The Colonial years brought a massive expansion of trade and economic development into Nigeria.
The British built roads and expanded public utilities like sewage and electrical systems in trading towns.
Many British Companies came into Nigeria to conduct business by obtaining trade, farming and mining licenses from British administrators.
MINING AND FARMING ACTIVITIES ALSO INCREASED WITH THE EXPORT OF PRODUCTS LIKE TIN,COCOA,RUBBER AND GROUNDNUTS.
WHAT ABOUT THE RISE OF NIGERIAN POLITICAL AWARENESS?
Many political parties were formed, including the National council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, the Nigerian National Democratic Party, the National Youth Movement (Which later became the Action Group) and the Northern People's Congress.
Most political parties had a strong cultural influence and were formed to represent different ethnic groups.
Nigerian politics also grew through the formation of professional associations like the Nigerian Union Of Teachers, the Nigerian Bar Association and the Nigerian Producers Trade Association.
Political parties struggled for power and control amongst themselves, although a main focus for all parties WAS HOW TO END BRITISH RULE.
Soon, Nigerians wanted to rule themselves and began to protest.The British responded to the greater awareness of Nigerian through the development of different Constitutions; Clifford 1922, Richards 1946, MacPherson 1951 and Lyttleton Constitution of 1954.
AND FINALLY, FREEDOM CAME
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained her independence from colonial rule.
THE CIVIL WAR
In 1967, civil war broke out in Nigeria. General Ojukwu was the military leader of the Igbos.
He declared that he and the Igbo's wanted the creation of a new nation called Biafra.
This caused trouble in Nigeria.
Nigerians did not want the Igbo's to leave.
During the civil war, many Igbo's left different parts of Nigeria and went to the east.
They waited for the creation of Biafra.
The Nigerian Civil War lasted for nearly three years, from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970.
President Yakubu Gowon was the military President of Nigeria during the civil war years.
GOWON ALSO DID NOT WANT THE IGBO'S TO LEAVE NIGERIA. THE NIGERIAN MILITARY FOUGHT HARD TO KEEP NIGERIA TOGETHER AS ONE COUNTRY.
THE OIL BOOM YEARS
Crude oil was discovered in Nigeria in the late 1950s.
Oil Production began fully in the early 1960s.
Nigeria became a major world exporter of crude oil .
In the late 1960s to early 1970s, Nigeria exported over two million barrels of crude oil everyday.
THE PRODUCTION, EXPORT AND SALE OF CRUDE OIL BROUGHT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT NIGERIA.
Electricity , water and communication networks were built with income from crude oil.
Income from crude oil was also used to build a lot of infrastructure in Nigeria, including roads, commercial buildings, hospitals and schools.
Unfortunately,
A LOT OF NIGERIA'S CRUDE OIL INCOME WAS ALSO WASTED OR STOLEN.
FIRST UNIVERSITY IN NIGERIA
The first tertiary educational institute in Nigeria was Yaba College. It was founded in 1932.
Yaba College was later merged with University College, Ibadan, which was founded in 1948.
The University Of Ibadan was formed from this union, and is the oldest formal university in Nigeria.
WHY DO WE SUFFER LIKE THIS?
The answer lies in proverbs 29:2
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn".
THINK ABOUT THIS!
LESSONS
1.How can a country be so richly blessed and yet her citizens live like paupers?
WHAT WE WON'T DO
1.We won't Protest.
2.We won't live in disunity
WHAT WE MUST DO
1.We must Pray.
2.We must Work.
3.We must Love one another.
4.We must keep educating our Children. Education does not mean just going to School, education is training the mind to work, creating useful things with our hands and using our mind to solve problems et cetera.
They are the future.
WHAT THE CITIZENS MUST UNDERSTAND
1.They must understand that those in power (The Government) Are in search for Solutions.
If you know you have a solution or solutions to one or two dilemma then; NEVER KEEP QUIET. "You are also a government"
Romans 8:19 says
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
In Conclusion, THE NIGERIAN PLEDGE
I pledge to Nigeria my country,
To be faithful ,
Loyal
And
Honest,
To serve Nigeria with all my strength,
To defend her unity,
And uphold her HONOUR AND GLORY,
So help me God.
HONOUR according to Merriam Webster Dictionary can be defined
1
hon
or
nounhon·or\ˈä-nər\
ad·mired; ad·mir·ing
transitive verb
GLORY means 1
glo
ry
nounglo·ry\ˈglȯr-ē\
Now, How can we UPHOLD HER HONOUR AND GLORY IF WE KEEP BEHAVING LIKE THIS!
ASUU CAN GO ON STRIKE BUT NOT FARMSU.
Become that Change Today.
-Cs. Oyinkro Christian Owoupele
Date- Friday, January 18th 2019
Time- 3:18 PM
