It is often said that when one doesn't know their history, it is easy to repeat the mistakes of the past rather than learn from them. I will add that such gaps in knowledge also mean that we cannot learn from the great and brave actions of our "heroes past", neither do we know how we can build on them.
Someone shared the video below on Facebook and after watching all 27+ minutes of it, I was very inspired and wanted to share. The Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Tafawa Balewa was invited on a visit and grand tour of the United States a year after the 1960 independence. It is educative the political capital Nigeria, and those who represented her, had in those days and how much has been lost since then.
At this point, President Goodluck Jonathan's recent defensive interview with Christine Amanpour of CNN comes to mind. Like someone commented on Youtube, "The world thought Nigeria would be a ray of hope for the black race. But they were absolutely wrong! Tribalism and corruption destroyed everything."
It is over till it's over I say, Nigeria still has time to get things right. Not purely for the sake of its image around the world but for the people who live in the real Nigeria. The 60 - 85% in some places who live at basic subsistence level. Nigeria needs to be better for them.
The picture at top has L-R, Otunba T.O.S Benson (Information minister), President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (President of the US), Alhaji (Sir) Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Prime Minister of Nigeria), Dr Moses Majekodunmi (Minister of Health) & Alhaji Shehu Shagari (Minister of Internal Affairs).
You can see more pictures and deeper insight into Nigerian history on this thread on Nairaland.
very touching
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