Emotions for Nigeria
For the past few
years, I have looked for ways to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day on my
blog, usually looking from the promise that the 1st of October, 1960
offered, best exemplified in the words of the speech Prime Minister Sir
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa made to Nigerians on the day Nigeria gained sovereignty
from British rule.
Each time I read
the speech, I am moved with emotion thought it happened before I was born, I
find myself filled with excitement and longing, hope and encouragement, promise
and determination that Nigeria is ready to take her place in the Commonwealth
of Nations and prove herself in potential, ability and purpose.
Our current reality
At her 53rd
Independence Day, today, I am no less overcome with emotion about the place
called Nigeria. She never reached the mission or attained that vision of 1960,
for, before the decade was over, the man who dreamt of a new Nigeria in that
speech was long dead, two bloody coups followed by a civil war had gutted the
country, and much else has become our interesting and turbulent history.
However, today, we
have to juxtapose the promise of 1960 with the reality of Nigeria in 2013, for
reflection and possible opportunity. For regardless of whether we have our
snouts in the trough, or we are embittered from being denied access to power, maybe
independent of either elite pressure group or just an ordinary Nigerian, we
seek a better country, a vibrant united country, bound together in common
purpose, prosperous, thriving and truly sovereign – close to the dreams of the
first day.
To reflect on a dream and a possibility
Below, I excerpt parts of speeches given in 1960 and 2013 by leaders of our country in the different times Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa’s speech is fully sourced from Dawodu.com and the President Goodluck Jonathan’s
speech is published by the Vanguard News Nigeria
– I acknowledge their original publications fully.
This is what
strikes me the most in that first Independence Day speech:
“We are
called upon immediately to show that our claims to responsible government are
well-founded, and having been accepted as an independent state we must at once play
an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving
civilisation. I promise you, we shall not fail for want of determination.”
[Dawodu.com – Reproduced below.]
In the speech given
by President Goodluck Jonathan for our 53rd Independence Day, I take
two parts quite close together in the sixth and seventh paragraphs to represent
our reality:
“I
admit that these may not be the best of times for our nation. Our people are
divided in many ways – ethnically, religiously, politically, and materially.
Our collective
national journey has witnessed great watersheds, thanks to our spirit of
endurance, perseverance and sacrifice. Getting the rest of the job done with
determination and courage is just a matter of time. We are Nigerians, a nation
of talented people, endowed with resources, potentials, and Divine Grace.” [Read the full
speech at Vanguard News Nigeria]
My blogs for Nigerian Independence Days
Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa’s Independence
Address to Nigerians
TODAY is
Independence Day. The First of October 1960 is a date to which for two years
every Nigerian has been eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has
arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent sovereign nation.
Words cannot
adequately express my joy and pride at being the Nigerian citizen privileged to
accept from Her Royal Highness these Constitutional Instruments, which are the
symbols of Nigeria's independence. It is a unique privilege, which I shall
remember forever, and it gives me strength and courage as I dedicate my life to
the service of our country.
This is a wonderful
day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with
increasing impatience compelled to watch one country after another overtaking
us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now we have acquired
our rightful status and I feel sure that history will show that the building of
our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: It has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands
well built upon firm foundations.
Today's ceremony
marks the culmination of a process, which began fifteen years ago and has now
reached a happy and successful conclusion. It is with justifiable pride that we
claim the achievement of our Independence to be unparalleled in the annals of history.
Each step of our constitutional advance has been purposefully and peacefully
planned with full and open consultation between representatives of all the various
interests in Nigeria but in harmonious co-operation with the administering power,
which has today relinquished its authority.
At the time when
our constitutional development entered upon its final phase, the emphasis was
largely upon self-government. We, the elected representatives of the people of
Nigeria, concentrated on proving that we were fully capable of managing our own
affairs both internally and as a nation.
However, we were
not to be allowed the selfish luxury of focusing our own interest on our own
homes. In these days of rapid communications, we cannot live in isolation,
apart from the rest of the world, even if we wished to do so. All too soon, it
has become evident that for us Independence implies a great deal more than self-government.
This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed,
finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave international issues.
This fact has of recent months been unhappily emphasised by the startling events, which have occurred in this continent. I shall not labour the point but it would be unrealistic not to draw attention first to the awe-inspiring task confronting us at the very start of our nationhood. When this day in October 1960 was chosen for our independence, it seemed that we were destined to move with quiet dignity to our place on the world stage.
Recent events have
changed the scene beyond recognition. So that we find ourselves today being
tested to the utmost, we are called upon immediately to show that
our claims to responsible government are well-founded, and having been accepted
as an independent state we must at once play an active part in maintaining the
peace of the world and in preserving civilisation. I promise you, we shall not
fail for want of determination.
And we come to this
task better-equipped than many. For this, I pay tribute to the manner in which successive
British governments have gradually transferred the burden of responsibility to
our shoulders. The assistance and unfailing encouragement, which we have
received from each secretary of state for the colonies and their intense
personal interest in our development, has immeasurably lightened that burden.
All our friends in the colonial office must today be proud of their handiwork and in the knowledge that they have helped to lay the foundations of a lasting friendship between our two nations. I have indeed every confidence that based on the happy experience of successful partnership; our future relations with the United Kingdom will be more cordial than ever, bound together, as we shall be in the Commonwealth, by a common allegiance to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, whom today we proudly acclaim as Queen of Nigeria and Head of the Commonwealth.
Time will not
permit the individual mention of all those friends, many of them Nigerians,
whose selfless labour has contributed to our independence. Some have not lived
to see the fulfilment of their hopes - on them be peace - but nevertheless they
are remembered here, and the names of buildings and streets and roads and
bridges throughout the country recall to our minds their achievements, some of
them on a national scale. Other confined, perhaps, to a small area in one division,
are more humble but of equal value in the sum total.
Today, we have with
us representatives of those who have made Nigeria Representatives of the
Regional governments, of former Central Governments, of the Missionary
Societies, and of the banking and commercial enterprises, and members, both
past and present, of the public service. We welcome you, and we rejoice that
you have been able to come and share in our celebrations.
We wish that it
could have been possible for all of those whom you represent to be here today.
Many, I know, will be disappointed to be absent, but if they are listening to
me now, I say to them: Thank you on behalf of my countrymen. Thank you for your
devoted service, which helped to build up Nigeria into a nation. Today we are
reaping the harvest, which you have sowed, and the quality of the harvest is equalled
only by our gratitude to you. May God bless you all.
This is an occasion
when our hearts are filled with conflicting emotions: we are, indeed, proud to
have achieved our independence, and proud that our efforts should have
contributed to this happy event. But do not mistake our pride for arrogance.
It is tempered by feelings
of sincere gratitude to all who have shared in the task of developing Nigeria
politically, socially, and economically. We are grateful to the British
officers whom we have known, first as masters, and then as leaders, and finally
as partners, but always as friends.
And there have been
countless missionaries who have laboured unceasingly in the cause of education
and to whom we owe many of our medical services. We are grateful also to those
who have brought modern methods of banking and of commerce, and new industries.
I wish to pay tribute to all of these people and to declare our everlasting admiration
of their devotion to duty.
And finally, I must
express our gratitude to her Royal Highness the Princess Alexandra of Kent for
personally bringing to us these symbols of our freedom, and especially for
delivering the gracious message from her Majesty, The Queen. And so, with God
save our Queen, I open a new chapter in the history of Nigeria, and of the
Commonwealth, and indeed of the world.
