This is where I post my thoughts based on episodes/comments on NVS and elsewhere
A New Date to Celebrate Nigeria
Posted Sep 28, 2009 at 07:46 PM by Shoko Loko Bangoshe
So once more, we're coming up to National Day, October 1, when all other cares and worries of the world take a back seat as we celebrate all things Nigerian. We flock to the streets in green and white, play 'Arise O Compatriots', and make merry as we eat jollof rice with dodo and chicken.
But why October 1? Sure, it was the date that we were gifted political independence by the British, but I honestly do not believe that its significance is felt viscerally by many present day Nigerians who were not born when the event happened. It wasn't even as if we fought tooth and nail for the 'independence' that we obtained - and how can you value something you didn't fight for?
In the light of this, I've been thinking of other dates that we could use to celebrate Nigeria. Here are some options:
January 1: This celebrates the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914. The problem is also that this is too far in the past to have any meaning to many people.
January 15: The date of the first military coup in 1966. I don't see much to celebrate about a coup; besides, the military has already appropriated this for their Remembrance Day.
January 12: The end of the civil war in 1970. This should be a good date to emphasise the themes of reconciliation and peace, but invoking memories of the civil war on the date we celebrate Nigeria is probably not a good idea.
February 13: The assassination of Murtala Muhammed in 1976. This was a very shocking event at the time, but ultimately, it didn't really change the course of history (Muhammed's plans to handover in 1979 were still fulfilled). And again, I don't know that celebrating Nigeria on the date that a Nigerian leader (and hero, in the eyes of many) would be considered a good idea.
June 12: The date of the presidential elections to choose Babangida's successor in 1993. Significant, because these elections were the freest and fairest we'd seen in a long time, and I still believe that if Babangida had let the results stand, he would have a much better public image than he has today. But for many people, June 12 also invokes memories of sadness, of how their mandate was stolen from them. A date to be happy about? I think not.
May 29: The so-called 'Democracy Day'. I'm not even going to dignify this idea with a comment.
So it doesn't look like there are many good candidate dates to choose. Perhaps this is an indication that there really hasn't been much to celebrate in Nigeria over the last 49 years of its 'independence'... actually, wait - there is a date I think most people will agree with, and that's this date:
August 3
See if you can guess why.
But why October 1? Sure, it was the date that we were gifted political independence by the British, but I honestly do not believe that its significance is felt viscerally by many present day Nigerians who were not born when the event happened. It wasn't even as if we fought tooth and nail for the 'independence' that we obtained - and how can you value something you didn't fight for?
In the light of this, I've been thinking of other dates that we could use to celebrate Nigeria. Here are some options:
January 1: This celebrates the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914. The problem is also that this is too far in the past to have any meaning to many people.
January 15: The date of the first military coup in 1966. I don't see much to celebrate about a coup; besides, the military has already appropriated this for their Remembrance Day.
January 12: The end of the civil war in 1970. This should be a good date to emphasise the themes of reconciliation and peace, but invoking memories of the civil war on the date we celebrate Nigeria is probably not a good idea.
February 13: The assassination of Murtala Muhammed in 1976. This was a very shocking event at the time, but ultimately, it didn't really change the course of history (Muhammed's plans to handover in 1979 were still fulfilled). And again, I don't know that celebrating Nigeria on the date that a Nigerian leader (and hero, in the eyes of many) would be considered a good idea.
June 12: The date of the presidential elections to choose Babangida's successor in 1993. Significant, because these elections were the freest and fairest we'd seen in a long time, and I still believe that if Babangida had let the results stand, he would have a much better public image than he has today. But for many people, June 12 also invokes memories of sadness, of how their mandate was stolen from them. A date to be happy about? I think not.
May 29: The so-called 'Democracy Day'. I'm not even going to dignify this idea with a comment.
So it doesn't look like there are many good candidate dates to choose. Perhaps this is an indication that there really hasn't been much to celebrate in Nigeria over the last 49 years of its 'independence'... actually, wait - there is a date I think most people will agree with, and that's this date:
August 3
See if you can guess why.
Total Comments 7
Comments
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August 3? Most will agree with this?Posted Sep 28, 2009 at 10:44 PM by mulan
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Is that a good date?
Posted Sep 28, 2009 at 11:48 PM by emj - Absolutely - August 3 was truly one of the happiest days in Nigeria.Quote:Originally Posted by mulan
August 3? Most will agree with this?
Perhaps Google will give you a clue...Posted Sep 29, 2009 at 12:32 AM by Shoko Loko Bangoshe -
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Na wetin bin happen for August 3rd...me i no see anything o...abi Turai bin born new pikin?
Posted Sep 29, 2009 at 02:24 AM by emj - I was curious to know what happened on that date, so I used google ..and there is a whole Wikipedia page listing events that took place on August 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_3)
And the closest I could find was:
1960 – Niger gains independence from France.
I didn't think this could be it, why would the day of Niger Independence be one of the happiest days of Nigeria?!
Then I thought I needed to use an extra keyword for searching , and it seems I used the right keyword ..I immediately found thisPosted Sep 30, 2009 at 07:41 AM by wonderer - And I'm sure you'll agree that that was definitely a very happy day for all Nigerians!Quote:Originally Posted by wonderer I was curious to know what happened on that date, so I used google ..and there is a whole Wikipedia page listing events that took place on August 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_3)
And the closest I could find was:
1960 – Niger gains independence from France.
I didn't think this could be it, why would the day of Niger Independence be one of the happiest days of Nigeria?!
Then I thought I needed to use an extra keyword for searching , and it seems I used the right keyword ..I immediately found this
Posted Sep 30, 2009 at 08:07 AM by Shoko Loko Bangoshe - You know i've still got the tapes of both the semi finals and the finals of that tournament. I'm gonna watch it again. It gives me joy all the time you see, and seeing that i'm feeling really DOWN on the back of this JAGBAJANTIS Independence Day celebration, what a better way to uplift myself. Shoko, a seat is reserved for you if you care to join, with opolopo Gulder and beer meat to savour the moment over again.
Posted Oct 3, 2009 at 02:15 AM by omaks
