None of our problems are insurmountable

By Ayo Akinfe

[1] As those of us in the UK celebrate another bank holiday, let us use today to reflect on how historic a day May 27 is internationally. On this day in 1958, Ernest Green became the first African-American to graduate from Little Rock's Central High School. In this picture here, you can see troops of the The 101st Airborne Division escort nine black students into Little Rock School in Arkansas. The odds stacked against these guys was far greater than anything the Almajiri are going through in Nigeria today

[2] It was also on this day in 1963 that 1963 Jomo Kenyatta was elected as the first prime minister of Kenya. I live that man if for nothing else but his famous quote: "When the white men came to Africa, we had the land and they had the Bible. They taught us to pray with our eyes closed and when we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible."

[3] Similarly, it was on May 27 1849, that the Great Hall at Euston station in London was opened. Today, we all travel on the train with ease but it all started somewhere

[4] For me, however, the most historic event was that on this day in 1905, the Japanese fleet destroyed the Russian East Sea fleet in the Battle of Tsushima. This was the only decisive clash between modern steel battleships in history. What makes the day so special is that the Japanese did not see steamships until 1853 when Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay. Yet, just 50 years later, the Japanese had built a navy of steamships that defeated a major European power. Steam ships arrived in Nigeria at about the same time but alas, have we managed to copy the British technology?

[5] Do you also know that on this day in 1930, the 1,046-foot Chrysler Building in New York City, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opened up to the public? Today, countries like Dubai, Saudi Arabia and China and taking skyscrappers to new heights. Are we interested in joining this rat race at all? I do not know of one city ion the world in need of skyscrappers as badly as Lagos

[6] It was also on this day in 1940 that British and Allied forces begin the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) during World War Two evacuating 338,226 soldiers troops from France. They turned a hopeless situation around, hastily evacuating troops in 800 vessels, most of them manned by fishermen and volunteers who responded to a clarion call by British prime minister Winston Churchill

[7] I can go and on, citing more events that happened on this day but I think that is not necessary as you have got the message. Human development is brought about by the dynamism of man. Ordinary men and women who defy all the odds and set themselves a task that must be achieved

[8] Nigerians love moaning and blaming their irresponsible leaders for all their woes but fail to acknowledge that these rulers are only able to get away with it because there is no alternative. A nation of spirited and determined citizens can never be misruled

[9] The odds stacked against those black pupils in Little Rock Arkansas were far greater than anything we suffer in Nigeria today and Japan was a rural agrarian economy that was the playground of European powers in 1853. Yet, they all managed to overcome their problems and powered on to great heights

[10] If the British public could rally to evacuate all their troops from Dunkirk in 1940, so too can Nigerians rally to defeat Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, corrupt APC and PDP leaders and visionless rulers. If we put our minds to bettering ourselves other than just concentrate on accumulating immediate wealth and enjoying ourselves, we will get there. The only problem with Nigeria is Nigerians!