SOCIAL commentator, Philip Obazee, has advised Nigerians, especially those in the diaspora to take pride in their nation.
Obazee said Nigerians should be proud of their roots and make efforts to effect change back home.
He made this known in a piece titled ‘Taking pride in Nigeria’.
According to him, citizens must stop “punting” the country’s failures only to elected politicians as “it is in our common interest to help shape policies”.
Read full article below:
You asked how can you be proud? I would say begin by giving thanks daily for your life, the life of the people you love, and for the common good of our people and our root. That simple daily thanksgiving is extremely powerful and reassuring; and it fortifies self pride, which in no small way magnifies into shared communal value of having pride in oneself, one’s community, and one’s nation.
There are nothing, in my opinion, we shouldn’t be proud of about the “good people of Nigeria” that scarifies their lives everyday to make things “right and work for the greater good.” We have teachers that still teach the kids even if they have not been paid for several months. We have nurses and doctors that help to deliver new babies and help keep our parents (both of mine are deceased), brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors healthy. There is a lengthy list of professionals in this group of “good and great” Nigerians. These professionals care, they have self pride in what they do, and they believe that what they are doing is worth doing for the betterment of Nigeria (they have national pride in them).
For me, I am extremely grateful for the everyday Nigerians that are working to make Nigeria better because they sincerely believe it is the right thing to do. Those Nigerians, to me, have national pride in them, I want to SUPPORT them, LEARN from them, and do my part to make Nigeria a better country that all of us can be proud of (national pride). My appeal to you is to join us and take pride in the work that everyday Nigerians are doing. I will go further to ask that you take pride in the root that your dad have created; and help make things better than the way you were born into it or found it.
It is our responsibilities to make Nigeria better than we found it when many of us were born five to seven decades ago. We must stop “punting” Nigeria failures ONLY to elected politicians as it is in our common interest to help shape policies for “one and better Nigeria.” We should do it with pride as well as from our innate desires to promote our common prosperity.
Taking pride in Nigeria (in a modified wordings from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address) means:
“Ask not what NIGERIA can do for you – ask what you can do for NIGERIA to be one and better country”
Most of us have less to travel in our life journey, and for us to believe, and be content with the notion that the Nigeria we were born into is worst now than when we were born ONLY means we have not DONE our part… in stronger terms, we have FAILED Nigeria. For me, I don’t believe that is the case; and you shouldn’t believe it either. Personally, I would testify to you and others, that Nigeria is better now in the most fundamental ways than when I left her shores four decades ago. And we should take pride in those fundamental progress. Of course, there remains many fundamental problems, which evidently resulted from the progress we have made over the years. For example, the literacy rate and people with higher education have grown tremendously over the years because many new schools and universities were built as we witnessed population growth. Many of those college degreed individuals are unable to find jobs or are underemployed, which has created some social problems. I can go on with list of issues… but you got the point.
So, my resolve, is going forward I want to join others in making “one and better Nigeria” a goal as I take pride from the fundamental groundwork Nigeria have in place; and help in making things better for our common prosperity. I would ask that you join in; and take pride in the great history of our people by making a promise to yourself that the better-self of Nigeria is clearly a better-self of you.
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