Today May 29th, we mark the 13th anniversary of Nigeria’s return to civil democratic rule after 15 years of military despotism.
Our journey to democracy has been chequered. The acorn seeds of democracy which had been planted on June 12, 1993 and which all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, tongue and religion had hoped would grow into an oak of liberty and prosperity was atrophied by the Babangida junta and it took the sweat, tears and blood of Nigerians galvanised by pro-democracy groups of which PENGASSAN was a leading light and divine intervention for Nigerians to bask in the sunlight of democracy again.
Nigerians therefore woke up on May 29th, 1999 with renewed hope for not just only a free democratic nation but also an economically prosperous one. However the hope of Nigerians in the promise of democracy for a better life, a life more abundant seems to have been betrayed by an uncaring ruling elite.
While democracy has made millionaires of our politicians, ordinary Nigerians and workers have been impoverished. Poverty has continued to ravage the land, from the latest NBS statistics about 70% of Nigerians live in poverty. Unemployment even by official figures is about 25% thus providing a ready army for criminals and criminal activity. Inflation is soaring at double digits. Insecurity stalks the land. Educational, health and physical infrastructure have collapsed. In one word, Nigeria is in crisis.
So today, PENGASSAN urges all political office holders to do away with the usual platitudes with which they mark occasions like this and get down to the serious business of governance at all levels. Nigerians are no longer interested in promises of a better life in an indeterminate future. What we want to see is good governance.
The challenges facing us as a nation are not insurmountable as have been aptly demonstrated by countries with whom we were in the same development bracket at independence. All we require is a purposeful government with the interest of ordinary Nigerians at heart and not a clannish or cabalistic interest.
Furthermore, we remind Nigerians that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. We must therefore continue to hold the feet of government officials to the fire in order to make them accountable to us and make them work for us, Nigerians.
May the flames of democracy never burn out in our country
Long live Nigeria and God bless us.
Comrade Zaid Kolawole
National Publicity Secretary
PENGASSAN
No comments:
Post a Comment