Nigeria Celebrates Jubilee: Time to Work

The African Executive sends well wishes to the government and people of Nigeria on the occasion of the country's 50th Independence Anniversary. As one of Africa's big brothers, the rest of the continent is looking at Nigeria as a role model. The country scored a big plus when it turned from military rule to civilian rule. The people of Nigeria also demonstrated patience, sobriety and peace during the ailing and demise of former president, Umar Yar Adua. The country's scientists and engineers have built, launched and test-fired at least nine experimental rockets.

As the country soars to the skies, it must however address persistent issues on the ground. For example, there is massive need for proper housing. Demolishing settlements (to impress visitors that the country is neat) without empowering the citizenry to afford decent housing is prescribing a palliative. The country ought to rethink its fulfilling of foreign dictates at the expense of its suffering citizenry in the Niger Delta. Among other issues Nigeria should address is the frequent fatal animosity between Muslims and Christians; child sacrifice; chronic power blackouts; shortage of fuel and unemployable youth.

While the international community is welcome to celebrate Nigeria's jubilee, Europe's manner of celebration is suspect. Deploying military warships and aircrafts to the region as Britain has done by deploying the HMS Ocean, one of the biggest combat vessels in its inventory, is not what Nigeria needs. Nigeria is not at war. As the country's entertainment industry dubbed "Nollywood" has demonstrated, Nigeria needs a global economic order that will enable it unleash maximum use of its talent for national prosperity. Hongera sana Nigeria!