This advice came from two
clerics, Monsignor Gabriel Osu and Imam Shuaib Abdullahi, following
recommendation of the Chairman, Centenary Committee, Prof. Tekena Tamuno, that
the name “Nigeria” be changed to “Commonwealth of Nigeria”. According to the
clerics, a name change was not what Nigerians needed now, but how their
challenges would be addressed.
Professor Tamuno had
recommended that the change must take effect from the 1st of Jan. 2014, when
the country will be marking the 100th anniversary, following the amalgamation
of its northern and southern protectorates by the British in 1914. Tamuno, an
Emeritus Professor, had made his call at an annual lecture of the Nigeria
Academy of Letters organised to mark the nation’s centenary anniversary.
However, Osu, who is the Director of Communication, Catholic Diocese of Lagos,
said that the government should address the challenges in the country rather
than attempting to spend money on a name change: “Why should Nigeria’s name be
changed? Is the change our problem? Our problem is hunger, poverty, no water,
no electricity, high rate of unemployment and so on… Our name is very good, the
problem is human beings that are Nigerians; they should not spend billions
again in changing names, while the masses are living in abject poverty and
dying of hunger,” he said.
On
his part, Abdullahi, Executive Director, Zakat and Fadaqat Foundation, said
that it would be irrelevant changing the name Nigeria as there was absolutely
nothing wrong with it. Abdullahi said that it was the managers and leaders of
the country Nigeria that needed a positive change and transformation: “There is
nothing wrong with the name Nigeria, but there is something wrong with the
leaders of Nigeria… The name Nigeria is our name, our brand and has become part
and parcel of our lives. All we need is to improve on our dented image in terms
of positive change in the style of leadership and total re-branding,” he said
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