I regret sharing birthday with a failing nation —Anthony Nted, born October 1, 1960

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

For Comrade Anthony Emmanuel Nted, erstwhile Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and ex–ex-President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MWUN, October 1 is simply a day helium tin ne'er forget. Not lone is it Nigeria’s Independence Day, it is besides his birthday.

But astatine 65, helium says the opposition betwixt his ain advancement and the country’s retrogression leaves him with mixed feelings.

“I americium blessed I was calved connected October 1, but I americium not blessed I stock the day with Nigeria. While I americium moving forward, the state is going backward”, helium said.

From riversides to Union leadership

Nted’s communicative is 1 of grit, faith, and determination.

Born to the household of Thomas and Felicia Nted successful the riverine colony of Autoboot successful the contiguous Rivers State, Nigeria, helium recalls a puerility marked by hardship.

With nary unchangeable location and hardly capable to eat, helium and his elder member did unusual jobs — carrying loads and doing menial enactment — conscionable to survive. Education was a struggle, but helium pushed done Government Primary School, Agwut-Obolo, for his First School Leaving Certificate, earlier moving to Warri, Delta State, wherever helium aboriginal attended the Institute of Continuing Education, Warri, Delta State, wherever helium obtained his GCE. He aboriginal obtained his OND and HND successful Public Administration, each acknowledgment to the sacrifices of household and the kindness of strangers.

By sheer providence, helium recovered himself successful national activities, wherever his passionateness for justness and fairness propelled him to prominence.

Despite pugnacious elections filled with resistance, helium emerged President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union. He would spell connected to service for implicit 2 decades successful respective enactment positions successful the maritime sector, wherever helium became known for his doctrine of correcting radical with kindness and showing enactment rooted successful emotion and humility.

“I ne'er insulted anyone, nary substance their property oregon mistake. If you bash thing wrong, I close you politely. Leadership is astir love, kindness, and humility,” helium explained.

Hunger, poverty, failed reforms

But astatine 65, Nted is much acrophobic astir Nigeria’s contiguous than his past. He laments that “it has been precise tough, some for maine and my family. But I convey God daily, due to the fact that my sufficiency is successful His hands, not successful man’s. Things person been unsmooth successful this country, but leaders support saying the system is moving well. The world is that radical are inactive suffering.

“It didn’t commencement from President Tinubu—it began with past leaders. But if you judge leadership, you indispensable instrumentality responsibility. You can’t support blaming those earlier you. Once you are successful office, you indispensable bash the close happening and amusement radical progress. That is the lone mode we tin enactment you fully.

“Every time I get 200 calls asking for food. People are dying of starvation. Things were amended before, but contiguous Nigerians can’t eat. Reforms are not feeding the people.”
He warned governmental leaders against endless excuses.

“If you cognize you cannot manage, don’t judge leadership. Stop blaming the past. Nigerians are bushed of excuses. Do the occupation oregon quit,” helium charged.

Corruption, motivation decay

Nted did not spare spiritual leaders either. He accused churches of collecting offerings and tithes portion investing successful backstage jets alternatively of feeding their suffering members.

“Did God inquire for wealth to bargain jets? No. That wealth should spell to the needy. Every time radical are hungry, yet pastors are buying jets. It is wrong,” helium said.

On governance, helium warned that corruption continues to weaken Nigeria’s institutions.

“Billions are being stolen daily, yet thing happens. If cases are not punished, agencies similar EFCC volition go toothless bulldogs,” helium added.

Youth, aboriginal of Nigeria

Looking to the future, the labour person expressed interest implicit the relation of young people. He accused galore of selling their votes for tiny amounts, thereby mortgaging their destiny. “The aboriginal belongs to the youth, but galore merchantability their votes for a token and destruct their tomorrow. Unless some authorities and citizens change, Nigeria volition support going backward,” helium warned.

Life of gratitude

Despite his harsh appraisal of Nigeria, Nted remains grateful for his ain travel — from the riverbanks of hardship to national enactment and present to status astatine 65.

“Celebrating my day contiguous and besides thanking God is 1 of the top achievements of my life,” helium said. “When God helps you to flooded challenges and scope milestones, you indispensable support giving ...