As citizens celebrate the 64th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, a former general secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr Anthony Z. Sani, who was just 10 years old in October 1960, goes down the memory lane on the ideals and values prevalent among the founding fathers of the country that held sway in politics and power. KUNLE ODEREMI brings the excerpts of the interview: You were just 10 years old when Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960.
Anything from that experience? At that age in a villlage setting there would not be any experience worth sharing. We actually had been made by our teachers in primary school in the village to understand that Nigeria would be free from the rule of white man as from 1st October 1960. But the village setting had no means for us to witness the ceremonies.
All the same, I can say when the 1/10/1960 arrived,there was excitement not only in the primary schools but also in the whole village in the expectation and hope that when Nigerians ruled themselves, things would be made much easier, better and the master/servant relationship would be no more. What are those things you can recollect concerning the day and the process that led to independence? At that level, age and without radio, all we had been told by our teachers were that the Queen would come from England and hand over the government to Tafawa Balewa and Sardauna of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), Sir Ahmadu Bello would fully be in charge in Lagos and Kadun.