The hope of a continent was born on October 1, 1960.Africa had just survived the most traumatic period of its existence-colonialism which stretched over 200 years from the 19th to the 20th centuries.
This battered continent suddenly exposed by the decolonisation processes of the 1950s and 1960s naturally looked up to Nigeria to fill up the yawning leadership gap in Africa. The most populous black nation on earth, 6th largest producer of crude oil as well as an avalanche of human and natural resources certainly seemed to be a good fit at the time.
Fifty-four years later however, such claim by the Giant as to the leadership of Africa is certainly up for contestation. The nation has experienced its fair share of ups and downs and its current posture is a far cry from what its nationalist leaders had dreamt of.
Nigeria has consistently failed to set an example for other states in the African continent to follow. The expectation that it mirror the kind of influence and respect displayed by the United States in North America, in its local enclave of Africa has been disappointing.
The political system of Nigeria has experienced over three decades of military dictatorships which resulted in its becoming a pariah state under Gen. Sani Abacha. The few democracies that were sandwiched within these decades were extremely corrupt fraught with politicians who placed ethnicity and nepotism that lasted for three years and caused so much destruction and mistrust in the Nigerian polity that the Igbo nation has become incapacitated till date.
The present Fourth Republic ushered in 1999 has seen the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, fail to bring the dividends of democracy to the poverty-stricken masses.
Nigeria's diplomatic efforts have not fared any better . In its desire to back an Afro-centric foreign policy, Nigeria was the motivating factor behind the formation of then Organization for African Union (OAU) now African Union (AU) in 1963 and the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975. It has helped to stabilise scores of African states including Liberia, Sierra Leone and Angola and was an extremely vocal critic of the defunct Apartheid system in South Africa.
Nigeria is the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in the world. Yet this giant has emerged virtually empty-handed in the diplomatic arena. She is denied a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and her citizens are constantly harassed all over the world as potential terrorists and economic fraudsters.
The giant's challenges are formidable but not insurmountable. The war on Boko Haram terrorists is still raging in the North-east, ethnic sentiments still reign supreme as evidenced in the just concluded National Confab and in the posturing of the two major parties- APC and PDP for next year's general elections. All nations have their challenges and these issues are not synonymous to Nigeria. Terrorism is a global evil the world has always grappled with such as the current US- led coalition against ISIS. Corruption and election irregularities are issues still prevalent in even big powers including Russia and China.
Moreover, breaking up is just as problematic as South Sudan has turned out to be. Just last week, Scotland wisely voted to maintain its 307 year old union with the United Kingdom. As the American study prediction for a 2015 break-up draws nearer, lets rise up as one man and prevent such occurrence in the nearest future. Yes, the Nigerian state has a destiny and it is to truly be the Giant of Africa!!!
Author
Ambwelo
Nice write up
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