Yesterday, I overheard one of my neighbours complaining that she went round all the shops in Rumuokoro area of Port Harcourt to get the Nigerian flag for her daughter who was to take it to her school today in celebration of Nigeria's 56th independence anniversary but to her chagrin and consternation, none of the shops had the flag on sale. Maybe we now need to order the Nigerian flag from the US!

This afternoon, just as I was going home from work, I took my time to survey the boutiques along the popular Ikwerre Road to see evidence of Nigeria's independence celebration, and to my utter dismay, getting a shop selling an attire with green white green was like looking for a grain in a bushel of chaff. There is absolutely nothing to show Nigerians are celebrating their independence or that they are in celebration mood.

I still remember vividly, by this time last year, the shops along that same road were filled with a plethora of attire in Nigerian colours. You would see traditional attire, face caps, shirts, skirts, cowbow hats all in in Nigerian colours, were conspicuously displayed. What I have observed here may not generally be accepted as presenting a true refection of what is happening all around the country but I am certain the picture may not be very different in other cities and other parts of the country. I then asked myself what has gone wrong? I came up with about three reasons discussed below.

1. The economic recession has bitten so hard that shop owners cannot even restock as the old stocks are probably still lying in their shops as most people can hardly feed, let alone buying clothes. Thus, if they have not sold the old stock, how will they have money to buy new ones?

2. Consumers are so powerless economical or financially that they cannot even think of buying any clothes, let alone the one they wear just to celebrate a country they feel has let them down so badly.

3. The feeling of nationalism among most Nigerians is so low, if not totally dead that they don't even want to be associated with the country any longer. How else will one explain the fact that one cannot get one's country's flag to buy in the country, whereas USA flag and even Ghanaian flag is everywhere? This is better appreciated if one considers the recent clamour for a sovereign state by the Igbos; the Niger Delta struggle for emancipation and the crack in the ruling party which has even led to a section of the country, which we all know kick started the formation of the ruling party now calling for the formation of their own indigenous party. There seems to be no section of the country that is happy.

This is a strong signal, an ominous one at that for our leaders to wake up from their slumber. The economy is not smiling at all. Change begins with the leaders.

These are the reasons I came up with. If you have other reasons, please share with us here and you may also give us a picture of how things are in your area, whether different or similar to my observation.

- from an impassioned and apolitical observer.

Quote me i don't care in my own opinion nigeria is not rape for independent when baba awo rush for it and that why this country is still backward only GOD can help nigeria not even APC or PDP or APGA or any party bcs all of them na same old thief jumping from one party to another

same case here in lagos.all thanks to the daura-man at the top!sai chanji!

Royals1st:
Quote me i don't care in my own opinion nigeria is not rape for independent when baba awo rush for it and that why this country is still backward only GOD can help nigeria not even APC or PDP or APGA or any party bcs all of them na same old thief jumping from one party to another

talking about old thieves,don't you think the nigerian-youths ought to have a political party,in order to retire these our GRANDPAs in power?

Royals1st:
Quote me i don't care in my own opinion nigeria is not rape for independent when baba awo rush for it and that why this country is still backward only GOD can help nigeria not even APC or PDP or APGA or any party bcs all of them na same old thief jumping from one party to another

Yeah, you're right. Someone even said recently that Nigeria should be leased to China or Germany to manage for at leased two decades. But some African countries gained independence before Nigeria and are doing better.

When evil men rules

There is nothing worth celebrating this year, the money that would have been wasted on useless celebrations should be used to revive our infrastructures instead.