revealed that over twenty-one million of Nigerians are unemployed, do we have the children of our politicians amongst the unemployed? No!! It consist of the children of the masses who voted the politicians into power.

Nigeria is an oil producing country but the price of petroleum products are on the high side with only few getting richer with this, the roads are bad, the cost budgeted for the national assembly use which consist of less than 500 people is more than the amount budgeted for the health sector which will be used by over 180million Nigerians. Poor man keeps on dying due to lack of proper health care delivery while those we elected into power  go on medical tour at the slightest health challenge (a perfect example is our president who travels abroad constantly for medical care even when he had slight ear pain).

Revolution is needed against our oppressors who are presently oppressing us so that they can keep on being in power, they make the masses hungry so that we can run to them for food, so that they can buy the votes of the poor by giving just meagre amount of money.

Revolution movement in Nigeria which started last year isn't a Bloodshedding movement, it s a movement to speak out using one voice to get what belongs to the masses which a better life.

NIGERIA AT 60 but as the country grows, developments get retarded, the country is slipping into coma, this present government has made the existing cracks so visible to the world, more cracks has been created, the nation has lost her value, her dignity has been lost, the flourishing prowess is lost and the country is standing on a leg. WHAT A COUNTRY?

MY COUNTRY, MY PRIDE MUST BE REVIVED.

REVOLUTION IS NEEDED AS WE YEARN FOR A REVITALISATION OF OUR LAND. IT'S NOT A DAY TO SAY HAPPY INDEPENDENCE, IT'S A DAY TO THINK ABOUT THE FAILINGS OF THE PAST AND MOVE FORWARD.