Independence greetings to the entire world. Today marks my beautiful country, Nigeria's 58th Independence Day Celebration.
I consider it a privilege to come from a country with hundreds of reasons to be divided, yet with our collective determination, against all odds, we have found one reason to remain together over half of a century, brotherhood!
This is something that has defied the international community's speculations that we would cease to exist as a nation after 2015. Those institutions are still marvelled at how we managed to cross the deadline of their ominous prediction as yet a United Nigeria.
This cannot be explained by mere natural science. This is supernatural.
The truth is that we are a determined and unified people, full of strength and creativity, existing on the wings of faith and hope and tightly bounded by eternal love which cannot be broken.
Together we have battled autocracy and have achieved democracy.
Together we have battled herdsmen's assault and we are gradually achieving positive results.
Together we have battled terrorism and we are winning the war.
Together we are battling corruption and we are seeing the positive results also.
Together we have battled SARS, the police division created to stop robbery and kidnapping, who started extorting innocent Nigerians and we have also claimed victory in this war.
Together we have battled electoral frauds and we have witnessed a free and fair election in our days.
Together we have battled recessions, and we have come out of it stronger and richer.
Together we have managed national crisis and we have learnt valuable lessons.
This is an incomplete list but the virtue in these all is that we have achieved so much together as a unified people.
This also is proof that we can become the Nigeria of our dreams if we remain united in purpose and promote togetherness.
But the truth is that what we call Nigeria today is a mere conception passed down to us by our fore-fathers, folklores and personal experiences with the entity Nigeria.
Our "Nigeria" perception is built on the encounter we have had as individual Nigerians when we sought to access security, justice, livelihood and every entitlement that we completely deserve as citizens of Nigeria.
To those who have been denied security, Nigeria becomes "an insecure country"
To those who are marginalized, Nigeria becomes "a selective country"
To those who are denied justice, Nigeria becomes "an unfair country"
To those who have been denied a reasonable means of livelihood, Nigeria becomes "a wicked country"
To those who have been treated fairly, Nigeria becomes "a good country"
"Nigerians" remain divided in their perception of "Nigeria".
This is quite risky for a nation whose national security is priority because two cannot walk except they agree.
This continue to account for the countless lost of lives and properties due to tribal and ethnic rivalries.
A true team spirit is born from the knowledge and acceptance of unifying goals and visions.
A united people are people who are united in goals and collectively focused in achieving those goals as it concerns building a great country with the best available tools for ourselves and our children unborn and only divided on the matters that would diminish or crumble our unity and greatness as a nation.
In every region in Nigeria today or most regions, parents continue to pass down to their children, folklores that demonizes other regions or a certain region therefore sowing distrust for other tribes in the hearts of their children.
This is usually either based on their personal experiences or the experiences of their fore-fathers with a small fraction of the people of a certain region or regions.
In this social media clime, it has become remarkably easier for divisive views of Nigeria by Nigerians to proliferate, winning support from millions of young people and sometimes causing dangerous arguments.
You must have heard statements or read literatures that promote distrust for other Nigerians just because of where they come from. For instance, "Igbos are criminals" but I have met very good and clean Igbos who have never defrauded or stolen from anyone in their lives, or "Hausas are killers" I have also met Hausas who cannot even hurt flies. You may have met some yourself.
This is even the storyline of numerous home videos in our very own world second largest movie industry, Nollywood.
It is so bad that even with our education and exposure, we continue to promote tribalism even up to the government circle.
People have been employed or denied employment because of their origin or tribe.
Worse of it all is that young people who are the future are even denied university admission on the ground of tribe.
This is absolutely not good for a nation that genuinely wants to grow.
We must collectively do the hard work of unifying our view of Nigeria.
Government must stop to favour certain tribes in projects and appointments over others that duly deserve them.
Parents must stop to tell their children tales that makes them develop hatred and distrust for other tribes among us.
Employment and admission should be on merit and not on state of origin or tribe.
The movies, music and arts regulatory bodies must screen contents without bias to ensure that the contents are not divisive.
Tribalism or tribalistic statements should be received as a serious crime just like rascism.
Having achieve this, we must teach our children that the live of one Nigerian, be it a Hausaman, a Yorubaman, an Igboman or anywhere else, equals the lives of the remaining 179,999,999 others put together.
We must impact in our children with true hospitality that accommodates people of all tribes.
We must teach our children that a small fraction of bad people does not make the entire region bad.
We must tell them that true love means loving people no matter their religion and political affiliations.
We must teach our children to become worthy ambassadors of their tribe in kindness, trust, loyalty, faithfulness, hospitality, hardwork and dignity at work, in their schools, in their communities, in their country and in the entire world.
And finally we must teach our children that we were created by one true God.
Happy 58th Independence Nigeria.
God bless a United Nigeria.
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