 LIKE the animal farm our founding fathers set out to create a state of paradise and progress, justice and equality, but today the reverse is the case. At the moment, the nation appears slipping into anarchy with the leaders watching helplessly.
The animal farm opened with the animals having one common foe in the Manor farm, Mr. Jones, so was our history opened with one common foe, the British.
As Mr. Jones denied the animal freedom, equality so the British denied our fathers their freedom. Imposing upon them their foreign culture and way of life. Like Old Major, we had traditional leaders who resisted British rule in their domain. They constantly reminded their subject about the joy of freedom. They hued and sang redemption songs in vernacular languages and taught their subjects these songs as Old Major taught the other animals Beast of England. Unfortunately, they died without seeing the freedom they hoped for, like Old Major in the Manor Farm. Some of them include Jaja of Opobo, Ovonramwen of Benin, Nana of Itsekhiri amongst others.
Indeed as history became legend and legend became myth, the burden of organizing our people and fighting for the freedom we ever cherished fell on the shoulders of men we now described as nationalists ;just as the responsibility of organizing the animals fell on the pigs, in the Manor Farm. They include National icons like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa and host of others. They taught their people things they needed to know especially the benefits of freedom which put an end to Britain’s exploitation of their resources. These national icons elaborated their teaching with a banner called Nationalism, as the pigs also elaborated Old Major’s teachings into Animalism.
Furthermore, just as it took the animals several weeks to gain freedom and chased the humans out of Manor Farm, so it took our nationalists and our fathers years to eventually gain freedom from the British, in 1960. As the animals were extremely happy, so were our fathers and nationalists. As they had leaders in Napleon, Snowball and Squealer so we had leaders in Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Obafemi Awolowo. As the animals in manor farm sang Beasts of England, so our fathers sang the then Nation Anthem, Nigeria We Hail Thee’’’ what more can I say? just as the animals translated the principles of Animalism into The seven commandment which reads
Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animal are equal.
So, our founding fathers transformed the principles of nationalism into the 1960 Independent constitution.
As they lowered the human flag to fly the flag of the Animal Republic, so our fathers lowered the British flag for the Green, White Green flag. Again, as the animals setup committees such as the Egg Production Committee, the Re-Education Committee amongst others, so our then national leaders set up various committees to supervise various areas of national development.
Moreso, as they believed the future was brighter, so did we. As the Animals created military decorations such as “Animal Hero, First class” and “Animal Hero, second class.” So did our leaders by creating numerous national merit award like OON, MON, GCFR amongst others. But as Snowball, the brain behind their victory and revolution was ousted, so were our nationalist sacked from power by some military officers in 1966. To an extent one can confidently say, that as the absence of Snowball allowed Napoleon and Squealer to deceived and re-enslaved the other animals, so the absence of our Nationalist in power allowed the men in uniforms to chastised us with scorpions. That military mentality was handed down to our so-called democratic leaders of today who are still brutish and plundering our resources , and making us regret allowing the British to go, as the animals once wished Mr. Jones was still their boss. Just like Boxer, the tireless, hardworking horse died for the love of the farm, so many Nigerian matyr fought and died for the transformation of their fatherland which never took place in their time. We cannot forget in a hurry men like Ken Saro Wiwa, Moshood Abiola, to mention a few. During this period the state laws were framed to suit the whimps and caprices of some as the commandment in the animal farm was later structured to suit Napoleon and his allies. As the whole commandment was reduced to
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL But some animals are more equal than others
However, the current situation in Nigeria still needs a saviour that will put an end to the numerous social and national vices that have trapped our dear country.
My fear for my beloveth Nigeria is, are we going to continue hoping for another messiah, to save us from this modern slavery we have found ourselves, as the animals did which, but never came to pass, or take the bull by the horn and demand a revolution in all its ramifications.
In my view, the only option for Nigeria is revolution which will see the masses of this nation pouring as was seen during the fuel subsidy struggle early in the year demanding the exit of current crooked leaders.
We must be united to throw out irresponsible government and putting in place a peoples constitution and government.
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Edo State is recent time under the administration of Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomole has become role model for other state across the country. The emulation is a fallout from the developmental achievement recorded by the Comrade Governor who has made the state one of the fastest growing state in the South-South Zone and Nigeria in general in terms of politics, economy, social, education etc.
