Mar 17 2014

Before 1914 the south and the north of Nigeria were two distinct countries ruled however by the same colonial power, the British. Come 1914 Frederick Lugard the British official in charge engineered the union of the south with the north to form one Nigeria. The country we know and admire today and at times dread.  This year Nigeria clocked its first centenary as one country. To mark the historic occasion President Goodluck Jonathan laid out elaborate month long programs of celebrations.

We entered the small northern town in the heat of noon. We were surprised at the heavy smog cover even here. We thought we had left all that behind, in the sprawling capital city to the south with its teaming millions where un-serviced used cars from Japan clog the streets and where unregulated factories pollute the air.