History as a Binding Glue: How Nigeria’s Collective Memory Can Hold Us Together.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

Remember the cost our past paid for the freedoms we squabble over today.

Nigeria’s past is not an optional footnote. It is the adhesive that can bind a fractured nation, the story of a people who fought COLONIAL MASTERS, survived a devastating CIVIL WAR and refused to let authoritarian theft of the BALLOT STAND. Those episodes are not simply chapters of grievance; they are testimonies of sacrifice, resilience and prices paid in blood and dignity. If we tell those stories honestly (with the scale of suffering and the faces of those who resisted in full view) we can turn memory into moral capital and common purpose.

On October 1, 1960, Nigeria formally emerged from British colonial rule into an uncertain independence, a moment of euphoria that masked deep regional and structural fault lines. Independence was the fruit of decades of organized struggles by nationalists (Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and COUNTLESS UNSUNG PATRIOTS who worked in political parties, unions, churches, mosques and market squares) insisting that Nigerians be masters of their fate. That victory was not inevitable. It was won by organizing, argument and sacrifice. Remembering the public courage that produced independence anchors us, it reminds citizens that rights were claimed, not gifted and that vigilance is required to keep them.

Yet INDEPENDENCE did not INOCULATE Nigeria against the CENTRIFUGAL forces of ethnicity, economic inequality and political exclusion. Those tensions birthed the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970 a conflict that left an indelible moral scar on the NATION. The human cost was immense, scholars and modern historians estimate civilian and military deaths ranging from hundreds of thousands to several million, with famine and displacement devastating entire communities. The war’s memory is not merely a record of loss; it is a stern lesson about what happens when the state fails to forge inclusive political institutions and when political disputes are resolved by force instead of dialogue. To ignore that lesson is to court a repetition of the catastrophe.

Memory becomes moral only when it names names not to perpetuate vendettas, but to catalogue the forces that undermined our shared life. The stories of ordinary Nigerians who fed the starving, sheltered the displaced and resisted abuses should be made central in schoolrooms, memorials and public ceremonies. Commemoration should not be a STATE-MANAGED spectacle that airbrushes inconvenient truths; it must be a living archive that teaches future citizens how and why freedoms were won and how easily they may be lost. When history is taught as a series of human choices instead of a parade of anonymous disasters, we sharpen the civic instincts necessary for democracy.

The appeal of shared memory is not sentimental; it is strategic. June 12, 1993 (the day of what many historians call Nigeria’s freest and fairest election) is a prime example. The annulment of that election and the subsequent suffering of its presumed winner, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, galvanized a nation and produced a generation of activists who would not accept democratic theft. That collective insistence on the sanctity of the ballot ultimately became one of the reference points for modern Nigerian democratic theology. Honoring June 12 and teaching why the people rose, cements a civic ethic that prizes electoral legitimacy over personalist power.

Though memory only binds, if it is told with moral clarity rather than partisan rancour. Our public narratives too often collapse into two traps; either they MYTHOLOGIZE leaders while excusing historical sins or they WEAPONIZE history into perpetual grievance that paralyses constructive engagement. Instead, Nigeria needs memory that is capacious enough to embrace both sacrifice and critical appraisal; to praise courage where it existed and to call out failures of leadership that betrayed the public trust.

Literature and public intellectuals have long urged such a balanced approach. Wole Soyinka, a living repository of Nigeria’s conscience, has warned against trivialising the struggles that birthed democratic claims; he insists that those who reduce these sacrifices to personal ambition are the “REAL ENEMIES” of democratic progress. That is a clarion call, memory must be reverent without being worshipful, forensic without being vindictive.

The mechanics of turning memory into glue are practical and urgent. First: education. Civic curricula must foreground the independence movement, the causes and human cost of the civil war and the democratic struggles of 1993, not as distant trivia but as foundational civic literacy. Second: public commemoration should include museums, oral-history projects and community memorials that center ordinary citizens testimonies, market women, soldiers mothers, teachers and the imprisoned. Thirdly, the media and arts should be incentivized to dramatize and interrogate these histories rather than sensationalize them. When children see a classroom play about a community that rescued refugees during the war, they learn empathy and responsibility in ways that abstract lectures cannot deliver.

There is also a political duty. Leaders must refuse the cynical erasure of history for political expediency. They should sponsor TRUTH-SEEKING and RECONCILIATION where necessary, fund the preservation of archives and create public spaces that facilitate honest national dialogue. When governments act as historians by omission (suppressing uncomfortable records, rewarding amnesia) they fracture the social compact that history is meant to preserve.

Memory’s binding force also demands civic rituals that are nonpartisan. National holidays and commemorations should be infused with real substance: testimonies, public hearings and the awarding of civic honors to unsung heroes. When citizens see that sacrifices made by previous generations are publicly acknowledged, they are likelier to invest in the common good. Conversely, when memory is monopolized as a partisan trophy, it loses legitimacy and slips into polarising myth.

Finally, the moral energy drawn from shared history must be converted into accountability. The memory of those who suffered should demand better governance today and transparent institutions, a justice system that works and economic policies that reduce inequality. To venerate past sacrifice while tolerating present rot is moral hypocrisy; history binds only when it creates obligations in the present.

Nigeria’s story (independence wrested from empire, a civil war that almost dissolved the nation and democratic struggles that risked and sometimes lost lives) gives us a profound choice. We can let those stories be trophies for factional VIRTUE-SIGNALING or we can make them the mortar for a durable civic architecture. If we choose the latter, history becomes more than memory: it becomes a binding glue; the shared narrative that holds citizens accountable to one another, resists demagogues and demands a politics worthy of the price that previous generations paid.

The past did not deliver us a perfect country. It delivered us a country with an obligation to honor sacrifice with institutions that protect liberty, to honor resilience with policies that expand opportunity and to honor those who fought for democracy with an unflinching commitment to the rule of law. Remembering is not merely retrospective mourning; it is FORWARD-LOOKING resolve. Let us tell the stories properly, teach them widely and act on them fiercely; because the better future we seek must be built on the full truth of where we have been.

– George Omagbemi Sylvester

Richard Samuel Oki: Celebrating A Man Of Vision and Integrity @50

By life’s clock, a gentleman just rolled over to 50! Age is truly a number, but more a mark of achievements. Turning 50 is a significant milestone, and it truly seems life from 50 is moving at top speed.

A man’s success in life is not determined nearly as much by how he finished, as it will by how he started. From the quiet town of Okitipupa in Ondo State to the corporate skyline of New York, Richard Samuel Oki’s story illustrates that integrity and perseverance remain the true currencies of success.

Acknowledging Oki’s professional accomplishments while celebrating the personal qualities that make him a respected and admired individual, his sound judgement and steady vision, has grown the company into a respected enterprise distinguished by its adherence to ethical standards and its belief in corporate responsibility.

Beyond his professional successes, Richard Oki is widely admired for his personal qualities and commitment to service. In the words of his friends and colleagues, his personal life is characterized by integrity, kindness, and wisdom, making him a role model for many.

Living a life of excellence is a worthwhile pursuit that aids Richard’s constant strive for excellence, personal growth and continuous improvements.

Success often doesn’t come overnight. It is characterized by hard work, adaptation, and a growing definition of purpose. Rather than chasing instant success, Oki dedicated himself to mastering his craft. Record shows that he put in the long, consistent effort required for genuine achievement.

After obtaining a Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Business Administration and Management from Ondo State Polytechnic, now Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Richard pursued further studies in the United States, earning an MBA from PAL University, Florida.The rigour of those years shaped a mind that blends intellectual curiosity with practical insight, qualities that continue to define his professional path.

Born in 1975, Richard showed an early inclination for leadership and learning. Today he serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Megs-Richie Inc., a New York-based conglomerate with interests in finance, investment consultancy and international trade.

Back in Nigeria, his imprint is visible through City Capital Lotus Finance Limited, which he founded. The institution has become a trusted platform for creative financial solutions, particularly for individuals and small businesses seeking sustainable growth. Under his guidance, the firm bridges capital gaps and supports development projects that stimulate the wider economy.

Yet Richard’s influence extends beyond commerce. Through the Eko Greater Tomorrow Foundation (EGTF), which he and others established and leads, hundreds of youths and unemployed have acquired enterprise skills and training , artisans have received vocational training and widows and vulnerable families have been given renewed hope.

His quiet philanthropy reflects a conviction that wealth and knowledge find their highest expression in service to humanity.

Acknowledging the journey so far, Richard Samuel Oki is embracing the future with enthusiasm, while expressing gratitude for his presence and impact on others’ lives.

Africa’s Best Talents to Take Over Europe as Talent Hunt Global Launches Six-Month Tour

It was a day of excitement and inspiration last Tuesday at CMD Road, Magodo, Lagos, as Talent Hunt Global (THG) officially unveiled its 2025/2026 Six-Month Intensive Academic Theatre and Travel Tour Project through a well-attended awareness press conference.

The event drew intending students from Edo and Lagos States, alongside creative industry stakeholders and performing arts enthusiasts.

Among the notable attendees was Mr. Inam Akrasi, THG’s representative for Arts and Culture, who flew in from Paris, France. In his address, Akrasi emphasized the significance of the initiative, reaffirming THG’s commitment to empowering creative talents across Africa and Europe.

“Talent already exists within us, it only needs to be discovered and developed. That’s what Talent Hunt Global stands for,” he said.

“Our organization has established partnerships in France, particularly with La Ligue de l’Enseignement, a major national structure that supports educational and cultural development. With the strong efforts of Mr. Adetona Davies, our Founder, we have built a solid relationship with them. The October event marks the first phase of a broader program extending into February 2026. We’re fully ready to showcase African talent to the world.”

The press conference was anchored by Paul Mashote, Esq., National President of Talent Hunt Africa and National Legal Adviser of Talent Hunt Global.

Mashote described the initiative as “a continental and intercontinental creative odyssey designed to nurture raw African talent and expose it to global excellence.”

He explained that the programme, which will run across Nigeria, Ghana, Qatar, France, and Spain, will blend academic theatre training, cultural exchange, and international performance to produce globally competitive and purpose-driven artists.

“This is not just a program,” he stressed. “It’s a vision to raise a generation of creative minds capable of competing and collaborating on the global stage.”

Other key members of the organizing team present included Nollywood actor Mr. Segun Emmanuel, National Supervisor, and Ms. Ola Samuel, National Secretary of Talent Hunt Global Nigeria. Both speakers praised the project’s transformative potential for Nigerian youths.

Mashote also shared the inspiring story of Mr. Adetona Davies, the Founder of Talent Hunt Global. A graduate of Accounting, Adetona chose the path of creativity and purpose. Since 1994, he has traveled across 22 countries using music and theatre to spread messages of creativity and faith.

After years of service as a missionary with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in South Africa, he established Talent Academy, which later evolved into Talent Hunt Global. The organization now operates across Europe and Africa with successful collaborations, including projects with Arts and Culture France.

The upcoming editions of the programme, scheduled for October 2025 and February 2026, will offer participants: Intensive academic and practical theatre training, cultural exchange experiences, international travel and performance opportunities, and direct mentorship from industry leaders

Participating countries include France, Nigeria, Ghana, Spain, Holland, Sweden, Serbia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the UK.

Mashote humorously concluded, saying:

“Our Founder may not have practiced Accounting, but he’s been auditing talents, balancing destinies, and crediting the world with purpose-driven creatives. That’s a legacy no calculator can compute.”

The event ended with photo sessions, networking, and enthusiasm from young creatives eager to join the global tour.

With this official unveiling, Talent Hunt Global continues to position Nigeria and Africa as emerging hubs for world-class creative talent, proving that when talent meets purpose, the world becomes its stage.