ANEMIC INDEPENDENCE @ 58

AMBASSADOR EZEWELE ABIONANOJIE CYRIL

In the truest sense of the word independence, it is to be free from outside control or influence, having enough means to sustain oneself without submitting sovereignty to external forces. It means to govern and rely on oneself by sitting in the middle region in the valley of decisions in matters that affect one. There is no such thing as part freedom as far as you still depend on others for survival, for he who feeds you will continue to rule you. This is one of the problems of third world nations. Until a child starts feeding and providing for himself, the domineering power over him from his parents or guardians will not cease. In the same vein, it is like asking a beggar to be the one to choose against the wish of the giver.

In Africa today, the type of independence we have is what the French colonial masters called “L’INDEPENDANCE SOUS HAUTE SURVEILLANCE” (independence under high surveillance). That means, you are free but must remain under the supervision of your colonial master as they have it in most French speaking Africa nations, such as Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Senegal, Central Africa, Gabon, etc. The French government claims to provide military assistance to them and controls their economy. What a political strategy to hold sway over the affairs of their victims! Our affairs till date are determined by western powers in a very high degree. There is no election in Africa without western presence as observers, and we are not allowed to mingle with theirs. Russia’s mingling in America’s election is still a question of investigation till date. Just to hold election, particularly in Nigeria, the buying of votes and the use of thugs have been unconstitutionally legalised by the government. It is a pity that we have remained toddlers in our adulthood, fighting ourselves instead of uniting to free ourselves from the fowler’s snare. Yet, we steal our money and take to foreign lands for keeps. The money we may never see again. For your information, the stealing and the stashing of public funds is playing smart and not being clever, for honesty remains the first chapter of the book of wisdom in order to make a head way as a people.

There is no way a nation can be free without exercising authority over the following three cardinal points: The nation must be able to feed herself, treat herself and defend herself. Firstly, as I have stated supra, he who feeds you controls you, for one always ends up negotiating badly with empty stomach. Food freedom was the goal of Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzania as he revolutionized agricultural system via the implementation of UJUMAA policy. He asserts in his speech of January first, nineteen hundred and sixty-eight that “No nation has the right to make decisions for another nation; no People for another People”. This view of his can only be achieved when a nation takes care of her needs without seeking for external help. China is buying Africa today in the name of helping Africa. What a sorry state of affairs! Secondly, the nation should be able to treat herself. I could remember a situation in 2014, when Patrick Sawyer of Liberia imported EBOLA virus into Nigeria, the America government provided a remedy to the situation targeted to help other Africa nations and clearly stated that it will not be given to Nigeria. As nature would have it, no wise man waits when he has no one to wait for. So, the Goodluck Jonathan government swung into action by leaving no stone unturned and provided a better solution known as NANO-SILVER, discovered by a Nigerian doctor. The America government would have used that means to obligate Nigeria to dance to the rhythm of their wants. But our self effort freed us from that trap and saved many from the sting of death. We need to invest more into medical researching to be able to treat ourselves whenever the need arises. Our land is blessed with herbs of different kinds that could be used for medical purposes. Our doctors need to focus more on researching rather than depending solely on what they have been thought. Mostly, they bank their hopes on imported drugs. Sometimes, imported drugs could mean imported sicknesses and diseases. From my discovery, most of the miscarriages that are making the rounds in Nigeria presently are caused by imported harmful chemicals sold as red oil. Self sufficiency ushers you to the royal table of great men and frees you from the dungeon of dependency on others. It breeds self confidence. Thirdly, the nation should be able to defend herself. Without security in the home, in the school, and in the street, there is no such thing as freedom.  A nation should be able to defend herself against external and internal threats and also prepare herself to survive her people against destructive acts of nature, such as floods, earthquakes, etc, for there is no threat free life. We need to be prepared, for it is our preparation that determines our efficiency in handling emergencies. We should be able to midwife a process that will keep us fit against all odds in order to hijack freedom in totality and be freed from what I labeled as ANEMIC INDEPENDENCE in the arena of human relations.

We must not remain in servitude, for a servant is capable of ruling over his master if he possesses more capacity than his master. I could remember when Indian medical students were rushing to America for medical studies. They ended up having the best medical practitioners in the world. In fact, the youngest USA Surgeon General is of India descent – Dr. Vivet Hallegere Murthy. It will interest you to know that, presently, America is sending their medical students to India to go and learn what the Indian doctors added to what they have learnt from Americans in the past that had made the Indian doctors dominate medical field at the moment. We must come together as one, irrespective of our ethnicity and faith, to pursue the necessary information needed for the transformation of our Nation. Extra is the only difference between extra-ordinary and the ordinary. Therefore, we must engage in the business of extra uprightness in managing and protecting our public funds, extra studying, extra hustling, extra pro people, extra thoughts, extra adventurism and that of extra patriotism and be blessed.

AMBASSADOR EZEWELE ABIONANOJIE CYRIL, is the author of the book called ‘The Enemy Called Corruption’ and writes from Lagos.