MORE REFLECTIONS ON NIGERIA AT 48 AND MR. PRESIDENT’S DEPRESSING NATIONAL BROADCAST.

A PRESS STATEMENT OF THE ANAMBRA CLO

MORE REFLECTIONS ON NIGERIA AT 48 AND MR. PRESIDENT’S DEPRESSING NATIONAL BROADCAST.

The founding fathers of Nigeria in their struggle for independence from the British imperialists had an unquenchable zeal and vision to enthrone a national government anchored on good governance, egalitarianism and patriotism.

The military incursion into the polity in 1966 sounded the death knell for the destabilization of the noble goals of the nationalists and its replacement with the vices of corruption, looting, nepotism and all manner of ignoble acts.

Forty eighty years down the lane, Nigeria have been reduced to a crippled giant with succeeding administrations continuing in their vicious circle of mass plundering, kleptomaniasm, and alienation of the people from the polity.

At every Independence day celebration, we have been regaled the same old stories of phantom achievements, hollow rituals of national broadcast which have left us more depressed than hopeful.

It is the shame of rulers/leaders that Anambrarians like other parts of Nigeria relied on petrol generators to listen to Mr. President’s broadcast even when our neighbours in the African continent celebrate jubilee anniversaries of constant power supply.

But the most painful and worrisome aspect of it all is the pernicious lies Yar’Adua told Nigerians in the broadcast.

It is better for a man to honourably shut up if there is nothing to say than to insult people’s ears. The Presidents national broadcast was an insult on our collective psyche.

With all sectors of our national growth like Education, Health, Security roads and Infrastructure in near total collapse, we are retrogressing instead of progressing.
Tremendous perfidy has been the stock in trade of our leaders.

Nigerians would like to know in practical terms how our economy stands on a strong footing according to Yar’Adua.

We call on Mr. President to explain to Nigerians how external reserves of 163 billion dollars and 400 billion naira realized from unspent capital releases to ministries have translated to even development and good living conditions for the poor masses.

How can we believe that transparency and accountability are part of the ultimate goals of this government when administering oath of secrecy on presidential aides is now part of our government business?

Nigerians are tired of empty rhetoric and vain promises which have led us nowhere.

The signing of the appropriation bill from which the state manages its economic affairs to ensure growth and stability has lingered till the last quarter of the year.

Past governments have fooled us for too long but this present administration’s knack for policy reversal and somersault, vote-face politics and ineptitude have exceeded bearable limits.

We call for a non-violent revolution in Nigeria. Our parochial and non-challant political culture has brought us incalculable woes and unless we rise up and act, we shall continue to recite the same tales of woes even at seventy.
God bless Nigeria.
Signed:
Comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah.
Chairman, CLO Anambra State Branch.