As a country, we are one of the youngest nations in the world and that technically makes us the young brother of the world and simultaneously the new kid on the block.

We did incredibly well to attain our independence from our oppressors, but we also have to acknowledge those who assisted us in our fight for independence. Our friends and partners as some label themselves.

On the other side, there are the imprudent oppressors, who tried to enforce their will on our brave and beautiful country and who for many years during those dark years considered us as enemies and looted and pillaged our resources, along with those backing them. 
How have those relationships fared over the decades, who do we call friends now and how many of them live by those words truthfully?
After celebrating our 30th Independence anniversary, now would be a good time to reminisce on our journey to reaching this milestone, not only before independence but during our years of independence leading up to this moment.

As usual a couple of foreign leaders from around Africa and the world sent us their congratulatory wishes and am sure if they could have celebrated with us on our Independence Day and for this particular one also to witness the swearing-in ceremony of our President.
How many of these nations and leaders in attendance at this important event have been a friend to our nation, since we became an independent country, have they helped or looted us, is this friendship or partnership mutually beneficial to both countries?
Even those that opposed our independence are now here, calling us friends, without an apology or compensation for all the irreversible damage they did to us.

The policy of being a friend to all and an enemy to none, just hasn’t been serving us well, the numbers don’t lie, how are our friends making more money than us from a deal we were involved in negotiating too, those are not our friends they are our competitors and by the look of things, they are whipping us.

As the new kid on the block, its high time we realised that we live and operate in a fiercely competitive world, where every leader has a patriotic obligation to represent his or her country before anything else, even if we are dealing with ‘friends’.
As we celebrate our 30th Independence year, let’s look back at the history of our relationships with our friendly countries as well as their history. We have to know where we stand in the history of the world before we can make our mark on mankind. 

•    Olavi Popyeinawa
Email: olavipopyeinawa@gmail.com 
Twitter: @olavipopyeinawa