Nigeria's Decline: From Prominence to Pittsburgh
I am a Nigerian, and I have always cherished the position of my country in Africa and its role in world affairs. But this was in the late 1970s. The early 1980s marked a significant shift. After my studies in Europe, I returned to Nigeria to share my groundbreaking work on auditory analysis and speech perception. My innovative use of invariance in the perception of speech and music irrespective of mechanical and acoustic variability was both unprecedented and revolutionary.
Returning to Nigeria for Pan-African Ambitions
Passionate about making my country proud, I returned to Nigeria, joined the Youth Service, and was deployed to Jos. Initially teaching French at Kuru Secondary School, I was quickly moved to the University of Jos, where I was appointed to build a laboratory for acoustic studies. The experience seemed too good to be true. And yet, it was.
The Disastrous Turning Point
Not long into the project, a request was made to release funds for the first set of basic equipment. That was the moment when the penny dropped. The bursar disclosed that the government of President Shehu Shagari had halted the project to balance the nation's economic deficits. Can you believe it? A project of a few thousand Naira in 1983 aimed to benefit Nigeria, Nigerian universities, and the scientific world globally was canceled to balance the books of the world's fifth-largest oil exporter! This was a profound disappointment and a wake-up call.
A Fight for the Nation's Future
Undeterred, I flew to Lagos and confronted the Minister of Education. I was told I needed an appointment to see the minister. I clearly stated that I had come a long way and would not leave until I saw the minister in person. The receptionist stared at me wide-eyed in my Youth Corps uniform, asked me to wait, and soon I was brought to the Honorable Minister's office.
Unyielding Conviction and Sorrow
Oh, what a kind he was! I unfolded the significance of my project, which not only aimed to stop Nigerians from going abroad for such expertise but also to attract students worldwide to the Acoustical Society of Africa at Jos University Nigeria. That was a dream! The minister was very happy. He took copies of my university degrees and asked me to return to my campus at Jos. Walking out of his office, my pocket was full of his promise to write me ASAP. But did he?
In his reply, the minister admitted that Nigeria lacked the technological equipment needed for my research. Therefore, he granted me foreign exchange authorization to return abroad for my research. I was left numbed. When I recovered, I poured my heart out, warning Nigerians about the ruling class that was destroying our nation, our people, and our future. This was the inspiration for my novel, "Giant of the Cemetery," available on Amazon. It is sad to say that even now, not even the pandemic has helped Nigerian leaders see the need to fulfill the nation's potential.
A Parable in Nigeria
So, to answer the question, how is Nigeria the giant of Africa? It is so because most parts of black Africa are a cemetery where the citizens are the living dead. Today, the project I initially wanted to develop in Nigeria is now with the American Journal of Physics and Applications. It is a stark reminder that when you are not trustworthy, even what little you have is taken away from you and given to the one who has more. Therefore, to say that Nigeria is the giant of Africa is an ironic way to say that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is the king.
What is happening to Nigeria was pointed out well in advance. Hopefully, as in the novel, someone will make the dream come true.