Nigeria at 57

"When is tomorrow for us to own?
That yesterday was once promised to us.
After we only had today to show,
That we can actually make now gloss.

What is there for us to take?
That we can handle or rather wind off?
For we had actually watched nothing made,
Then that by them should be enough"

Excerpt from the Poem - "It is Time" by Xavier Victor Kanu

I took out about three hours to critically read on the History of the God's own country - The United States of America, dating back to when the Great George Washington led the America Revolution between 1776 - 1783 having the 'Declaration of Independence' authored by Thomas Jefferson in July 2, 1776, then accepted the 4th of July, 1776 signaling the Independence from the reigns of the British Empire.

I have then jumped the gun to know how U. S. A became the superpower of the world, I read to see where dy/dx was used to attain this audacious feat, or maybe they had the Amadioha telling them what to do and not to do, for all these, I searched in vain. Instead, I read of great commitment by the all-time wealthiest man in America - John Davison Rockefeller in sharing of wealth, building schools, hospitals, and infrastructure also providing quality services through his company - Standard Oil Co. I also read the unrelenting determination by Carnegie to creating a world-class transportation system.

About Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla in providing electricity for the people, for redefining the ideas of Marconi in Mass Communication. I also read about the greatest banker of all time - John Pierpont Morgan, who through his selfless services brought a solution to the 'Great Panic of 1907' hence creating the Federal Reserve to prevent reoccurring in the future.

I did also read about the benevolence of wealthy Americans who with their affluence, some scientific progress were achieved in areas of medicine, technology, and entertainment.

All these I read, still not taking away the fact that they were bad times as were in many countries of then and today. All I saw was a drive for republicanism, true federalism, and democracy. All these were achieved true total commitment and wealth circulation. A 241 years old country still waxing stronger.

Nigeria, 57 years old (as some might be quick to do me the maths) we have come a long way though, but as my mom would have it - "What again will a 57 years old man give if he failed to give in his prime". So many woes, problems, mismanagement and lack of visceral approach to these lingering dilemma. I won't be tempted to circumagitate, but instead, channel my elan to the youths. It's high time we started doing right, shunning the petty claps of coins which will ultimately poach on our future.

It's independence day, but I'm not in the mood for pomps and awe, as rather I feel the noose round my neck, startling on the gallows. We are not independent yet, we the youths need to be free, free from the shackles of Godfatherism. For we need a revolution, technological revolution, political revolution, economic revolution. 2019 is a stone throw away, another time to decide our future. Happy In Dependence Nigeria