As Nigeria marks its 59th
independence anniversary, many citizens complain that the ideals of past
leaders have not been met while others continue to blame the military over the
challenges faced by the country over the years.
However, 20 years down the line
in the country’s democratic process, Nigeria has continued with the very
challenges allegedly imposed on it by the military.
This time, the blame has shifted
to politicians with some citizens even calling for the scrapping of a part of
the National Assembly.
NigerianEye presents the very first
'Independence Day' address presented by Tafawa Balewa, then prime minister of
the country, on October 1, 1960.
Today is Independence Day. The
first of October 1960 is a date to which for two years every Nigerian has been
eagerly looking forward. At last, our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now
indeed an independent sovereign nation.
Words cannot adequately express
my joy and pride at being the Nigerian citizen privileged to accept from Her
Royal Highness these constitutional Instruments which are the symbols of
Nigeria’s Independence. It is a unique privilege which I shall remember
forever, and it gives me strength and courage as I dedicate my life to the service
of our country.
This is a wonderful day, and it
is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing
impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the
road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now we have acquired our
rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of
our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now
stands well-built upon firm foundations.
Today’s ceremony marks the
culmination of a process which began 15 years ago and has now reached a happy
and successful conclusion. It is with justifiable pride that we claim the
achievement of our Independence to be unparallelled in the annals of history.
Each step of our constitutional advance has been purposefully and peacefully
planned with full and open consultation, not only between representatives of
all the various interests in Nigeria but in harmonious cooperation with the
administering power which has today relinquished its authority.
At the time when our
constitutional development entered upon its final phase, the emphasis was
largely upon self-government. We, the elected representatives of the people of
Nigeria, concentrated on proving that we were fully capable of managing our own
affairs both internally and as a nation. However, we were not to be allowed the
selfish luxury of focusing our interest on our own homes. In these days of
rapid communications we cannot live in isolation, apart from the rest of the
world, even if we wished to do so. All too soon it has become evident that for
us Independence implies a great deal more than self-government. This great
country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she
must at once be ready to deal with grave international issues.
This fact has of recent months
been unhappily emphasised by the startling events which have occurred in this
continent. I shall not labour the point but it would be unrealistic not to draw
attention first to the awe-inspiring task confronting us at the very start of
our nationhood. When this day in October 1960 was chosen for our Independence
it seemed that we were destined to move with quiet dignity to place on the
world stage. Recent events have changed the scene beyond recognition, so that
we find ourselves today being tested to the utmost. We are called upon immediately
to show that our claims to responsible government are well-founded, and having
been accepted as an independent state we must at once play an active part in
maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilisation. I promise
you, we shall not fail for want of determination.
And we come to this task
better-equipped than many. For this, I pay tribute to the manner in which
successive British governments have gradually transferred the burden of
responsibility to our shoulders. The assistance and unfailing encouragement
which we have received from each Secretary of State for the Colonies and their
intense personal interest in our development has immeasurably lightened that
burden.
All our friends in the Colonial
Office must today be proud of their handiwork and in the knowledge that they
have helped to lay the foundations of a lasting friendship between our two
nations. I have indeed every confidence that, based on the happy experience of
a successful partnership, our future relations with the United Kingdom will be
more cordial than ever, bound together, as we shall be in the Commonwealth, by
a common allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, whom today we proudly
acclaim as Queen of Nigeria and Head of the Commonwealth.
Time will not permit the
individual mention of all those friends, many of them Nigerians, whose selfless
labours have contributed to our Independence. Some have not lived to see the
fulfillment of their hopes on them be peace, but nevertheless they are
remembered here, and the names of buildings and streets and roads and bridges
throughout the country recall to our minds their achievements, some of them on
a national scale. Others confined, perhaps, to a small area in one Division,
are more humble but of equal value in the sum-total.
Today, we have with us
representatives of those who have made Nigeria: Representatives of the regional
governments, of former central governments, of the missionary societies, and of
the banking and commercial enterprises, and members, both past and present, of
the public service. We welcome you, and we rejoice that you have been able to
come and share in our celebrations. We wish that it could have been possible
for all of those whom you represent to be here today: Many, I know, will be
disappointed to be absent, but if they are listening to me now, I say to them,
“Thank you on behalf of my Thank you for your devoted service, which helped build
Nigeria into a nation. Today we are reaping the harvest which you sowed, and
the quality of the harvest is equalled only by our gratitude to you. May God
bless you all.
This is an occasion when our
hearts are filled with conflicting emotions: we are, indeed, proud to have
achieved our independence, and proud that our efforts should have contributed
to this happy event. But do not mistake our pride for arrogance. It is tempered
by feelings of sincere gratitude to all who have shared in the task of
developing Nigeria politically, socially and economically. We are grateful to
the British officers whom we have known, first as masters, and then as leaders,
and finally as partners, but always as friends. And there have been countless
missionaries who have laboured unceasingly in the cause of education and to
whom we owe many of our medical services. We are grateful also to those who
have brought modern methods of banking and of commerce, and new industries. I
wish to pay tribute to all of these people and to declare our everlasting
admiration of their devotion to duty.
And, finally, I must express our
gratitude to Her Royal Highness the Princess Alexandra of Kent for personally
bringing to us these symbols of our freedom, and especially for delivering the
gracious message from Her Majesty The Queen. And so, with the words “God save
our Queen”, I open a new chapter in the history of Nigeria, and of the
Commonwealth, and indeed of the world.
Balewa, Nigeria’s first prime
minister, delivered this speech on October 1, 1960
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