As a student of Local Government and Development Studies who is given his life to the study of Nigeria politic and it developmental process inorder to ensure equal distribution of resources and also ensure substanable development even at the grass root level. My study/research life as given reflection to what I consider as my happiest day as regards to the political life of Nigeria and the reason.
Hmmm.....the happiest day in my life as far as the political life of this country is concerned was July 29,1975, the day Mr.(then General) Yakubu Gowon's government was outsted in a bloodless coup. Before this date, the fate of Nigeria had long been hanging on the balance. Mr. Gowon as an individual had already outlived this usefulness as a head of state. Even young primary school children had been complaining bitterly and praying that God might remove him from the throne of the nation and enthrone some-one who had the love of the nation and of the toiling masses at heart.
Mary things are responsible for my choice of this date as my happiest day as far as our political life is concerned. While it must be stated in unmistakable terms that Gowon started well, he began to misgovern this country as soon as he placed self above the interest of the nation, the sooner than later began to live an ostentatious life. While poor Nigerians were dying in thousands on the battlefield, he performed what observers then described as the most expensive marriage ceremony ever conducted anywhere in Africa. It was even rumoured that a highly placed business man then presented him Mercedes Benz saloon car in commemoration of his marriage. What a farce! What a mess in a country where many brothers and sisters were gnashing their teeth and biting their lips with the pang of civil war!
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As soon as he seized the hilt of power, he vowed to return the country to civil rule in 1976, but during his broadcast to the nation in 1974, he claimed that 1976 was unrealistic, claiming he wouldn't make policy statement on the creation of states later on. He was criticised by some well-meaning Nigerians whom he clamped into detention for their daring effort to make the people realise that his style was already outmoded and boring.
A leader who harbours corruption in any form is an embodiment of corruption himself. When Gomwalk of cursed memory was accused of malpractices, Gowon absolved him without reference to any board of inquiry. When his communication commissioner was accused of malpractices, he kept sealed lips. It seems when as if Gowon thought all Nigerians, except he along and his collaborators, had their eyes open
to the going-on in a country that belongs to nobody but to all of us.
Mr. Yakubu Gowon could best be described as an expert in the art of detaining those Nigerians who we cast our hope for emancipation from the wedge of oppression and victimisation. No sooner as he was criticised then he ordered detention for those who criticised him or any of his chorus boys. He nearly left Nigerian writer, poet and playwright of international repute blind in one of his detention caves.
By the time he showed himself the way out, I thank God I was not born. In fact, by that time, many people had become tried of being Nigerians. He had betrayed the trust and confidence which Nigerians reposed on him as I study. He had become a man of words on the radio and the press, while in fact he was expected to be a man of actions. He did not even remember that he was once recruited in the Nigerian Army with a view to protecting the security of the nation.
On July 29,1975, when his overthrow was announced, as I study people heaved a sigh of relief and prayed that his avaricious and corruption type might never again reach the throne of leadership in Nigeria.
Many thanks goes to God Almighty, who had made me escape this experience or regime, which overwhelm my heart with great joy knowing that as time keeps unveiling himself bad leadership will be purged out of Nigeria political system for his is hope for us all.
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