OUR FLAG: GREEN-WHITE-GREEN

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

On October 1st, 1960, Nigeria became independent. That is 66 years ago today. Before that day we were under the British, and on that day we were told that from now on we will rule ourselves. To mark that new life we needed a new flag, and the government then called for people to design it.

A 23 year old student named Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi was in London at that time studying Electrical Engineering at Norwood Technical College. He saw the advert in the library, he went to buy paper and crayons, and he drew something simple. He drew three vertical lines, Green White Green, and inside the white he put a red sun with rays. He sent it to Lagos from London and out of over two thousand entries, his own was chosen as the winner. The judges removed the red sun and left it as just Green White Green, and that is the flag we have been using since 1960.

When they asked him what it meant, he said Green means our forests, our agriculture, our natural wealth, the land that feeds us, and White means peace and unity. That was his explanation in 1959 when he was just 23 years old.

Now it is 2026, 66 years later, and when we look at that same Green White Green today, what do we really see?

We see Green, because the land is still there and it still grows food. Nigeria is still one of the most fertile places in Africa, we still have good rain and good sun and rivers, but the truth is that many farmers cannot go to farm freely today because there are killings and insecurity on the farmland. Many have lost their lives on the farm. Because of that, many young people have left the village for the city because farming is now hard and risky and expensive. Many of those who still farm are complaining about fertilizer and transport cost, so we have green land all around us but the food from that green land is still very expensive in the market.

We also see White, and White was supposed to be peace and unity. In 1960 the dream was that all tribes would live together as one Nigeria, and yes we are still one country after 66 years, we have not broken, but the truth is that many people are not feeling that peace and unity in their daily life. Many people are not sleeping with peace because money is not enough and many people travel with fear and many are just worried about what tomorrow will bring. We have seen too much blood in different parts of the country and families are still crying. Unity too is not easy now, there is too much suspicion and too much anger, many feel they are not carried along and many feel they are shouting but nobody is hearing them.

Then we see the second Green again, and that Green was supposed to mean hope and future, that Nigeria will grow and become better. Many people are still hoping, that is why shops are still opening every morning and that is why parents are still sending children to school and that is why people still wake up by 4am to go and hustle. But many people are also tired of hoping, they have been hoping since they were small children and now they are grown adults and they are still hoping for the same basic things like light and good road and good work.

So why do we still celebrate October 1st? This day is not about government. Government will come and go. This day is about the promise that was made to us in 1960. That we can rule ourselves and build our land with our own hands. We have not kept that promise well, that is the truth, but the promise itself has not expired.

Green White Green is still our flag. Since 1960 till now, it has never changed. It is still there, waving.

So I will leave you with this: when you look at it today, what do you really see? Do you still see wealth in the green? Do you still see peace in the white? And that last green that was meant to be our future, do you still see hope inside it?

Happy Independence Day.

 

Mazi Gburugburu Says Listening to the People Should Come Before Decisions

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Dr Chima Matthew Amadi, popularly known as Mazi Gburugburu, has said listening to the people should remain an important part of decisions concerning the development of Imo State.

The Action Peoples Party (APP) senatorial candidate for Owerri Zone made the point while speaking about his interactions with women from different communities during the August meeting season.

Amadi said the conversations gave him the chance to hear directly from women and understand some of the issues that matter to them.

‘Throughout the month, I consulted with and engaged women across different communities, listening to their concerns, sharing in their experiences, and learning from their perspectives,’ he said.

He said the experience also showed him the strength and wisdom of the women he met and their concern for the progress of their communities.

‘Their warmth, resilience, wisdom, and commitment to the progress of our communities continue to inspire me,’ he said.

For Amadi, the importance of such engagements is not only in the meetings themselves but also in what can be learnt from the people who take part in them.

He said the conversations had strengthened his belief that the people should have a voice in matters that affect their lives and communities.

‘These consultations have strengthened my conviction that the voices of our people must remain at the heart of everything we do as we work together to build a better Imo State,’ he said.

Amadi also thanked the women who took part in the meetings, saying their support, wisdom and encouragement meant a great deal to him.

‘I am grateful to all the Imo women who made our August engagements meaningful and memorable, and sincerely thank them. Their support, wisdom, and encouragement mean a great deal to me,’ he said.

His comments put the focus on the role of public consultations and the need to hear from people at the community level when discussing issues that affect them.