THE PERISCOPE
With Dr. Bayo Arowolaju
bayoeleolaju@gmail.com
The American National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner), was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and an amateur poet. The Nigerian National Anthem (Nigeria We Hail Thee), was written in 1959 by a BRITISH Lillian Jean Williams, and composed by another BRITISH, Frances Berda.
It took a military Government led by General Olusegun Obasanjo to change the colonial abnormality into a truly Nigerian National Anthem in 1978, 18 years after our flag independence! Thank you, sir. The Lyrics of our truly National Anthem (Arise, O Compatriots), which replaced the old colonial anthem were written by 5 patriotic Nigerians drawn from across the nation, and the music was supplied by the Nigerian Police Force Band, under the directorship of B. E. Odiasse. They all deserve National Honors.
A democratically elected President, the National Assemblies, and a civilian government have put Nigeria in reverse gear and embraced Colonial Mentality. They conspired against the good people of Nigeria to exhume the colonially written, composed, and orchestrated achche national anthem approved by a British Colonial Government after 64 years. The American National Anthem written in 1814 is still the toast of the American people with pride and honor 210 years later. Why will America not be progressing and Nigeria retrogressing?
No wonder the Nigerian national team could not sing its own national anthem during an international soccer competition. What a national shame and disgrace.
Which way Nigeria? Apology to the late Freedom Fighter and Singer, Sunny Okosun. Welcome to Neo-Colonialist Nigeria in the Year 2024. But come to think of it. Whom did Nigeria sin against? Maybe, it’s not God. Otherwise, the prayers of Muslims in the many Mosques, those of Christians in churches across the country, and the chants from many Shrines of the “Abalaiyes” would have made a difference in our economy, politics, policies, and finances more than six decades ago. No! Things are getting worse daily.
Recently I saw a receipt for the purchase of two tons of cement bought in May 1989 for N1,520. That was for 40 bags of cement. Within one year of BAT’s Presidency, the cost of two tons or 40 bags of cement in 1989, was almost going for one bag in 2024. Then in my personal experience, in 1983, I bought my first car, a 4-door Passat VW, fully airconditioned with zero mileage for N8,200. Today, one used tire (TOKUNBO) for the same car sells for more than double the price I bought my car as a “Tear Rubber”.
Which way Nigeria? TA LA ṢẸ. Whom did we offend or sin against?
I am not superstitious our faults are not in our stars but in our hands. Some time ago I heard a CNN news report about price falls in American grocery stores. Many times I have bought gasoline or petroleum in American stations while prices are been reduced per liter. A former President was recently convicted of a 34-count felony charges. A son of a sitting president is also awaiting sentencing after a criminal conviction. And his father, Mr. President has said, the law would take its course. All in America. Just because there is one law for all Americans rich or poor low or high, leaders or commoners.
But in Nigeria, many former governors, national and state assembly members, ministers, and commissioners, duly accused of crimes by government investigative agencies are today leaders of executive and legislative assemblies. It’s an emphatic fact that many Nigerians are more equal than others under the same laws and government. For instance, two different Nigerians of different classes and statuses may commit the same offense of murder. The one in the upper class may be discharged and acquitted for lack of diligent prosecution. Before you know it, the victim is declared missing. The other no-class accused person may get a death sentence. There are usually different interpretations of the same laws for two classes of people. “There is God ooo.”
What is so inviting and retaining in the colonial anthem of the colonial masters? Is it the archaic use of ‘you’ as ‘thee’ in the lyrics? Is it the barbaric expression of ‘Tribe’ and tongue? No country or nation can rise above the competence,
Intelligence and transparency or integrity of its leaders. Some blinds have been leading Nigeria since our flag independence. Then, why are we expecting miracles in our governance? In decent societies, the youth are educated and prepared as leaders of tomorrow through good role models, education, morality, and good employment as training grounds for the future. But in Nigeria, youths are trained and used as thugs, yahoo boys, and ‘olosos’ or run girls without a future prepared by the politicians, who have tons of stolen money – foreign or local currencies to splash on those they use and dump without any hope again. The only thing that matters is money and how to get it quickly or die while trying. But nobody can free our minds but ourselves, said Bob Marley.
The American New York Times, a newspaper recently wrote “Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in free-fall, and millions of people struggling to buy food.” The newspaper is not the Sun Times or Daily Times or The Nigerian Tribune. Yet, it has written the truth and nothing but the TRUTH. But the Presidency’s Cicero came out quickly to defend the government but unknowingly admitted the obvious by blaming former President Buhari for handing over a DEAD ECONOMY to the Federal government.
What a funny and silly government advocate.
Could President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pretend knowledge of the Nigerian economy under Buhari for 8 years? President Buhari was part of Tinubu’s campaign stopovers while Tinubu was part of the Buhari’s large government for 8 years. Buhari embraced the EMILOKAN assertion and slogan of BAT that brought him to power.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu the leader and a candidate under the same APC as Bukhari promised to continue where Buhari stopped. Emilokan literary means it’s my turn to do what Buhari was doing to Nigeria. And in my opinion, Buhari never did any good deed to Nigeria. If Nigeria did not die clinically but merely fainted under General Buhari, it is the turn of Bola Tinubu to put Nigeria to death clinically. This is what the President has really labored for, in the last year to achieve.
The achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in one year in office are to continue the work of Buhari including the following but not limited to the removal of oil subsidies, insecurity, banditry, unemployment, scarcity of food items in the farms, and the markets, and the Naira may soon need a wheelbarrow to “carry-go” markets or stores due to unending devaluation, the ever-mounting National Debt, and our daily evaporating International Reserve.
Another major job handed over by Bihari to Tinubu is the national brain drain now called JAPA. No Nigeria who has the wherewithal to Japa is still in Nigeria today. Those who are left behind are daily striving to find their way by any means. Ask them why. There are recurring answers. “No hope for their future in Nigeria. No more pride of identity. They would rather work as slaves in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, or South Africa than stay in Nigeria as free-born. So tragic. Many of our youths are no longer proud of being called Nigerians, except by merely using their passports for border crossing. Many with opportunities to take up the citizenship of another country crab them first without any other consideration.
What have been the good benefits derived from the new anthem done to Nigerians, old or young since returning back to it whether we like it or not? I will suggest another change that may be considered, which is the name NIGERIA. Anyway, the name was given allegedly by another British colonialist, Flora Shaw, a girlfriend of Fredrick Lugard, a British Colonial Administrator who forced the union of Nigeria in 1914. So the neo-colonialists would love Nigerian colonialism to remain. But bringing back the old colonial national anthem remains an unfinished business
WHICH WAY NIGERIA?
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