A Senior Lecturer at London Metropolitan University, Dr Bisi Adewole says he has lost confidence in the President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan for his show of cowardice in the face of terrorists like Boko Haram and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on the 51st anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence .

“On independence day the government has told the people that, the control of the nation is no longer in the hands of the government, that now it is in the hands of terrorists, Boko Haram and the rest. If the MEND and Boko Haram can threaten the government and the government can actually go inside, to celebrate what it is supposed to  celebrate openly, then I have no confidence in this government to be honest with you”

According to Dr Adewole, Nigeria celebrated its 51^st anniversary in custody because Eagle’s Square notable for the celebration of Nigeria’s independence 'suddenly turned to a place of danger’ on Friday.

Dr Adewole described the Square as desolate, highly embarrassing, highly shameful and sad which clearly showed that the government was incapable of ruling the country again.

Dr Bisi Adewole made these remarks in the studios of Voice of Africa Radio as part of a panel that discussed “Nigeria At 51 “on the station’s Straight Talk Show on Sunday.

The senior Lecturer wondered how President Good luck Jonathan could ever go carry out his presidential duties such as the commissioning of projects or attending public functions.

“The implication of what happened was that Goodluck Jonathan, the President of Nigeria will no longer be able to go out to commission projects because these terrorist organisations will threaten him that they will bomb him down. It means that there no longer will be state visits, no public functions by the president again”

Dr Adewole called for a new freedom in Nigeria that will not come through the political class because the political class from all walks of life have woefully failed Nigerians.

“We need another wave of freedom. I call on Nigerians that a time has come for a new freedom, it means that Nigerians should take their future into their own hands. It happened in Tunisia, it happened in Egypt and recently in Libya .These  are the people who are taking the bull by the horn and are saying enough is enough, that is the new freedom”

He stressed the need for Nigerians to come together and fight for this new freedom with their time, with their money and everything they had, if Nigeria was going to see progress and growth.

“We need a new independence in Nigeria. A freedom that will take us away from the politicians. Nigeria is growing you know. Now when you go to Nigeria, you see young girls of twenty and nineteen giving birth, Nigeria is growing in population but there is no development.”

 He condemned President Jonathan for reneging on his promise to provide electricity for the country within a few months of coming to power which he has failed to honour.

“There is no electricity and the bedrock of development is electricity, where there is no electricity, nothing can be done, no nation can ever develop without power.”

He said there were many Nigerians who have the will to do something in the country but are not able to do so’ because the country is in darkness’.

“When Jonathan was the vice president he promised that within six months he will bring light to Nigeria, but how long is it? that promise he failed on it, when he was a President in his own capacity, he made the same promise but he failed on it, how can we trust him? I don’t believe any Nigerian has confidence in him except those who are with the government -  looting and squandering the money.”

In his closing remarks Dr Adewole said “I am a very proud Nigerian, because Nigerians are  very lovely and hardworking people. You visit Nigeria you see good people working hard to earn a living. But what every Nigerian needs is a good government and good life like any other citizen of the world,” he added.

By Florence Simpson/Voice of Africa Radio/UK