NIGERIA INDEPENDENCE @66: THE CRUDE OIL OF THE SOUTH BELONGS TO ONE NIGERIA, THE GOLD IN THE NORTH BELONGS TO NORTHERN POLITICIANS (A flashback to the intention of 1914 amalgamation)

The independence of Nigeria as a country from the British colonizers and overlords in 1960 have been termed immatured by angry Nigerians who have linked the perpetual challenges affecting the country to it foundation.

Economists and Scholars have raised issues regarding the intention behind the 1914 amalgamation of the southern protectorate with the northern protectorate, and concluded that the economic surplus of the South and it resources was intended to take care of the deficit of the North.

Some historians and politicians also stated that the British wanted a market for it products, and also exploiting the natural resources/raw materials needed for it manufacturing industry, which was available in the southern protectorate, while the North has the manpower needed for military expedition and workforce for cheap labour.

These perceptions after the independence celebration of October 1st 1960 and injustice post- republic in 1963 contributed to the build up of the Biafra war.

A country of more than 200million people of different ethnic nationalities, religion, languages, values, customs and history sharing boundaries with Benin Republic, Togo and Atlantic Ocean in the South west, A border with cameroun and Atlantic Ocean in the South East and South South, With the northern part bordering Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroun and the Sahel.

A country made of 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory but sub divided into 6 Geo-political regions, many believed that Nigeria has not lived up to expectation or fulfilled it numerous potential as other African Nations looking towards Nigeria as big brother and giant of Africa, whose greatness and development can illuminate their darkness from extreme poverty and under development.

Some sections of Nigeria have agitated for a separate independent country from Nigeria because of their right to self determination as enshrined in one of the charters of the United Nations. Some have backed their reasons for such agitations on injustice and double standard that is visible in the political leadership of the country, corruption, mismanagement of resources, religious bias in appointment, ethnic favouritism, nepotism, marginalization, insecurity e. t. c

Many activists from the southern part of the country have also raised concerns about how the proceeds from the crude oil deposited in the ocean and Niger Delta part of the southern Nigeria is used in taking care of the country, while the North hoards it gold, mine it lithium, sell and pocket it proceeds as a grave injustice.

These gold and lithium mining activities have contributed to the spate of banditry and terrorism in the Far North, extending into the Middlebelt states and parts of Southwest (known to be most peaceful region in Nigeria). Most of the proceeds from these illegal mining operations are use in funding the purchase of arms & ammunitions to terrorize innocent villagers, travellers and communities.

If oil bunkering in the SouthSouth and Southwest can be illegal, attracting jail punishment and other penalties, with perpetrators referred to as economic saboteurs, why is the illegal mining operation pampered and encourage in the North?

The daily activities of illegal miners and expanding operation of unlicensed mining activities in Zamfara, Niger, Sokoto and other parts of Northern Nigeria have attracted surge of foreigners from the Sahel, coming into the country through the porous border to extract minerals for personal self aggrandizement and the interest of politicians funding their operations.

Security monitoring organizations have noted confrontations between local communities and foreign miners, who operates in their forests and later attacking their communities when they least expected.

These pattern of illegal miners moving into forest part of rural communities, establishing a parallel authority without regard for the local chiefs and authorities, extract these minerals in their natural form, sell to the black market, pocket it proceeds and channel part of it to arms smuggling and terrorism without paying tax to the Nigerian authority.

These injustice and leakage needs to be curtailed to quench the fire of insecurity, block the capital flight and revenue goes into the state treasury account or the purse of the Federal Government for even distribution among the 36 states, putting an end to agitation by separatists movement groups citing injustice, marginalization and double standard as the root causes of their actions and demand

Nigeria Independence at Sixty-Six can be described as a man who failed most of his children having expected the father to have done better, Nigeria could also be described as a man who struggled growing up, having exposed to different problems that could have killed him but only resulted into stunted growth in his 40's but with indication of prosperity and flourishing in his late 60's.

Happy Independence Day Celebration to all Nigerians at home, those in diaspora and well wishing friends of Nigerians.

•