At 50, Nigeria has promises to keep

At 50, "every man has the face he deserves", wrote George Orwell. The same cannot be said for the face of a nation, or at least for Nigeria, as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of its independence this week. The country's promise, stemming from its fertile soil, its mineral wealth, and large market, remains unfulfilled. The face of Nigeria has scars that often appear incapable of healing; while some of its difficulties are rooted in its colonial past, others are very much the country's own creations.

Nigeria's chronic frustrations were on display as it celebrated the anniversary of its independence on Friday in Abuja. At least 12 people were killed and several more wounded after bomb blasts occurred near parade grounds in the nation's capital. In an email sent to Reuters, a representative for The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), taking responsibility for the attack, said: "It was a symbolic and opportunistic attack intended as a one-off high profile reminder that the injustice in the Niger Delta has not been addressed."

There must be another way for dissident voices to be heard than in the sounds of bomb blasts or the cries of innocents. Mend's killing of civilians serves as a reminder of the nation's problems, but also of that organisation's attempts to exploit the grievances of Nigeria's people for its own profit. The country's transition to democracy is still very much a work in progress. Most problematic is the way in which Nigeria's oil profits, which represent 80 per cent of the government's annual budget, are distributed. The Niger Delta is the most mineral-rich area of the country, but also one of the most underdeveloped. The capital, Abuja, which has scant natural wealth, boasts a skyline that has few rivals on the African continent. These disparities in the distribution of wealth and opportunity compound ethnic and religious tensions that have existed longer than the country itself.

Still, as Nigeria celebrates its 50th birthday the country is enjoying its longest period of civilian rule since its independence. In 2007, the country had it first peaceful transfer of power between two civilian leaders. This relative calm presents an opportunity for the country and its leaders to make good on Nigeria's promise and to tackle seriously the corruption and mismanagement that have so long held the country behind. Only then will Nigerians have the country that they deserve.