Greatly loved but often misunderstood.

Paul Coehlo published a book called the Valkyries to explore why we kill what we love. So it is with Nigeria and Nigerians. We argue and discuss it till blue in the face, most of us cynical at its prospects but secretly rooting for its success but quite unwilling to sacrifice our comfort for its success. Yesterday night was not different and as usual or discuss was ably lubricated by the best of Cognacs, beers and wines. Happy birthday old lady we all truly wish you well at 48 for many you are on the way to hell in a bread basket but don't sweat it. Let me remind you of the words of one of your true lovers wrote this in 1952 in the hope that you would be set free in 1956 , he never saw either but he said

" It is here in West Africa, the black man's paradise, here in Nigeria, the heaven of the negro race, here in Western region, the chosen land for a modern Shongay, here in big, lucky, vigorous Ibadan, that apartheid, the moral enemy of our race , must be grabbed, must be fought, must be vanquished and annihilated; so that our descendants may live in peace, prosperity and freedom. Nigeria must be free, completely free, independent, independent without any reservations before or in the year of our Lord, one thousand, nine hundred and fifty six."

Honourable Adegoke Adelabu , Africa in Ebullition

The greatest gift for your birthday is to rekindle the spirit, thoughts and letters of this Great Lover of your possibilities what he lost in his prediction was more than provided for in his ideas and eloquent pursuit of the realisation of a great Nation nicely cradled between the gushing Niger and the sedate Benue. Happy Birthday Old girl.