Fellow Nigerians, Great Nigerians,

The prophetic words of Timi Dakolo come to mind today as we celebrate the 65th Independence Day of our great country Nigeria 🇳🇬 to the glory of almighty God, Whom it pleased that we should be born in this land at this time.

Here we stand as a people
With one song
With one voice
We’re a nation undivided and poised
We will take our stand and build our land
With faith to defend what is ours

Here we are as a people
With one heart
For one cause
We’re determined to rebuild and restore
Where freedom reigns and truth prevails
A land where there’s hope for us all

We’re all we have
We’ll defend our land
We believe in this nation
And we know we’ll get there

We’re all we have
We’ll defend our land
We believe in Nigeria
And the promise she holds
And that one day we’ll shine like the sun
We’re a great nation

Though we are many people
Different tribes
Different tongues
We’re united in our strength and resolve
To uphold the honour of our land
_And for generations to come_

We are all we have.

Not everyone in Nigeria shares these sentiments or beliefs. Indeed, some have tasted the bitterness that comes from the wicked acts of man, it will be difficult to heal their broken hearts or ever convince them of the promise of our nation. Nonetheless we will wish them well and continue in resolute pursuit of a united and prosperous Nigeria where such injustice will never happen again and if it does, the perpetrators will be justly punished.

For those of us who believe in the promise Nigeria holds, not because we have derived any special benefit or aspire to such, but simply because we are intelligent enough to understand that a united and developed Nigeria brings more value to us all, safeguards our children’s future and preserves our heritage as a people.

The Ibos name their child _Nkemakonam! my own should not be scarce to me or I should not lack what is mine! I am an Igbo man blessed with Hausa, Edo, Yoruba, Igala, Ibibio, Tiv, Efik, Edo brothers and sisters, born in this land, the land of our fathers, and our own. I choose to live and die on this land. I will not go to another man’s land and be called an immigrant. This is my own! Nigeria is our own!._

Every nation on earth today grew from many many seasons and times, many of which would astound people of today. But it is the nature of this world for greatness to evolve from a very rigorous and oftentimes painful process; as with anything of value.

Under no circumstances should I be misconstrued to be praising or applauding the current state of our nation or where we are today. Yesterday, a member of my alumni lost his father because the community medical center where his father had been receiving treatment for years did not do a good job and knowing he was at deaths door referred him to the tertiary hospitals all of which for 3 weeks had no bed for him, despite reaching several of their medical directors personally. He died last night. My member feels he failed because he could not pay the millions the private hospitals demanded. But in truth Nigeria failed him. As I write this a civil servant, another alumni member, cannot afford a critical surgery that she needs, approximate cost N11 million. She is due to retire next year. As a leader, I’m burdened every day by the needs of my members and I know what great pain majority are in. A result of systemic failure over time, that can be repaired with intent.

My people say “shall we for fear of death not defend ourselves?” Never!!! Neither should we abandon that which is entrusted to us. Other nations have evolved and developed to where they are today, and we will develop and get there too.

More importantly we need to resolve to believe in our nation. A parent cannot guarantee that their children will all turn out well, will they abandon those that don’t? Shall we abandon our land because some of our siblings are terrible? Is that how other nations evolved?

Can We who love this country resolve today to work harder, to join hands with each other, to deliberately do only those things that uphold and defend our nation and her unity? Can we deliberately pause in every thought, sentence and action and ask is this the best for my country and my brothers and sisters?.

I don’t make any promises, I am not God, but let me assure you that many nations have gone through these stages and today stand strong. We have privilege of history to guide us and we know that God, in His infinite wisdom, makes no mistakes. Our birth in this land was by divine providence. And let us sing with Timi, in a very loud voice, across this land today, with faith in our hearts,

We’re all we have
We’ll defend our land
We believe in this nation
And we know we’ll get there
We’re all we have
We’ll defend our land
We believe in Nigeria
And the promise she holds
And that one day we’ll shine like the sun
We’re a great nation

God bless us all,
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria 🇳🇬

Live long and prosper 🙏🏻

Happy Independence Day Nigeria 🇳🇬

Mazi Humphrey Nwafor
Executive Director, Zedx Global Services Limited,