- 10 -

The situation is most serious in the federal government services. In the Western Nigerian Public Service Africans fill more than 80% of the established positions. The situation is similar in the Eastern Regional services. The North is somewhat further behind. In the Nigerian Federal Service, however, only 100 of the 525 super-scale administrative positions are held by Nigerians, and only about half (639 out of 1,394) of the positions in the administrative and professional grades are held by Nigerians. Yet according to the returns of at least two-thirds of these British officials, more than one third have opted to leave with their lump-sum compensation by the end of the year. The remaining one-third have yet to be heard from, but it is anticipated that the same proportion will hold. Thus, within a few months nearly one-half of the British officials currently serving in the Nigerian federal services will leave the country. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that the services were already very much understaffed as a result of rapid economic and administrative expansion.

The seriousness of the situation is revealed by citing certain examples. In the Civil Aviation Department, for example, out of 13 top-grade men (all British) are resigning; in the Department of Education 18 of the 20 senior posts are held by British officers, and eight of them are resigning. The same is reported to hold true for Customs and Excise, and the Police Depts. Most of those leaving are in critical categories--key technical positions--for which it will be extremely difficult to recruit replacements even on contract and at high salaries.

No immediate answer to this critical problem can be found either in current recruitment or in the educational system. Every effort is made to recruit new university graduates into the public service, but at least the majority of them prefer the professions or work in managerial or technical positions in private firms. In any event the current rate of recruitment can hardly keep pace with the normal expansion of the service, let alone fill the yawning gap created by the prospective departure of nearly 400 experienced British technicians and administrators. Although there is no likelihood Nigeria will go the way of the Congo, this critical staff disability creates uncertainties that serve to mar an otherwise encouraging picture.

The foregoing are only a few of the several crucial issues that Nigeria confronts on the eve of her independence. In the balance one finds a hopeful situation which, in contrast to the Congo, provides impressive evidence not only of the constructive legacy of colonialism but also of the statesmanship of Africa's new leaders. The survival of a united, large-scale free society in the heart of middle Africa is clearly important both for Africa and for the world.

SOME MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ON THE EVE OF INDEPENDENCE

Pope John XXIII will say a special Mass for the peace and prosperity of Nigeria on 1 October. Among the many other festivities arranged for the Nigerian independence celebrations will be a visit of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

The Government of Nigeria was obliged to abandon the idea of subsidizing special charter flights for Nigerian students in the United Kingdom to return to Nigeria for independence celebrations. Nigerian independence is being celebrated in London and in several cities of America.

Nigeria's new coat of arms has been designed by the Royal College. Nigeria's National Anthem was composed by an English woman (Miss L. J. Williams), an employee of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Labor. She composed the verse, the first verse reading "Nigeria, we Hail Thee, our own dear native land, the tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we mmm stand." The music for the National Anthem was composed by another Englishwoman, a private music teacher in London. Her entry was selected out of 3693 entries. The fact that the words and music of the National Anthem was composed by two British women has provoked considerable protest among young Nigerian nationalists and intellectuals.

Dr. H. A. Oluwasanmi and Dr. S. A. Aluko of the University College of Ibadan are Chairmen and Secretary respectively of the Protest Committee against the selection of the National Anthem made by the Nigerian Independence Celebration Committee. They argued that only citizens of Nigeria should have been permitted to contest.

"No self-respecting nation to our knowledge has permitted foreigners to compose its national anthem." "If we cannot struggle to compose

music for the glory of our fatherland how can we struggle to manufacture arms for its defence in war. We cannot imagine ourselves singing a soulless and unimaginative foreign-composed anthem in a free and independent Nigeria." They and there followers have resolved not to sing the anthem.