By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The show of shame exhibited on May 29, 2019, when presidential guards appeared in Scottish traditional attire during President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term inauguration at the famous Eagle Square calls for concern.
Frankly speaking, it not only reinforces the call for restructuring of the nation but justifies it. Nigerians are still struggling to fathom the wisdom behind the ‘lavish’ display of Scottish-British traditional attire –which is an indirect way of promoting their culture- when there are diverse cultural attires from the over two hundred and fifty ethnic groups in Nigeria that could have been promoted to the world that day.
It would have been more honourable for President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria if the guards had won the traditional attires of the Fulanis or the Nupes, the Kanuris, the Yorubas, the Igbos, the Binis, the Itsekhiris, the Tivs, the Igalas, the Idomas, the Ishans, the Urhobos, the Anangs, the Ijaws, the Kalabaris, the Ikwerres, the Ekpeyes, among others, than the Scottish traditional attire.
What is baffling is the occasion chosen to display this show of shame: the 2nd term inauguration ceremony of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the most populous nation in Africa in no less a prestigious venue than the almighty Eagles Square.
Normally, the Eagles Square, which could rank in the same class as the likes of Moscow’s Red Square, Beijing’s Tiananmen Square or Washington’s Capitol Hill, is supposed to be a symbol of Nigeria’s unity, strength, dignity and freedom hence anything that happens there is supposed to be a national trademark.
Parading and promoting the traditional attire of a foreign country, let alone a former colonial affiliate, is tantamount to cultural re-colonisation 59 years after gaining independence from the British government. This leaves much to be desired for a country that claims to be the giant of Africa. It’s not just an insult to Nigeria and her two hundred million people; it’s an insult to the African continent and the entire black race.
Among the things that make Nigeria thick are her huge human and material resources as well as her rich cultural diversity that has been the envy of other countries, including our former colonialists. Why the federal government should, therefore, decide to re-import and promote foreign culture on a day Nigerians are celebrating their twentieth year since the return of democracy in 1999 remains a mystery.
Expectedly, many angry Nigerians have been condemning the federal government’s action, with some demanding for an unreserved apology from the presidency for what they see as a national embarrassment.
Whoever initiated that unpatriotic and embarrassing parade and promotion of Scottish traditional attire has only succeeded in telling Nigerians that he is angling for a return to colonialism. Could it be that the person or group of persons was indirectly sending a message to Mr President and to Nigerians that he is tired of the type of democracy being practised here and the attendant nose-diving economy and will prefer the British coming back to re-colonise us and run our nation for us?
Could it be that the fellow is indirectly telling the present government that it has failed Nigerians and that rather than going for a second tenure, it will be better to submit to second colonization or re-colonization by the British? Or could it just be sabotage?
If it is not any of these things, then it means that whoever initiated that idea of Scottish attire promotion is either bereft of ideas or insensitive to the feelings of Nigerians. The person is simply suffering from CMS (Colonial Mentality Syndrome) and IC (Inferiority Complex) and should go for PSCRR (Psycho-Social and Cultural Reorientation and Rehabilitation) therapy.
And for accepting to be hoodwinked into allowing such an unpatriotic charade to the chagrin of Nigerians, the federal government truly owes Nigerians an apology.
Moreover, that national embarrassment underscores the need for urgent restructuring of Nigeria along the six geo-political zones, each of which should be made autonomous enough to produce its own God-given resources and promote its own rich cultural heritage and save this country the shame of having to import, parade and promote a foreign culture in a post-independence 21st century.
