It’s time to abolish reputation, outlook of dwarfism

By Anietie Okon

NIGERIA has metamorphosed from a fragment of unique entities, civilizations, traditional administrative and religious systems to a sovereign state slowly growing towards nationhood.

Newswatch from its inception in 1984, has been nothing but; daring, objective, scrutinizing, and unprejudiced in its approach to journalism and news reporting in Nigeria. Newswatch, has been a tool for the representation of the interests of Nigerians and given a platform for transformative discourse.

Newswatch was pivotal in the clamour by concerned citizens of the Niger-Delta for the increase of allocations from a niggardly three to 13 percent from the proceeds of the region’s most exploited endowment (crude oil), even though in today’s Nigeria we scrape for crumbs.

Nigeria at 60 is a quarry of anomalies, challenges, the numerous tests of our democracy and prospects amidst our desire to attain the status of a republic. Today as we remind ourselves of our independence, we must rise to the challenge of cultivating in the depths of our hearts patriotic sentiments and acts that will further advance our nation.

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As a country, we must do away with the dysfunctional and build for ourselves a solid and vibrant global presence, to abolish the reputation and outlook of dwarfism.

Under no circumstance should we accept the idea of inferiority, Nigeria must no longer approach the scene of globalization as beggars, borrowers and social experiments but as an innovative, prudent, skillful, youthful global frontier ready to explore, exploit and engage her resources for the guaranty and assurance that the future of Nigeria and Nigerians unborn is not mortgaged to creditors who are tactical in the execution of neo-colonization which is the new scramble for Africa.

Our foreign policy thrust must be citizen-centric, the safety and treatment of Nigerians at home and abroad must be accorded priority status to create a sense of belonging in Nigerians, and revive the statue of Nigerians and restore our dignity globally.

Nigerians must rally for the implementation of a comprehensive and sustainable economy-wide social security framework, where education, healthcare, civil service and retirement in both public and private sectors are reformed and tailored to mutually address social assistance and social insurance, thus reduce economic insecurity and enhance economic efficiency.

The necessity of a paradigm shift to open government, a citizen-centered culture of governance based on; collaboration, cooperation, transparency and participation should not be overlooked.

We must employ social cohesion in the fight against institutionalized corruption and its vices which have been the catalyst for the decay, decline, fumbles inefficiency and violence that erode our democracy.

Absolute belief in the fundamental human rights must be made non-negotiable, to put an end to the era where human rights especially women’s rights are not mere appendices but enshrined in the hearts and minds of all and sundry, an era where Nigerians are degraded, harassed and the respect for human dignity is violated with impunity, where voices, cries and concerns are silenced by the law.

The inter-generational and multi-ethnic agitations for the restructuring of Nigeria which should encompass negotiations and re-organization must no longer incidental as the need for;

Autonomy and devolution of powers, effective and efficient representation of ethnic and tribal groups in government, improved intergovernmental relations and the supremacy of a written constitution, are foundations on which democracy and true federalism must be built on.

Only in unity can we fight the ills that plague us as a nation.

Nigeria is ours, and the only country we have, we must unite to defend her course. If we are to exist in prosperity and happiness, the love of our country must outweigh all forms of self-centeredness, nepotism, and sectionalism gender, religious and tribal discrimination.

It is of utmost importance that we are mindful of our actions and inactions in our daily dealings as we strive to remember and uphold the labour of our past heroes with pride and joy.