… Says Nigeria An Embarrassment In Committee Of Nations

Day ought to be celebration of Nigeria independence turned to protest
in Benin on Thursday as group known as Coalition for Revolution took
to major streets in the ancient city, calling on President Muhammadu
Buhari to fix the country or resign honourably.

The protesters who carried placards with inscriptions such as: ‘change the system not palliative’; the poor have rights too’; ‘reverse electricity hike now’; ‘reverse all privatisation’; ‘Buhari: obey Nigerians not IMF’; ‘end poverty in Nigeria now, etc, also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give Nigerians divedence of democracy.

Comrade Kola Edokpayi, spokesperson for the group, while addressing
newsmen at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),
said there is nothing to celebrate about Nigeria independence, adding
that Nigeria is rather an embarrassment before the committee of
nations.

READ ALSO: NIgeria @60: Former Lawmaker Comes Hard On Leaders, Says Nothing To Celebrate

According to Kola, the pitiable state of the nation has led to mass exodus of Nigerian youth travelling to Libya, Italy, and other crisis ravaged countries, adding that these youths prefer to die in these
countries because our leaders have failed them.

He said, “Today, we are no longer proud that we are from Nigeria.
There is mass exodus of our youths from Nigeria to Libya enroute
Italy. They prefer to live and die in Libya where there is crisis;
they prefer to live and die in Afghanistan, Iraq where there is
crisis; they prefer to die in Syria, a crisis ravaged country just
because of leaders have failed us. Our leaders are busy celebrating
the failed independence of Nigeria. There is nothing to celebrate
about. Independence is meaningless unless it is meant for the total
liberation of our people.

The protesters in Benin on Thursday.

“We are using this medium to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to
fix Nigeria; to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to give us the
dividence of democracy. If President Buhari lacks the intellectual
capacity, the mental capacity, the spiritual ability to lead Nigeria
to its promise land, he should honourably resign.”

READ ALSO: Nigeria @60: Oyegun Expresses Sadness Over Insecurity, Unemployment, Confesses Is Despondence In The Land

He said dream of the founding fathers of Nigeria was a country where
no man sleep under the bridge and where human rights shall be
respected but unfortunately this has been a mirage, adding that,
“Nigeria is rather suffocating”.

Kola continues, “Since Nigeria assumed Independence October 1st 1960. We
cannot jettison the roll and contributions of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief
Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Anthony Enahoro, etc. They envisaged a new
Nigeria where no man shall sleep under the bridge; where human rights
shall be respected; where there shall be hope for all and sundry. But
60 years after Nigeria independence, Nigeria is still crawling;
Nigeria is still suffocating in the iron grip of our leaders. As a
result of the fact that those that were elected to pilot the affairs
of this nation since 1960 have all failed in their different
categories of rescuing Nigeria economic.”

Going memory lane on how President Muhammadu Buhari promised to reduce
fuel price to N40 and put an end to corruption, Kola noted that there
has been rather advanced and free looting and hike in fuel and
electricity tariff.

“Despite lying to Nigeria that corruption would be a thing of the past
in 2015, the Buhari-led administration has advanced free looting all
over. Loans and recovered loots from Abacha and Diezeni Madueke and
others are being massively looted shamelessly. Corruption is now an
official signature of all those in government and their friends.

READ ALSO: OPINION: The Agonies Of Buhari And Oshiomhole

“Topping all these, our rulers have decided to add heavier palavers to
our sufferings. Within three months, they have hiked fuel prices,
increased electricity tariffs, stamp duty, food items, and other basic
amenities. To be a Nigerian is now as costly as hell”, Kola lamented.