Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos
State, said Nigeria came into being on October 1, 1960, and not in 1914,
advising the Federal Government not to distort history by its planned centenary
celebration next year.
Fashola spoke at the Nigeria’s 53rd
Independence anniversary parade which involved the Police, voluntary
organizations, school children and Para-military agencies, led by
Superintendent Chris Nwokolo, at the Police College, Ikeja.
The governor while addressing the
gathering said “For me, Nigeria was born as an independent sovereign nation on
October 1st, 1960. Perhaps she was conceived in 1914 but as we race towards
this, it is important not to distort history.”
He said the reason was that “a
generation is coming behind us they need to be sure about the history of their
fatherland. I will seek better understanding and explanation by those who are
behind the centenary celebration.
“This is because if we roll out the drums three years ago to celebrate the 50
years of Nigeria’s nationhood, the independent that we fought for and our
nationalist went to jail for.
“Many of our prominent leaders lost
many things. Some lost their lives, some lost their dignity. Some lost their
freedom. The scars of those years of colonial dominion are firmly etched and
preserved in the freedom Park on Broad Street in Lagos. It was built with
bricks imported from England with money earned in Lagos in order to keep our
nationalists in confinement.”
“Let us be very clear October 1,
1960 was the day of nationhood for Nigeria. My teachers and parents thought me
that history. I used to come out as a child to participate in the Independence
Day parade exactly as the children that here today.
“Then what is this centenary
suddenly about because I don’t remember as a child ever coming on amalgamation
day to celebrate the day. And suddenly how did we get to 100 when we did not
celebrate the 50th, 60th and 99th anniversary.”
“There is something wrong here. I
don’t know why the celebration but I will like clarification. Maybe conception
of Nigeria took place in 1914. But it is the date of birth of the child that
one celebrates and I think that birthday is October 1st, 1960.”
The governor however called for
tolerance and peaceful co-existence, saying “I am lending my voice to the
appeal for peace across our land.
“Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening
stalemate and restore normalcy into the country.
“I believe that we are too blessed to resolve our differences with threats of
violence. For me, compromise is critical and we must all reach for it in order
to make more meaning out of our situation.”
Source: Vanguard
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