A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ntufam Mba E. Ukweni has said that Nigeria as a nation is deeply retrogressing.
Commenting on the celebration of the 59th Independence Anniversary, Ukweni lamented that instead of the country moving forward, it was going backward.
“At 59, we expected Nigeria to have developed beyond where we are now. It appears to me, that instead of progressing, we are in a speedy retrogression.
“There are no functioning industries in the country. Unemployment and poverty are on the increase. The state of infrastructural decay is appalling. Our roads have long expired and are in very deplorable states.
“Our leaders have not learnt from past experiences. They are irredeemably corrupt. There is no coordination in Governments. Governments both at the Federal and State levels are directionless, not knowing what to do. Government offices have become avenues of perpetuating corruption.
“Those who said they have come to fight corruption are more corrupt than those they said they have come to check. State Governors see themselves as Emperors and treat the citizens as conquered persons.
“There is no respect for the Rule of law and the rights of persons. Lawlessness and violent crimes have become the order of the day, having reached uncontrollable dimensions.
“Law Enforcement Agencies have become politically partisan and are swallowed into ethnic idiosyncrasies. The Judiciary that is supposed to act as a check on the excesses of the other two arms of Government has been intimidated, oppressed and cowed down to political submission.
“The woes of our good and beloved country are uncountable. All the same, we thank God that we remain a country, abundantly blessed by HIM. Nature has favoured us in every respect,” he said.
