By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Reality TV star, Tersee Waya, popularly known as Kiddwaya, has claimed that Nigeria would have been much more developed if the British had colonised the country longer than they did.
Kiddwaya made the claim in a recent post on his X handle, days after Nigeria marked another anniversary of its independence journey, arguing that the country’s independence in 1960 was premature.
Britain granted Nigeria independence in 1960 following pressure from nationalists and political activists, while the country severed its remaining ties with Britain in 1963 when it became a republic.
The reality star claimed that the country would have been better developed if the colonial masters had stayed 10 to 15 years longer than they eventually did.
He wrote, “Unpopular opinion. The British should have stayed in Nigeria for 10/15 more years. You go see better development.”
His claim elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians online, with many agreeing that his position was hard to dismiss considering the kind of leaders the country has produced since independence.
Others, however, argued that the colonial masters would have ignored development and continued exploiting Nigeria’s resources had they remained longer in the country.
