LORD LUGARD CREATED NIGERIA TO LAST FOR 100 YEARS ONLY -IBB

From former military President, Ibrahim Babangida
came a shocker yesterday when he revealed that
Lord Lugard created Nigeria to last for only a 100
years.
The self-acclaimed Evil Genius said this in Lagos yesterday
September 13, 2013 at the presentation of 2 books in honor of
foreign affairs minister during his regim, Bolaji Akinyemi.
Speaking yesterday Babangida had said “As Nigerians, we are
aware of the great doubts that have been cast about what 2014
portends for the continuing existence of our nation. I am aware
that Nigerians have taken great umbrage at these predictions.
Even Lord Lugard who founded what has been called Nigeria
gave it a life-span of 100 years.
I regard it as a challenge to our intelligence to ensure that these
portends and prophesies do not become self-fulfilling.
“We should engage these predictions on an intellectual level,
testing whether the facts justify the conclusions.
“But on a practical and public policy level, we must import
honesty into our public policy assessment. First, we must
identify the problems that need to be addressed. Secondly, we
must address these problems honestly. Thirdly, we must identify
the most current and the most appropriate mechanism for
addressing these issues.
“Let me make this clear. My position is not dictated by the fact
that foreigners are making these predictions. We don’t even need
foreigner sources as a reference point. The Nigerian media is
awash with alarming news about our problems.
“My position is dictated by my conviction that Nigeria is
precious enough to be saved. It deserves an investment of our
time and resources to make Project Nigeria a success. But the
starting point has to be an admission that we need to fix
things.”
Babangida also stated that mistakes of past administrations are
putting pressure on the country today though he refused to
identify the mistakes or the past administrations that made
them.
Said he “Some of the mistakes of the past have now come to
haunt us. But let me make one thing clear. Not all these
mistakes were made out of callousness or bad faith or malice.
“Most people in office do their best. They act to the best of their
ability. Unless we think that our leaders have divine ability, we
have to admit that even with all the best of their abilities and
even with the best faith and with the best of all intentions,
human beings will still make mistakes,” In his own comments,
Professor Akinyemi called for a national dialogue saying “Zoning,
federal character, rotation, marginalization of the brightest and
the best will only make the much prophesied collapse of Nigeria
in 2014 a self- fulfilling prophecy.
We cannot build a nation on a system that takes care of the few
while condemning the many to penury. A system that cannot
take care of the many that are poor cannot save the few who are
rich.”
SOURCE : myemag