ARE WE PATRIOTIC by ODETOLA ABIOLA

I

I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good Nigerian because I like to form my own opinions.

During my primary and secondary school days, I recall singing the Nigeria National Anthem and Nation pledge  with vigor and passion. Little did I know that it's fast going to become one of the normal Nursery rhythms . Years later upon graduation from the University, at NYSC orientation ground, I observed most of Nigeria youths say the pledge because they have to, I noticed some friends deliberately skip some lines of the NYSC oaths and 

I did not bother till this morning when I asked myself the question am I patriotic? Has Nigeria failed already or have we(Nigerians) failed our nation?

A country whose parent were full of hope at birth is fast becoming the black sheep or human abattoir and the custodian of the country watch in isolation.

They wrote in the olden days that it is sweet and fitting to die for ones country but this age, people hardly discus or speak for their country.

With almost all the needed intelligence, tools, and modern technology and science, the Nigerian populace has turned deaf ears and shut their eyes to the uprising in other nations of the world, we have decided to only watch as our future is been ravaged and destroyed. 

We unlike our fore-fathers will leave the affairs of our nation in the hands of few hands(competent or incompetent) and read as current affairs. 

We watched as the enemy within becomes more powerful and dominating. Corruption came like a worm and ate the sane part of our system. We have forgotten that we must always be ready to defend our country against his government.

Our silence is the real jailer of our freedom and the enemy within.

How many people has died since the beginning of Boko Haram insurgence? As at 2013 some 1,224 people have been killed in Boko Haram related attacks" since May, add the 200 deaths( this does not include, military personnel as well insurgents killed by security forces repelling attacks) registered already this year and do the maths in your head my brothers and sisters. How much has gone missing from the Nigeria treasury over the years? The World Bank has estimated that since independence half a century ago, at least $400 billion has gone missing from government’s coffers this includes the $49.8Billion that recently got missing. In addition to this, the African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2013 had disclosed that an estimated N390 trillion ($2.6 trillion) is stolen annually through high level corrupt practises in Nigeria and other African countries.

There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people. Obama said "and in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country will change it. Hence, my question do we still have people who love Nigeria? 

It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen. Aristotle 

Let's have our country back.

Name: Odetola Abiola Olamelekan

Twitter: @habiholah

IG: @habiholah

Email: habiholah07@yahoo.com