Great kudos to @steemit-virus for always coming out differently in our weekly contest. Thanks for appreciating creative writing.
1960 Nigeria Independence; An explosive test by our colonizer" is a topic I have wanted and always try to discuss with Nigerians but my idea is always shun and criticism and has mostly centered on the fact that am too young to discuss issues like this and probably I don't have experience about politics. I hope my readers take patience to go through this till the end.
Nigeria is an Africa country that got her independence in October 1st 1960 from her colonizer - Great Britain. But before that date, what happened ?
In 1914, the British formally united the Niger area as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Administratively, Nigeria remained divided into the Northern and Southern Protectorates and Lagos Colony. Inhabitants of the southern region sustained more interaction, economic and cultural, with the British and other Europeans owing to the coastal economy.
The modern state originated from British colonial rule beginning in the 19th century and the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914.
Demographic comparison of The colonizers and The colonized
Geographical sectioning of the land area
- Great Britain comprises the nations of England, Scotland and Wales.
- Nigeria comprised the Northern part , Southern part and the Eastern part.
Land area
- Great Britain has a land area of 209,331 km2 (80,823 sq mi) and a population of 60,800,000(2011 census) to make a population density of 302 /km2 (782 /sq mi)
- Great Nigeria has a land area of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi) and a population of 140,431,790 (2006 census ) to make a population density of 197.2/km2 (510.7/sq mi)
Ethinicty
Great Britain is diverse when it comes to ethnicity and she has : 86.8% White 7.1% Asian 3.1% Black 2.0% Mixed 0.3% Arab 0.6% Other
Nigeria has more than 500 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Fulani, together accounting for more than 70% of the population, while the Urhobo-Isoko, Edo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Ebira, Nupe, Gwari, Jukun, Igala, Idoma and Tiv comprise between 25 and 30%; other minorities make up the remaining 5%.
Religion
Nigeria is a religiously diverse society, with Islam and Christianity being the most widely professed religions. Nigerians are nearly equally divided into Christians and Muslims, with a tiny minority of adherents of Animism and other religions.
Numerous other religions are practiced in Great Britain. Christianity has been the largest religion by number of adherents since the Early Middle Ages. The 2001 census recorded that Islam had around 1.5 million adherents. More than 1 million people practise either Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism–religions introduced from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Image source
From the above striking similarities , you should agree with me that Nigeria independence was an experimental test by the colonial British.
The combination of three countries has worked well to form the Great Britain and they (colonizer) decided to try this on the African continent and Nigeria was chosen for their experiment.
Were the colonizers now the reason for some setbacks?
How the test of amalgamation became an explosion.
What damages the beautiful ideas of Sir Lord Lugard has done to my motherland cannot be quantified. During the time of colonization and the period of independence , the masters did not adequately check their working boards before giving the independence.
The southern were more influenced and sustained more interaction, economic and cultural, with the British and other Europeans owing to the coastal economy than the northerners during colonization periods and the masters still went ahead to join us together in a bond that was not strong enough.
The flexibility of such bond has led to the various problems raising and falling in my beloved country Nigeria.
The British have given a forceful union between the diverse ethnic group in Nigeria. With few years of interaction, over 500 ethnic group with different languages were merged together without stabilizing the sense of Unity , the bond of togetherness and the spirit of working together.
Measures were taken to put things in order but they were done at the last gasp of minute to the Independence Day. When you don't work in time , you definitely cannot work to time.
The Independence was continually celebrated but the rise of bad governance saw to the possible breakdown of the country and certainly the explosion.
Corruption, terrorism and other social vices began to exist in various forms; corruption itself became a cankerworm which has undeniably eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation. Mass killing of people all over the country has become a norm in my beloved Nigeria.
Many knowledgable and experienced persons came together to brainstorm a way to find a solution to the possible break up of Nigeria - the country that was once tagged as the "Giant of Africa". What a shame to the Independence given as experimental test !!!
What we need now is rebirth, a rebirth of nationalism ;sense of Unity , the bond of togetherness and the spirit of working and living together that will make us stronger than before.
The amalgamation has been done , let the amalgamated amend the worn out tissues and let us all come together as one irrespective of our various tribes and languages so as to make Nigeria a better place for all
This article is subjected to opinions and critics , but the aim should be - the need to move together as one !!! One Nigeria
Happy National Day to all Nigerians
The change will start from each and everyone of us because he who cannot change his mind can't change anything. Let us pray and be loyal for the betterment of our country, Nigeria will surely be grate. @ola keep it up success await Nigeria.