A former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, has condemned in very strong terms the planned 100 years celebration of modern Nigeria.
The former commissioner under General Yakubu Gowon’s administration, made this known during an interview he granted to the Vanguard. According to him, it was ‘pure nonsense’ for the government of the country to allow such celebration, which he said was ‘100 years in bondage’.
Alhaji Okunnu said President Jonathan should have left the private sector that brought up the idea of the centenary celebration to handle it alone as, according to him, it is their business and not the business of Nigerians as a people.
His words: “Let me say that it is absolutely idiotic for anyone to want to celebrate 100 years of bondage or to celebrate the occasion when we were under colonialism. You do not celebrate slavery! Independence, yes; the day Britain established its rule over the country now called Nigeria, No.. Capital NO. It is absolute nonsense for anyone to celebrate the day Nigeria came under colonialism. You do not.
“I have never heard of any country celebrating colonialism or the birth of colonialism. Away with it and I really hope that the government would have nothing to do with it. I have heard that the idea came from the private sector. If they want to celebrate the days the British entrepreneurs and the British traders came to Nigeria, that is their business. If they want to celebrate the Portuguese who came before the British, that is their business. But, to me, it’s absolute idiocy,” he said.
Culled from the Vanguard
i think okunnu is right in his statement.colonisation is not worth celebrating even the so called independence in nigeria does not worth it because after the exit of the colonial masters,we are still suffering from neo-colonisation i.e we are being treated as slaves by our own “ruler”
what a good day
i love the post