On Christmas Day 1950, four Scottish students – Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson, and Alan Stuart removed the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey, intending to return it to Scotland. They rightly believed the Stone of Destiny which is an oblong block of red sandstone that was used originally in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and, after the 13th century, the coronation of the monarchs of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom was a symbol of authority that reaffirms England’s dominion and domination of the Scottish people. This domination arguably started in 1296 during the First Scottish War of Independence. King Edward I of England took the stone as spoils of war and removed it to Westminster Abbey, where it was fitted into a wooden chair – known as the Coronation Chair or King Edward’s Chair – on which most subsequent English and then British sovereigns have been crowned. Edward I sought to claim the status of the “Lord Paramount” of Scotland, with the right to oversee its King.
As Prince Charles becomes King Charles today, this dominion continues even though the powers and influence of the kingdom have greatly diminished. Scotland still does not have monarchs, Canadians still pledged to the British monarchy, and the English language is arguably the language of the world. Similar narratives exist in almost all nations and continents of the world. Ancient conquest continues to place many tribes and nations in a state of servitude similar to what the Scottish people continue to suffer. This lack of cultural sovereignty plays itself into the mind of the sons and daughters of the subjugated people. It is no wonder Americans who ordinarily should be part of the Commonwealth headed by the British monarch are not. Their refusal to be second to the English, I believe, helped in making America the most powerful nation on Earth today.
After one of the most flawed elections in the history of Nigeria, Nigerians are on the cusp of continued subjugation if Bola Ahmed Tinubu is sworn in as president and his party that has performed woefully in the last eight years continues in power. It is a subjugation that is defined by a stolen mandate but entrenched by centuries of invested interest that has religious and cultural coloration. A slave is anyone who cannot determine the outcomes of their lives and is controlled by external elements they cannot control. If Nigerians cannot determine who becomes their leaders, then we might not be far from the above definition. So fellow Nigerians, I earnestly beseech you to rise and fight for your sovereignty and the future of your children with all the constitutional means available. The cabal that has held Nigeria captive for decades must be dethroned. We must not sit down and watch on the sidelines as a few bad men subvert our collective destinies.
Ata Ukuta, Editor – Towncryyers