Nigeria’s Amalgamation a celebration of slavery, bad history – Braithwaite

ABEOKUTA-Former Presidential candidate
of the defunct Nigeria Advance Party
(NAP) Dr. Tunji Braithwaite on Tuesday,
faulted the planned centenary anniversary
of Nigeria's amalgamation by the
presidency in 2014, describing it as a
celebration of slavery and bad history.
The Human Rights Activist and lawyer
who wondered why despite the myriad of
problems confronting the country,
coupled with the level of poverty, the
Federal government still plans to
celebrate the Centenary anniversary of
the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914,
lamented that the deplorable state of
infrastructure in the country and the
precarious security situation are enough
reason to halt the celebration.
Speaking as guest Lecturer at the 2013
Jesus Carnival, 37th Diocesan Anniversary
and 170th Year of Christianity in Egbaland
in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital ,Dr.
Braithwaite said the celebration was
a disgrace to the present generation of
Nigerians.
He however, suggested that the
president should celebrate the ''founding-
fathers' birth of Nigerian that over the
years had blossomed into a strong,
cohesive and socio/political vibrant force
in the comity of nations.
''Instead of clinking glasses of champagne
celebrating and venerating a bad history
of enslavement, this generation, should
use the occasion of its centenary to finally
destroy its last inglorious relics
and simultaneously birth a modern and
progressive nation.
''The Die is cast!. Thee issue is not about
2015 elections or who becomes president
or governor in 2015, there are a whole lot
of fundamental and foundational matters
to be urgently addressed before 2015''.
"The current generation would
themselves surely, hopefully in an orderly
but firm manner, resolve this core issue
of their own destiny,'' he said.
He however, warned Jonathan to be wary
of the serious implication of insecurity
saying, the on-going revolution in Egypt
is a classical lesson to Nigerian leaders
that any charade and fraudulent
elections contrived "will-nilly" is no
guarantee of security of tenure of
office for any unfit or insensitive
government.
"The monster of king corruption and
impunity in this country at every level of
civil administration has exposed the
tenuous and fragile foundation of Nigeria's
brand of democracy to the danger, it
portends for the people.
"The reality today of the amalgamation is
that both in legal and political context,
the amalgamation bond expires in 2014
by effusion of time, unless the people
concerned, now voluntarily agree its
terms and or modify them.
"The single evil corruption has done to us
manifests on cultism, examination
malpractices among many others and it
now appears as nothing is a taboo in
Nigeria anymore. We prayed and worked
for democracy but what type of
democracy do we have now, do the
people's votes count? Are we getting the
benefits of the abundance
natural resources God gave us?.
"If you go to government offices, you will
see huge generating sets but what about
the poor who can't afford it?, adding "If
you know the huge amount this country
generates, the question you will ask
yourself is why should Nigerians suffer?",
Braithwaite said.
END.