Nature the Supreme Teacher, History the Core Subject
MUSA-ODODO ABDULRAHAMAN
15TH JANUARY 1966: A NATIONAL LESSON WE MUST LEARN TO ALTER THE COURSE OF HISTORY
Existence is not accidental. It is Pedagogical.
Life is a school, Nature is the supreme teacher, and History is the core subject through which nations are examined.
Nature does not teach by speeches; she teaches by consequences.
History, therefore, is not merely a record of past events – it is the report card of collective choices. When lessons are ignored, they are repeated, often with greater intensity and cost.
This is the eternal law governing individuals and nations alike.
15 JANUARY 1966: A NATIONAL LESSON WRITTEN IN PAIN
The events of 15 January 1966, Nigeria’s first military coup, remain one of the most defining moments in our national history. On that day, the nation lost some of her finest founding fathers – men who embodied discipline, vision, and statesmanship.
We honour their memory not merely with words or rituals, but with understanding.
Because remembrance without learning is sentimentality,
but remembrance with learning is Wisdom.
Their lives must not be reduced to tragedy alone; they must become teachers to the living.
WHAT HISTORY HAS BEEN TEACHING NIGERIA
History has spoken to Nigeria with clarity – yet we have struggled to listen.
- History Reveals the Danger of Fragmented Identity
Nigeria is a multinational, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious society. History shows that such societies cannot survive on narrow identities alone.
When tribe, religion, and region become stronger than the nation itself, the state begins to fracture from within. The tensions that preceded the first coup, and later the civil war, were symptoms of an unresolved identity crisis.
Nature has taught us that no nation survives without a Shared Identity.
- History Shows That Civil Conflict Is a Costly Teacher
Societies that fail to consciously manage diversity often pass through periods of instability and civil conflict. Nigeria’s experience is not unique in world history.
But history also warns us:
No country survives repeated civil wars and remains whole.
To ignore this lesson is to gamble with the very existence of the nation.
- History Teaches That Nationhood Must Be Consciously Built
Nations are not accidents; they are intentional constructions.
Every great nation at some point asked itself fundamental questions:
Who are we?
Why do we exist together?
What principles bind us?
What future are we building?
Nigeria has postponed these questions for too long.
WHAT WE MUST DO NOW AS A PEOPLE
The time has come not for superficial reforms, but for a Conscious Rebirth of true Nationhood.
- Forge a Common Nigerian Identity
We must realize who we are beyond tribe, tongue, religion, and region.
This does not erase diversity; it transcends it.
A universal Nigerian identity must emerge – one that allows every citizen to say:
I am Nigerian first, without denying who I am culturally.
- Discover a Unifying National Purpose
A Nation without Purpose is a crowd, not a People.
We must collectively define:
Why Nigeria exists
What contribution she is meant to make to Africa and humanity
What future generations must inherit
Purpose unites where force fails.
- Establish the Nation on Eternal Principles
Great nations are built on principles that are:
Applicable to all people
Relevant in all places
Enduring across all times
Justice, dignity, equity, responsibility, truth, and the sanctity of human life must form the moral architecture of the Nigerian state.
- Clearly State the Philosophy of the Nigerian State
Every state is driven by a philosophy – whether articulated or not.
Nigeria must consciously define:
The values that shape governance
The ethical standards that guide leadership
The civic virtues expected of citizens
Character is the Destiny of Nations.
- Define the Nigerian Dream
Just as other nations articulated their dreams, Nigeria must define hers.
What does success mean for a Nigerian child? What does prosperity look like for the average citizen? What future do we promise those yet unborn?
A Nation without a Dream cannot Inspire Sacrifice, Unity, or Loyalty.
CONCLUSION: SO THAT THE LABOUR OF OUR HEROES PAST SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN
The blood and sacrifices of Nigeria’s founding fathers must not become historical footnotes. Their true memorial is a just, united, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.
History has spoken.
Nature has taught.
The responsibility now lies with the living.
If we learn, Nigeria will Rise.
If we ignore the lesson, history will repeat itself – without mercy.
The Choice before us is not Political; it is Civilizational.
Let us Choose Wisely Now!!!
Shepherd of Nigerian Divine Destiny
Musa-Ododo Abdulrahaman
Founder, Initiative for Discovery of Nigeria Heritage and Endowment (IDNHE)
Convener, The Conscious Creation of a New Nigeria
Chairman, National Policy Dialogue – a Dialogue with Wisdom.
www.nationalpolicydialogue.org
🇳🇬 Green-on and thanks for such wonderful national message on very symbolic day sir.
Deeply spiritual and educative indeed.
The LORD help us to start paying attention to the strategic message our HISTORY has been teaching us. But alas! We have not paid attention.
More GRACE and remain EVERGREEN.
NIGERIA SHALL BE RESTORED 🇳🇬