Arise Oh Compatriot!
Nigeria, my beloved country, is a theatre of absurdities where actors and actresses of various grades and pedigree strut the stage, delivering performances that leave the audience totally captivated.
Sometimes, these performances are very impressive and other times, they are downrightly appalling. It is quite disheartening that the culture of impunity, corruption and gross ineptitude has reached its apogee in this country.
Still, the national anthem and pledge, the most important symbols of our entity, seem to taunt us on a daily basis. Little wonder some of our ambassadors stuttered when they were asked to recite the anthem and pledge. But who would blame them? How does one swear and reiterate allegiance to a system that milks the citizenry dry and gives nothing in return? It is very difficult to love a country where we reap the consequences of corruption, ineptitude, greed and impunity of political leaders as well as the redundancy of the led. Yes! You and I have a share of the blame.
Let’s talk about the national anthem for a while. The first two lines demand that we arise and obey Nigeria’s call but with which strength? Our bodies, souls and spirits are injured, we are suffering physically and psychologically and you expect us to arise? Oghene reject! You want us to serve our fatherland with love and strength and faith, and get killed in return for such service? Ask the hundreds of slain youth corpers and other patriots if they would like to serve Nigeria again. Only then will you discover that the labours of our heroes past have been destroyed and rubbished by our political aficionados and ‘jagabans’.
It is therefore herculean for us to diligently serve Nigeria, a country whose freedom, peace and unity has been sacrificed on the altar of subtle oppression, manmade disasters as well as ethnic and religious bigotry. No wonder the Brazilians played the wrong anthem during our first match in the ongoing Olympics. They were simply telling our leaders to change the anthem to something that beehoves the current situation of the country.
What about the national pledge? I remember my primary school days when we so enthusiastic and eager to recite the pledge. Hands firmly planted on our chests, we would fumble, mumble and rumble as we swore allegiance to our beloved country. Such was the joy and bliss of our innocence but fast forward to present day and the story is different. Yes, I still pledge to Nigeria country but to be faithful, loyal and honest? In Nigeria, where the culture of impunity is an unwritten part of the constitution? Or in a system where corruption, looting, dishonesty and avarice thrive unabated?
And to serve Nigeria with all my strength? The strength that I no longer have after working for months without pay while a select few are busy reaping where they did not plant, leaving the rest of us in untold hardship and abject poverty? What unity is there to uphold? The same unity that has been sacrificed by the powers that be or the same unity that has been shattered into pieces leaving us divided along socio-political, economic, ethnic and religious lines? If that is the unity I have to uphold then so help me not, God.
Let’s not even talk about honour when we constantly disgrace and embarrass Nigeria on a daily basis. Do you know how many Nigerians have been killed in certain countries on account of drug trafficking and other crimes? Or are we not talking about the same Nigeria, the crime capital of the world? Why will they not harass us at airports? Just like Esau, we have sold out our honour for God-knows-what. Yet we cry blue murder when we are branded as “fantastically corrupt” by outsiders. Between you and I, is there any denying the fact that we are corrupt? As it is said in local parlance, “Na we give them body see finish.”
Something is terribly wrong with Nigeria but we cannot sit back and watch. Even though the light at the end of the tunnel seems to have gone out, we can refuel the lamp. You and I have a duty to rebuild this country. Anytime you lose faith in this country, remember you already pledged to Nigeria, our country. So, Arise O Compatriot! because so help us God, we will restore Nigeria to her lost glory. So help us, God.
Sometimes, these performances are very impressive and other times, they are downrightly appalling. It is quite disheartening that the culture of impunity, corruption and gross ineptitude has reached its apogee in this country.
Still, the national anthem and pledge, the most important symbols of our entity, seem to taunt us on a daily basis. Little wonder some of our ambassadors stuttered when they were asked to recite the anthem and pledge. But who would blame them? How does one swear and reiterate allegiance to a system that milks the citizenry dry and gives nothing in return? It is very difficult to love a country where we reap the consequences of corruption, ineptitude, greed and impunity of political leaders as well as the redundancy of the led. Yes! You and I have a share of the blame.
Let’s talk about the national anthem for a while. The first two lines demand that we arise and obey Nigeria’s call but with which strength? Our bodies, souls and spirits are injured, we are suffering physically and psychologically and you expect us to arise? Oghene reject! You want us to serve our fatherland with love and strength and faith, and get killed in return for such service? Ask the hundreds of slain youth corpers and other patriots if they would like to serve Nigeria again. Only then will you discover that the labours of our heroes past have been destroyed and rubbished by our political aficionados and ‘jagabans’.
It is therefore herculean for us to diligently serve Nigeria, a country whose freedom, peace and unity has been sacrificed on the altar of subtle oppression, manmade disasters as well as ethnic and religious bigotry. No wonder the Brazilians played the wrong anthem during our first match in the ongoing Olympics. They were simply telling our leaders to change the anthem to something that beehoves the current situation of the country.
What about the national pledge? I remember my primary school days when we so enthusiastic and eager to recite the pledge. Hands firmly planted on our chests, we would fumble, mumble and rumble as we swore allegiance to our beloved country. Such was the joy and bliss of our innocence but fast forward to present day and the story is different. Yes, I still pledge to Nigeria country but to be faithful, loyal and honest? In Nigeria, where the culture of impunity is an unwritten part of the constitution? Or in a system where corruption, looting, dishonesty and avarice thrive unabated?
And to serve Nigeria with all my strength? The strength that I no longer have after working for months without pay while a select few are busy reaping where they did not plant, leaving the rest of us in untold hardship and abject poverty? What unity is there to uphold? The same unity that has been sacrificed by the powers that be or the same unity that has been shattered into pieces leaving us divided along socio-political, economic, ethnic and religious lines? If that is the unity I have to uphold then so help me not, God.
Let’s not even talk about honour when we constantly disgrace and embarrass Nigeria on a daily basis. Do you know how many Nigerians have been killed in certain countries on account of drug trafficking and other crimes? Or are we not talking about the same Nigeria, the crime capital of the world? Why will they not harass us at airports? Just like Esau, we have sold out our honour for God-knows-what. Yet we cry blue murder when we are branded as “fantastically corrupt” by outsiders. Between you and I, is there any denying the fact that we are corrupt? As it is said in local parlance, “Na we give them body see finish.”
Something is terribly wrong with Nigeria but we cannot sit back and watch. Even though the light at the end of the tunnel seems to have gone out, we can refuel the lamp. You and I have a duty to rebuild this country. Anytime you lose faith in this country, remember you already pledged to Nigeria, our country. So, Arise O Compatriot! because so help us God, we will restore Nigeria to her lost glory. So help us, God.
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