By Dr. Raphael Ogar Oko,
TheBritish spent 60 years (1900 – 1960) to form a United Nigeria nation. They amalgamated the protectorates to form an amalgamated nation which was later tribalized into regions. They failed to form a United Nigeria nation.
We have spent the past 60 years (1960 – 2020) seeking to recreate or reform the Nigeria nation but ended up in naming the nation as a Federal Republic of Nigeria. Even though we have the name of federated nation, the federating units have become points of identity and no longer administrative units making Nigeria a divided nation at 60. This second attempt has not yielded the desired Nigeria nation.
As we bring the second 60 year course to a close today and begin the third 60 year dispensation to build a unified Nigeria nation, we must look beyond what we can do as a people alone. We need to create a sustainable partnership with the Heavenly Parent, the Creator and build blessed families as federating units of our nation.
A new vision of interdependence, mutual prosperity and universally shared values is what we need as a nation. The British did not do well during their first 7 year course (1900 – 1906) and this led to the faulty foundation of the nation. The nationalist movement did not do well in their first 7 year course (1960 – 1966) and that led to the unfortunate first national civil war.
We, the present generation should not repeat the past mistakes as we begin another journey of 60 years to rebuild a heavenly unified nation that will contribute toward a heavenly unified world. Our first 7 year course (2020 – 2026) will be the deciding factor, whether we will be victorious or not. We need to promote interreligious harmony, strengthen marriages and families and ensure our resources are properly developed and utilized.
We must begin now to build a new generation of future leaders who will be alive to follow through with the next 60 years course of restoration of this nation.
Independent Nigeria is 60 years today. Let us begin the new realm of interdependence to build a unified Nigeria. Wishing all a happy next 60 years
