Patriotism In Nigeria

Amara

Amara

Amara

While some readers of the two weekly columns have been sending text messages acknowledging the change in my style of writing, others have been asking questions wondering if I am going to stop my usual topics. I have not stopped writing on those topics, but my column is for grooming of men and women to become what we should be in our society.

Towards the end of year 2010, something was ignited in me. There was this sudden change and a warm embrace of our culture, the African culture. People have been wondering why and I am also as confused as they are, but I believe things happen for a particular reason.

Like I told the women on Tuesday, if something is not done urgently, the next generation will rarely have Nigeria in their blood. Look into our families now, our sons and daughters now trade their native names for English names without even knowing what those names stand for. If you are one of those who have suddenly dropped your family name for one Mac…., you are a total disgrace to the African society.

I have my Christian name, “Blessing”, but whenever I write my name, you will see “Amara”. I don’t like being addressed by my English name because that steals my true identity from me. Sir, if any of your kids has suddenly changed their surname for something entirely strange, you have not done well in promoting our culture. Some people write my name as “Amy and that I have constantly corrected because I don’t know the meaning of that (you can give me the meaning if you have it). My name, “Amara” means “Grace” and that is what I want to be called.

Okay, let us go to the topic of today, Patriotism. We all keep crying out about the state of our country, Nigeria. We only praise people when they are nobody, but once they get into the position of authority, we sleep and wake up with negative words about them. Just like every other Nigerian, I have spent years criticizing out leaders and with the words that come from my mouth, bring curses upon our fatherland. But I suddenly started looking into the attitudes of citizens of other successful nations —True Patriotism. Their criticisms are constructive and geared towards the success of their nations. But in Nigeria, we criticize because of our own selfish reasons.

This is a very important period in the history of Nigeria. Elections are just by the corner and just with the registration exercise, problems have started. The media is also not helping us as politicians have taken over the media. Even when they pretend to be liberal, media houses have a political party they belong to.

Publishers and proprietors of electronic media houses have accepted money from different politicians and that is why any journalist who tries to say or write anything on the contrary is sacked. Have you been to websites of some media outfits recently? They now screen people’s comments before posting as they don’t want to lose their paymasters.

Readers, at different times, send me text messages asking me to be careful what I write about politicians and clergymen, especially the Pentecostal pastors who have turned to nothing but “Gospel Merchants”. I always tell them not to forget that my dad has been a pastor for about 40 years, but that shouldn’t make me cover iniquities.

I don’t care if I get dismissed from my church, but if I see anything wrong in the style of today’s pastors, I will make myself that one voice crying out against it. Patriotism is you growing beyond the level of your church and mosque and deciding to speak the truth at all times without minding whose ox is gored.

Don’t get carried away, we are not talking about Sheiks and Bishops today, but Patriotism. All I am trying to say is that until we begin to say the truth and stand for the truth at all costs, there will be no deliverance for Nigeria. Mr. Journalist, I know you need the money to feed your family, but if you are honest, you will dare being sacked for the truth.

I see so many societies coming up under the guise of activism and patriotism. I am a member of one, but after we achieved what we wanted to achieve a few months ago, we stopped all operations and that is because we didn’t allow any external influence. But what do we have now as civil societies? We have groups of gullible and selfish individuals looking for political relevance and fat bank accounts. Why ruin the future of Nigeria and our children just because you want to own houses abroad? Are you taking them to your grave? Do you ever remember your death can come the night after you received that money?

I once told one of them that one day, the spirit of the late legal Icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, will take revenge. People now pretend to be running with the vision of Gani Fawehinmi but that is just a cover up for fraud and I see it as an insult on a selfless Nigerian like Chief Gani Fawehinmi. The truth is that we have never had any and I don’t think we are going to have any other like him.

Recently, I read an article about one of those groups shamelessly accusing the campaign group of the president of offering them an envelope containing $50,000. I am not a PDP member, neither am I a politician now, but as a right thinking Nigerian, the only question I asked was this: What were they doing in Aso-Rock late at night? Why the sudden change of music from “GEJ is the man” to “Buhari is our choice”? How were they able to know how much they had in the envelope if not that they initially accepted it, probably got into their vehicles or hotel rooms, and then realized it was far below what they expected?

Guys, patriotism is not about carrying placards on the streets and causing unnecessary obstructions. Patriotism is not about the Lagos House of Assembly passing a vote of no confidence on Governor Fashola simply because they were lobbied. Patriotism is not about bringing out hungry Nigerians and giving them N1000 each to move round the streets all in the name of protest just because you didn’t get the contract you were promised.

I just pity the ignorant Nigerians because they believe these so called activists love Nigeria when in the actual sense; they love their very own pockets. If our Pastors, Imams, CAN, PFN, OIC, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohaneze-Ndi-Igbo, Odua People’s Congress (OPC), are truly patriotic, they will never open their mouth to openly support anybody or advise their people on who to vote for. All they need do is to educate the masses (not indirect campaign) and let them know we need a change in Nigeria.

Nigeria is a great nation and despite all facts, the Giant of Africa —no controversy about that. But we need to come out and save our dear nation from damnation. This is just the introductory part of this article; we shall get to the other parts of it by the grace of God.

REGISTER AND VOTE WISELY.

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