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“Patriotism is sacrifice. Patriotism is pain. Patriotism is love. Patriotism is responsibility. Patriotism is optimism. Patriotism is loyalty. Where do you find yourself in this bracket? Have you ever sacrificed your time and money for the better of the country. Have you ever endured pains to see the country get better? Have you ever performed your civic responsibility willfully and joyfully like a husband will to his wife? Have there ever been a ‘good word’ coming out of your mouth about your country? Will you rather leave and deny your country at the slightest chance because you are tired and don’t see anything good to come out of it? If you at least don’t have 5 ‘yes’ answers out of these six questions, then you need to understand that you are one of the reasons Nigeria is what it is today.”
It is one thing to be a citizen of a country, it is another to be a patriot of that country. As individuals, our roles towards our country do not boil down to our citizenship of that country; because of what use is a citizenship when you have zero patriotism towards your country?
A great American politician, John F. Kennedy, once said that we should not ask what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country. A lot of us get so selfish that we forget we have roles expected of us to play to move the country forward. Lazily and easily, we take to the comfort of complaining, whining and even denigrating the country because the leaders have failed to fulfill their own part of the bargain, so the buck stops at them and them only.
We repeat the same cycle for years on end, and keep passing the blame to others in a contract that is apparently two-way. We speak no good of our country yet we do nothing to see good. We expect others to take up the gauntlet, while we take the easy lane of calling them out, shirking the self-responsibility of standing up for our country — not even for once.
I bring you no comfortable news if you find yourself in this bracket of people who have no record of ever having done a thing for their country. Of a truth, it is way better a country has 100 patriotic citizens than have a 100 million citizens who see no reason to be responsible for their country.
The feeling at this present time is that of widespread grievance stemming from the pains of some candidates losing the 2023 elections and the claim that they were rigged out by the powers that be. While that still remains largely an allegation, the right approach of allowing the court adjudge for breaches and infractions has been taken and must be respected as much as it is expected we carry on our patriotism towards the country, whether things did go the way of our candidate or not.
Patriotism is sacrifice. Patriotism is pain. Patriotism is love. Patriotism is responsibility. Patriotism is optimism. Patriotism is loyalty. Where do you find yourself in this bracket? Have you ever sacrificed your time and money for the better of the country. Have you ever endured pains to see the country get better? Have you ever performed your civic responsibility willfully and joyfully like a husband will to his wife? Have there ever been a ‘good word’ coming out of your mouth about your country? Will you rather leave and deny your country at the slightest chance because you are tired and don’t see anything good to come out of it? If you at least don’t have 5 ‘yes’ answers out of these six questions, then you need to understand that you are one of the reasons Nigeria is what it is today.
As we adjust to the new administration which also heralds in a fresh democratic dispensation in the polity of the country, it is vital we rid ourselves of unpatriotic acts the yesteryears and yesterdays had us wrapped in.
The truth is Nigeria does not owe anyone or her citizens anything. Rather we owe Nigeria a whole lot that boils down to our patriotism towards her. Nigeria gave us a country to call home. Nigeria gave us lands to call ours. Nigeria gave us resources for prosperity. Nigeria gave us family, friends and loved ones. Nigeria has given us. What have we given Nigeria?
This is not the time to plant seeds of discord among ourselves using ethnicity and politics as masks. Nigeria would suffer for it, which in turn means, none of us will be spared of the spoils. As much as we crave responsible leadership from the ones with the constitutional power to rule us, if they will suceed, it demands our patriotism as responsible followers..
Jeremiah 29:7
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
It does not stop here as you could learn from my book, Responsible Followership about what it takes to be a responsible follower who paves a success path for their leaders, fashioning themselves, in return, for leadership and glory thereof.
To get the book, please, contact: +234 706 582 8892
Professor. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.
He is an advocate of Peace Leadership and Child Protection.
He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.
A professor of Peace Advocacy and Conflict Resolution, Dr. O.E Bassey is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa.
With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa. Currently, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute of Peace Leadership.
Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2023 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.
For peace and security tips, consultations and trainings, reach him via:
Facebook: Dr. O.E Bassey
LinkedIn: Dr. O.E Bassey
Twitter: Dr. O.E Bassey
WhatsApp: +2347065828892
Mail: EmmanuelBassey@gmail.com
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