Nigeria as a country has been relying heavily on foreign goods imported from other nations of the world to survive.

In fact, since the country gained independence from the colonial masters, it has been consuming products from other climes.

It was in the late 70s and early 80s that its leaders tried to institute, maintain, or sustain manufacturing as a culture, which with all indications failed.

Many manufacturing companies such as the textile industries and car manufacturing companies were operating in Nigeria in the late 70s and early 80s.

For instance, Aswani Textiles, SCOA motors, CFAO motors, among several manufacturing companies were operating then in Lagos, but suddenly disappeared till date.

It was said and rightly too that the same number of workers that used to go to work in the morning, were also going to work at night in Lagos during this time under review.

.Power supply that has become an issue today was not as dire. Electricity supply then was stable and available for companies to use in their operations.

What is the position today? Companies that manage to survive, do so at a very high cost. They have to generate their own power to operate successfully. Most of them even have to provide their own water and access roads to operate. No wonder, the sustenance could not retain most of the companies at a time, as they succumbed to harsh environmental conditions.

It became more disturbing when some of these big manufacturing companies like Michelin, the tyre manufacturing giant, closed shop and relocated to some of our West African neighbouring countries.

Till date, the humongous premises it occupied at Trans-Amadi Industrial layout in Port Harcourt have not been rented by any company, in view of its size. Dunlop Nig Limited toed the same path. The question now is where did Nigeria get it wrong?

The products of all these extinct companies, like Ankara materials, tyres are still being used by Nigerians, courtesy of importation. And we are comfortable with that. Not to mention the attendant socio-economic problems associated with the closure of these companies.

Workers of Michelin for instance were running three shifts before the shut down. We can now appreciate the number of persons thrown into the labour market, consequent upon that development. The same to the textile industry among others. Today, we suffer the implications of having an army of unemployed youths in a society: restiveness, social vices, as well as outright crimes.

 How about the protracted ongoing projects across the country. For example, the Ajaokuta Steel Industry. This project has spanned more than three decades without completion and still counting. Millions if not billions of Naira have been sunk into the project without result.

We don’t want to liken it to the turnaround maintenance of our refineries that have also remained uncompleted. The fact is that no nation can develop and become great without manufacturing one thing and bringing the same to the global table for economic and political bargain. Where do we now start our negotiation among the comity of nations from?

It is high time we sat up and put our thinking caps properly. This has become critical if we must make headway. And as it stands now, we don’t have any alternative. The earlier we confront our challenges headlong,the better for us.  The reason is that development, as rightly defined by experts, is the ability of man to conquer his environment and not how many white elephant projects embarked upon.

In the heat of untold hardship on Nigerians, what’s the significance of a National Anthem? On Thursday, a bill proposing that Nigeria revert to its old national anthem, ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee,’ passed its third reading at the House of Representatives and its second reading in the Senate. It left many Nigerians pondering the importance of a National Anthem.

The old one, remembered fondly by some as “Nigeria We Hail Thee” was adopted in 1960 upon Nigeria’s independence. The anthem’s lyrics were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence. While the music was composed by Frances Berda, it speaks to a country that though made up of different tribes, ethnic groups and religions, stands as one indivisible nation. Its reign lasted 18 years. In 1978, Nigeria changed its national anthem to “Arise, O Compatriots” under the military administration of General Olusgeun Obasanjo.

The anthem was originally written as a poem by five different writers, and a former police officer. Benedict Odiase, who served in the Nigeria Police Force from 1954 to 1992 was also the Music Director of the Nigerian Police Band. He was tasked with turning the poem into an anthem.

“Arise, O Compatriots” promotes national ownership, as the composer of the previous anthem was a British expatriate.

But those who support the old anthem argue that it carries a historical significance and a sense of nostalgia that could inspire a renewed sense of patriotism among Nigerians. They believe that reinstating the old anthem might rekindle a collective memory of the country’s foundational aspirations and unity.

However, critics are skeptical about the effectiveness of such a symbolic gesture in addressing the profound economic and social challenges currently facing the nation.

The speed with which the bill is racing through its readings at the National Assembly suggests it will be passed into law soon, but how many people can remember or even sing it.

Whichever way the decision goes, this is a discussion that has left many Nigerians pondering if reverting to an old national anthem can indeed translate to tangible improvements in their daily lives with the country facing rising unemployment, inflation, and insecurity.

That the old anthem is coming back, decades after, is proof that the work of the committee, made up of eminent and distinguished Nigerians, could not stand the test of time. Curiously, and in that frenzied haste, the critics of that song forgot that the same woman gave Nigeria the name she bears till date. They also did not take time to listen to the lyrics that, in our opinion, conveyed a grasping patriotic fervour that is clearly lacking in the one that is replacing it.

Media reports indicate that the House of Representatives have already passed the bill while it has passed the second reading in the Senate. As a newspaper, we commend the lawmakers for initiating the process of bringing back a beautiful song of a nation trashed, unnecessarily, on the basis of inexplicable emotion devoid of critical thinking. But that is where the commendation ought to end.

As the critics of the legislative move pointed out, this is not the time to indulge in such flights of fancy. Not at a time Nigerians are expecting their representatives to make laws that add value to their lives. They expect legislation that brings about, in practical terms, growth and development and, also, presents the country to the international community as a nation serious in its approach to governance with utmost interest in the welfare of the citizens.

The question on the lips of most Nigerians since the diversionary legislative process commenced is, what next? It is important to observe that on the scale of priority, national anthem, as important as it is, pales in relevance to a people bugged down by the hassles of daily survival, in a situation where the ruling elite preach austerity just as they indulge in mindless bohemian libertinage.

The 10th National Assembly is almost one year old. Since coming into office, and in terms of impartation on the life of the people, what is their record? Nigerians have the impression that it is about the worst since 1999. They point to the security situation in the country and the unbridled menace of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists. Progressively, agriculture, in the country, is locked in a deadly struggle with enemies of society as farmers cannot go to their farms for fear of being abducted or even killed. The sad effect of this development is that the prices of food items are hitting the roof as the prospect of mass hunger looms so large.

Nigerians also point out the high cost of living among the ordinary folks and the concupiscence that is the lifestyle of the political elite. When they are not buying exotic cars for themselves, they are embarking on frivolous holidays that question their commitment to the duty of making laws for good governance of the nation.

The National Assembly looks on as the average Nigerian is squeezed daily for one form of tariff or the other. They hide their heads in the sand as services, as essential as electricity and fuel, are recklessly taken out of the reach of the fabled common man. The lawmakers stand unperturbed as youths, the engine room of growth of any nation, wallow in disaster-laden unemployment. They feel nonplussed as foreign investors flee the country and local enterprises close shop because of the harsh business environment.

Our political leaders, in particular, the lawmakers should beam their lights in formulating laws and programmes that will grow the economy rather than contemplating on irrelevant things. There is still no headway to the national minimum wage as of today. It is very obvious that meditating on the national anthem now is a misplaced priority considering the severe hardship on Nigerians.

The recent spate of attacks and kidnappings across the country, particularly in the South-West, has once again brought to the fore the precarious state of security in Nigeria.

The gruesome account of Nurudeen Olaitan Salami, a survivor of a deadly herdsmen attack on April 17, is a chilling reminder of the horrors that many Nigerians face daily.

The fact that the attackers, armed with satellite phones and solar panels, could so brazenly carry out their nefarious activities, speaks volumes about the level of impunity that exists in our society.

The deliberate targeting of innocent citizens, including women and children, is a reminder of the depths of depravity to which these criminals have sunk.

Furthermore, the apparent complicity of some Fulani passengers and the bus driver, who were allowed to go scot-free, raises questions about the role of ethnicity and collusion in these crimes.

The fact that the security forces were unable to rescue the captives, despite engaging the attackers in a gun battle, is also a cause for concern.

This incident is not an isolated one. The renewed banditry in the South-West, the Enugu masquerades’ vicious attack, and the numerous other cases of kidnapping, terrorism, and bloodshed across the country, all point to a systemic failure of security and governance.

Despite the peace accord signed by farmers and herders, the violence has continued unabated, with Ogun, Ekiti, and Oyo states bearing the brunt of the attacks.

The payment of N31 million in ransom for three kidnapped individuals in Oyo State and the kidnapping of Alhaja Seliat Adeniji in Iseyin, Oyo State, are stark reminders of the escalating insecurity in the region.

The affected areas, including Otu, Igbeti, and Alaga in Oyo State, are witnessing a rise in banditry, armed robbery, and kidnapping, with major highways such as the Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode, and Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos roads becoming hotspots for criminal activity.

The situation is further compounded by the kidnapping of eight cocoa farmers in Edo State and three students in Ovia South-West local government area.

The disregard for the peace accord signed by farmers and herders is a clear indication of the disdain for human life and the rule of law.

The crisis has not only worsened food insecurity in the region but also perpetuated violence against women farmers, who are easy targets for kidnappers, robbers, rapists, and killers.

It is imperative that security organisations take decisive action to address this crisis. Folding their arms while terrorists wreak havoc is unacceptable.

The government must work with stakeholders to implement effective security measures, prosecute perpetrators, and address the root causes of these crimes. The people of the South-West, and indeed Nigeria, deserve better. We demand action now!

 We deplore the upsurge in banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

Given that some of the governors in the zone have demonstrated above average security interventions in their states, it is apposite to ask what the worsening security situation really signposts. First, it is sufficiently clear that the security agencies must shake off their seeming slumber.

The spate of banditry has been occasioned largely by failure of intelligence gathering on their part, and this suggests that the kind of synergy that should obtain between them and the people in the affected communities is not yet in place.

The security agencies should actively seek to build trust among the people in such a way that they would readily approach them with timely and relevant information.

That would go a long way in stemming bloodshed and creating a peaceful atmosphere in which democracy can thrive.

Besides, the South-West Nigeria Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun, should ensure proper coordination of its activities across the zone.

It should, in addition, be equipped with the requisite arms. Confronting terrorists wielding sophisticated weapons with dane guns is fraught with dangers.

Then there is, of course, the overarching issue of the institutionalisation of state policing. We urge the South-West governors to seize the momentum in favour of state policing in the country, collaborate with the state assemblies, the National Assembly and the Presidency, and ensure that state policing takes off this year.

That way, they would be equipped with the wherewithal to tackle insecurity head on. In the meantime, the governors can show more affinity towards engaging local hunters and vigilance groups, and heads of communities, bringing them more frontally into the security loop and establishing lines of communication between them and the security agencies.

The murderous onslaughts of terrorists masquerading as herders pose grave danger to a people already famished by the effects of government policies and the pangs of inflation. The time to act is now.

It is time for the government to take decisive action to address this insecurity crisis.

The continued promises and rhetoric are no longer enough. We need concrete actions, including the deployment of effective security measures, the prosecution of perpetrators, and the addressing of the root causes of these crimes.

The Nigerian people deserve better. We deserve to live in a country where we can travel, work, and live without fear of being kidnapped, killed, or maimed.

It is time for our leaders to take responsibility and ensure that this basic right is guaranteed for all citizens. Enough is enough!