If we had accepted the offer of Independence in 1957, we would have been 50 this year, today 47, or 50, with the nailing of North and South by Baba Lugard in 1914 we are 93 years old, whether dependent, independent of quasi-dependent.

In Plateau State there would be no march past, this is heartening because I detest the march past, the attendant foolishness that follows it. Besides I ask what is there to celebrate.

Nigerians at 47 love Arsenal Football Club of England more than, Yar'Adua, they watch the Premiership that is aired on our network stations at the expense of developing our local league.

Nigerians love Arsenal, a football club in England that is older than Nigeria, makes more money than most of our so-called States, richer than all the noise making mineral rich States. Nigerians at 47 are strange people, while they affiliate with a club that is miles away from home, they cannot attach themselves to an Eyimba, Ranchers Bees, or Kwara United.

We love Arsenal, a club that makes more money in endorsements, sales of players and merchandising, yet we have States that no company would brand for a Naira. I shake my head, as phrases such as O2, Man U 4 life, Blues Forever and what not has taken over.

When last did I hear someone say Naija 4 life, what is there to be proud of at 47, the fact that we have moved out of the top ten of crooks according to Transparency, but then it is not conducive to do business in Nigeria. We love the wrong things and hate the right things.

I feel hmm, as my car is branded Arsenal, from steering cover, seat belt band, head cover and I have an Arsenal clock in my parlor, wear an Arsenal wristwatch, my sons have their arsenal sweatshirts. I know more about ex-gunner Thiery Henry than I know of Yar'Adua.

I rather vouch for teenage sensation Cesc Fabregas than a typical Nigerian Governor Minister or Senator. It is not about being 47, it is about chasing 50 with little or nothing to show for it, we started this race with quite a number of nation states but today they play big brother to us. Atiku is shamelessly sitting in Dubai, Alams was there too, Bamiayi is going there for treatment. In the 70's when our problem was how to spend the money where was Dubai? We are way out of the leagues of Malaysia, India, Dubai, South Africa, and co. The same South Africa that we gave money to fight apartheid will host the World Cup while we battle to convince the Commonwealth that we can host the colonial games.

With each weekend, I see us drifting away, like the next premier league match determines where the title is heading towards, it all ends in May, but often in December you could almost tell whether Arsenal will win. For us as a nation this is our December, yet we still cannot express a feeling of certainty that we are winning, or would win.

We are dreaming 2020, and one question I ask is that would those nations we are chasing wait for us to get there, like the principle in soccer, for the table to go in your favor, you have to win matches and pray that you competitors loose theirs. Sadly you cannot get there when you loose and they loose when already they are ahead.

We have all it takes to be better than Arsenal, better than England and all its football clubs but do we have the guts. We have combatants in our National Assembly, crooks man our States, ruffians coordinate the affairs of State. We love Arsenal, a club that could buy the PDP without sweat, and same PDP prouds itself as the biggest in Africa, but cannot guarantee a life to those it rules.

Why do we love Arsenal, is it part of the kolomental attitude, what the club, in 11 players? The truth being that those 11 players give much in fulfillment than 47 years has given us as a nation, they wipe out the frustration of 47 years often in 90 minutes, like the Golden Eaglets did in barely a month of competition.

These comparison may be very crude but in the few lines I have indirectly asked us, as we grow, are we really maturing, what are our values, Arsenal or Nigeria, Red or Green, the English Premier League or our own? There are times and questions which only us as a people and a nation can answer...are we ready to answer them, Almighty Allah give us answers.