Was There Need To Celebrate This Year’s Democracy Day?

Mr Titus Achor – Business Man
I think it is worth celebrating Nigeria at 54 because there has been a lot of development in the country. It is true that some people are still unemployed but many graduates especially those in the engineering field are securing employment. Government of President Goodluck Jonathan is trying to make life better for us so we have to celebrate. It is also true that there is insecurity in the country,  Chibok girls are not yet released but that shouldn’t stop us from thanking God that the country is still moving on despite all odds.
Mrs Lilian Okonkwo – Nawoj Chairman
For me, Nigeria at 54, I wouldn’t  say it is so good, I wouldn’t say it is so bad. The reason is that  there is always room for improvement.
We always think that things should have been better than what it is now. However, for me, I think there is reason for us to celebrate even if we have problems, after all, for those of us who are Christians, the Bible will tell you that in all things you give thanks. We haven’t done so bad even if it is not so good. I know that we have  challenges talking about the insecurity problems. But you will find out that there are countries which have gone through  the same challenge and it resulted to Civil War. But some how, we have been able to manage our problems  and we have remained one indivisible country. And so for us as a country, that we are still one indivisible entity, it calls for celebration.
Having said that, we still have a lot of problems which we need to tackle to make the country  better – corruption, self-aggrandisement  of our leaders and so on. So we wish that things will get better. We wish that we move from where we are to a higher ground. I want to see a situation where we will have regular power supply so that people’s business will move forward, a situation where the insecurity in the northern part of the country wouldn’t  be there and things will be better than it is now.
Despite all these, yes, the Chibok girls are yet to be found but a lot of things still have to go on.
We can’t mourn for ever, the country has to move on. In my own view, there wasn’t even much celebration  this year. The celebration was in low key, you cannot compare it to what  it used to be in the past.  The lectures, the national honours award and a few other events that formed part of the celebration, were in order. Even when a President of the country died, the country moved forward. Amidst the situation, the country has to move on. It is like somebody having a problem and he sinks in it, no! there still has to be a way out. We still have to move forward, hoping that things will be better. We the citizens of Nigeria should also do the best we can to improve the country.

Mr Lukeman Abiodun-Printer
To me, the country is not okay. The economy is in disarray, people are not happy, things are generally tough for the masses, so what are we celebrating? Most Nigerians are living in abject poverty.
Yes, a 54-year-old man is a full-fledged man but the challenges the country is facing makes it difficult to perform. So the country is still a baby, not a man. For people in government, things are okay for them but for us, the poor masses, trying to eke a living, things are not okay. So for those in government , they can celebrate independence but for us, there is no need for  celebration. Look at me now, I should have travelled to my village for Eid-el Mubarak celebration because I am a moslem but I couldn’t do that because there is no money. Even the people I worked for couldn’t pay because of lack of money. People can’t celebrate when they are hungry, , when the country does not cater for them.
Mrs Jane Beluonwu – Teacher
There was no need for independence celebration this year because Nigeria is not at peace, no happiness  because of the crises here and there, Boko Haram and all the kidnappings. We can’t celebrate in the midst of all these. It is when you are happy that you celebrate. The national honours award, the independence lectures and all that should have been put on hold till next year, when the country shall have hopefull been better. Personally, I am not happy with the present day situation of things in the country.   Look at the school children that were kidnapped many months ago and are yet to be found. If you are their parents or relation, will you want to celebrate independence in  that state? Our leaders should give us a reason for celebration by  making the country a better place.

Mr Ngozi Williams – Transporter
I think we should annually celebrate Independence Day as usual.
Before, when independence was  independence, when things were moving fine, the celebration was groovy. Everybody took part in the celebration one way or the other. But this year, I didn’t see much activities. May be because of scarcity of fund and non-payment of workers salaries, the celebration was dull.
However, looking at it the other way round, abduction of over 200 girls from Chibok, Boko Haram problems and other issues, we ought not to celebrate independence this year because there are too much problems in the country. Infact, we want Nigeria to be divided. Let the northern and southern parts of this country go their separate ways so that there will be peace in this country.
Mrs Stella Njoku – Self-employed
That we are one as a country till 2014, we should celebrate and thank God. Many professed about Nigeria disintegrating and all that but we have continued to be one, that calls for celebration. Many people say there are many problems  in the country so we should  roll out the drums to celebrate our independence but as far as I am concerned, problems  are part of life. We cannot have a problem-free society. It is not possible. A man’s ability to forge ahead despite the mounting challenges facing him makes him a man.
Having said that, I will like to add that I personally, do not buy the annual ritual of giving national awards to people. We all know that many of the awaredees do not deserve the award. Some of them are very corrupt. Some contributed  to the poor  economic and infrastructural state of the nation, yet we honour them, for what? So, there was nothing wrong in thanking God. We have remained one entity despite all challenges but I don’t subscribe to the national honours award.