NIGERIA: A NATION WITHOUT HISTORY!

             

History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a fierce.

                                  - Karl Marx

There is no nation without its own history but Nigeria appears to be an exception. Every day, events unfold before our very eyes but we are quick to drop them in the dustbin of the past without reminiscence about their impacts on the foreseeable future. The obvious is that generations coming behind fall a victim of such horrible experience. This accounts for our merry-ground from years to years. 

To worsen the situation, we at a time removed history from our national school curriculums because it makes little or no sense to us. Consequently, the sweat of our founding fathers and heroes as well as heroines gone swept under the carpet resulting in debased value system.  This accounts for the present generation obsession with materialism without recourse to moral pedigree.  

With the popularism of social media, I have come across certain facts about my heritage and Nigeria that has left my mouth ajar despite priding myself as an avid reader; but I was extremely taken aback today when I asked a graduate of Linguistic Studies  who Dele Giwa was, and she said she does not know with a hint of sincerity and willingness to learn who he was. 

This is saddened and appalling because without our understanding of our heritage, how can we protect our inheritance let alone build on it? When I was young, I read and I was taught about Awolowo, Azikwe, Tafawa Balewa, Akintola, Ahmodu Bello, Herbert Macaulay, Funmilayo Kuti, just to mention a few; their exploits and undoing were fascinating enough to create in me a yearning for greatness. 

Particularly, the rigors these men and women have to go through to bequeath to us the Land we now acclaim as ours cannot but be a source of inspiration to an aspiring mind as they against all odds not only achieved their set dreams but equally left enduring legacies for us to inherit. 

Unfortunately, we have relegated their works to the background with attendant consequences. It is therefore not surprising that villains now parade themselves as heroes, charlatans as champions. The source of people wealth means little or nothing to us, and little wonder blood of the innocent now flows on the altar and across the nooks and crannies of the country. 

Dear compatriots, it is time to dust the history book again and teach the young ones of the exploits and deeds of men gone bye, not forgetting nefarious deeds of the villains if we hope to save this nation of ours from needless death.  

God saves Nigeria.