With religion and ethnicity tearing us against one another on virtually every issue, we ought to roll out the drums in street celebration for survival. Despite the plethora of challenges that has plagued the country, she still edges forward as we work towards better days. It is on this bases that I join millions of Nigerians in self-congratulation on attaining nineteen years of civilian governance.
Some of us the younger generation are still vexed in the spirit, this is because despite the fact that Nigeria has been practising democracy for the past nineteen years, it seems that most of the government institutions are yet to imbibe the basic principle of a constitutional democracy, which is the rule of law.
It seems like Nigerian institutions are yet to recover from the hangover of decades of military rule. Acts of impunity by government officials and their agencies bring back memories of the days of military rule and this is not good for our progress as a nation and a democratic state.
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The concern of this series is on the Cross River State’s un-hoisted flag after three years of digital governance. The Nigerian flag hoisted by Donald Duke as part of his valedictory gift to the state remains the highest and largest national flag in Nigeria and in Africa and the second highest flag in the World, and it is located at the millennium park, along Eleven-Eleven round about in Calabar the state’s capital. This flag is a constant reminder of our national unity and a call to the national assignment of preservation of our freedom and liberty from the past to the future.
One of role of governance is continuity and that of the citizens is to motivate the government in achieving its stated goals and objectives, because governance is a function of the leadership and followership. Therefore I see no reason why the flag should be flown at half-mast talk more of total removal because from my personal evaluation and score card, Ayade’s administration has a pass mark.
However, the removal of the flag has its own interpretation and political implication. Again the flag should have never be lowered talked more of total removal and for so long a time. Except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life and property. From all grammatical exactitude the flag as in the case of Cross River represent a living state and is itself considered a living thing.
I may not be analysing from the perspective of what the flag stands for or the tourist implication as one of the world’s largest flag, but my concern will be based on the political, economic and social implication of removing the largest flag in Africa hoisted by our state. From any perspective you look at it, the negative implications outweighs the reasons for such removal.
I draw my conclusion here that it is either truly the Ayade’s administration is distressed or has underperformed or that the Governor’s appointees responsible for hoisting back the flag are neither principled, nor truthful, or noble.
