50

A fool at 50 is a fool for life - @AsaAsika.

This is my second go at this, a bit rusty I guess. I hurriedly drafted a piece late last night and then the news broke this morning that the kids who were forcefully seized by criminals on Monday had been ‘rescued’ unharmed. I have an emotional attachment to the town and as I have discovered one or two of the families.

Thank God the kids (some as young as 3!) have been ‘rescued’ and will soon be reunited with their folks. As expected, I wouldn’t hold out for any form of aftercare for the kids. We don’t do things that way. The kids will have the routine photographs with the Governor; the security forces will pat themselves on the back and leave. It will be business as usual until the next newsworthy kidnap occurs. In Abuja, the celebrations will continue, ‘Dame’ Patience will continue distributing rice (making a bundle in the process) while GEJ extols all that is good and great about Nigeria. Thereafter they will devour the celebration cake – which allegedly cost =N=72 million (£288,000). I will be praying and hoping that they choke on it.

Others will sit back and ask - what are we celebrating? The (incomplete and official) Nigeria @50 web site boldly states that we are celebrating greatness! The BBC reckons, more correctly, that we should be celebrating 50 years of freedom (from the British). The Wall Street Journal posted a tweet asking for a word that defines the past 50 years in Nigeria.

My views? Stay tuned, let’s not spoil the amusement of the hoodlums that parade themselves as ‘leaders’. Today, just like every day, I celebrate most Nigerians, not Nigeria.

I leave you with links to some of the best posts of the day while I reflect on events of the past few hours.

Nigeria at 50: Looking into the feature

Now that we’re 50, will Jonathan stop dancing and start thinking?

Women and the nation

Happy Birthday Nigeria, but what are we celebrating?