I have come to understand the saying that a good test of a person's character is his behaviour when he is wrong.
Nigeria is among the nations that breathed the air of freedom in October 1st 1960 from the colonial masters.
Nigeria's independence was greeted with mixed feelings by the stakeholders themselves.
Some sections of the country were so afraid of being marginalized by others in the sharing of the national cake.
In order to make everybody feel belonged, the Federal Government then assumed the role of a Father-Christmas, distributing its resources amongst the various States, many of whom contribute little or nothing to the baking of the cake.
Nigeria, for so many years has been embroiled in an identity crisis, with politicians in search of a national programme.
The source of the problem is rooted in our fear of unity and lack of will to transform our primordial instincts and create a modern polity.
Since Nigeria's accession to independence in 1960, the country has suffered greatly as a result of disunity which has distorted, complicated and to a large extent, stultified every developmental effort undertaken by government.
However, the quick discovery of the natural endowment of Nigeria could not help in putting her a little above a nation in search of a common character.
Nigeria suddenly woke up from slumber to find out that she has talents which if allowed, could solve her predicament.
There is still suffering in the land today after this great discovery because the right people are yet to have the right opportunity; the right policy is yet to be followed rightly and the right theory is yet to have the right practice.
When Nigeria clocked 40 years, that's ten years ago, an old adage flashed into my memory: "A fool at forty is a fool, for ever" and I watched carefully as the clock ticked Nigeria into the golden age (50 years of independence).
All these while, I have longed to see Nigeria in a very good shape but was disappointed as the nation steadfastly refused to make fundamental changes.
I still see tribalism manifesting its ugly character more as a function of politics than an innate xenophobia amongst the various groups of Nigeria.
Each time one looks into the Presidency, the National Assembly, State or Local Government arms, one is wont to see tribalism, a canker that has succeeded in eating up the fabrics of Nigerian unity.
Tribalism is the one single factor that has nullified every effort at evolving a national leadership capable of fulfilling our national aspirations.
After considering the ugly situation into which tribalism has kept the Nigerian nation for years, a friendly, but provocative advice, came from one of Africa's leaders, who bluntly hit the nation at it, suggesting that she should rather celebrate Bronze instead of Gold, by peacefully dividing into ethnic or religious lines as a means of ending the recurring bloodletting that has taken a centre stage in the country.
This advice is more or less like a birthday present which Nigerian leaders could give to the people, because it came as the country was waiting with excitement her 50th Independence Anniversary.
The "provocative" suggestion however, jolted the entire country forcing her to recall her Ambassador from that country, defending her integrity and honour through her officials who dismissed the proposal as impracticable.
Nigeria, as someone rightly said, is a geographical expression concocted by the British to protect their commercial interests.
After being subdued by conquest, nation states as disparate in character and culture were merged together by administrative fiat via the Amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Prectorates in 1914.
It should be noted therefore, that the British action did not make Nigeria a nation, but a bunch of mutually suspicious tribes in competition for resources in an imperfect federal arrangement.
This bitter struggle came to a head in a Civil War fought on basis of ethnicity - not on some noble ideas like opposition to slave ownership that fed the American Civil War.
Forty years after the Civil War, Nigerians are still butchering themselves on the basis of ethnic and religious divide.
A careful look into the Nigerian nation shows a picture of a people who have very different cultural and ethnic characteristics, and who are not likely to change soon in their socialization.
The slogan, "good people, great nation" may sound nice to the hearing, yet the "good" and the "great" need a little touch, because the people are still embroiled into unnecessary behaviours that smack arrogance and undermine peaceful co-existence.
Nigerians should bear in mind that so long as they continue to exist in their artificial structures, with the nation's constitution being amended every six months, and the agitation for the convocation of a sovereign national conference, more of such helpful, but provocative suggestions would still pop up.
Let me finally point out that the extent with which this generation of Nigerians avoids legitimate responsibilities is almost laughable.
Men are men enough when they are able to take responsibilities for their actions.
Age may have played a fast one on Nigeria, pushing her to the golden age of 50, yet a lot need to be done to make it really a golden nation.
As it is, Nigeria has not truly reached the stage of a true nation state, and needs to do something fast.
Happy birthday, Nigeria!