THERE WAS A COUNTRY - CHINUA ACHEBE. LAST MESSAGE FROM A PATRIOT OR A VILLIAN ? by Iredumare

Before you spit or snarl at the heading, take your time to read this piece as a Nigerian. As a Nigerian? Yes! For once as a Nigerian who is worried and bothered about the state of affairs of our God given country: Nigeria.

 I have read so many positive and negative reviews about the book in various tabloids and various perspectives. All my readings have in no way impressed me, but left me sad wondering where is this country heading to. All focused on tribal and ethnic perspectives. I wondered if they all skipped a particular phrase in the title “……..a personal history of Biafra….”

I would like to open your mind to know that this country you and I are living in is not ruled by our votes, our leaders, our godfathers, our political parties or whatever misconception we have. Mother Nigeria is being ruled by religious sentiment, corporate bodies (indigenous and foreign), nepotism, tribalism and all sought of canker worm that lives in your family and my family.  Sadly, these issues would never be raised but rather argued over on tabloids and social platforms, where the leaders of tomorrow are neither interested nor bothered about.

  Before I proceed, if you don’t believe in the unification of Nigeria, or you are an ardent proponent of the confederation of Mother Nigeria. This Piece is not meant for you.

I write this with disappointments and lots of questions roaming in my head. The legendary writer, with all due respect, shattered my respect in him after reading the book. I asked myself various questions only the legend in the grave might seem to have answers too. Is he calling for another war? Is this a goodwill message to strengthen Nigeria or to bring the prophecy of the Nigeria Break-out to pass? How will this help Nigeria to be strong, unified, and forward-moving? How many easterners would have read this book ? How do they feel?  The only relieving factor is that apparently a lot of easterners would not read the book and so the exaggerating effect in my head came to calm.

 I will not quote him; neither will I call him selfish on this piece. I will only ask you to read the book and question whatever you read.  Our country shall only move forward when we all look beyond the factors that rule our country at present. Our Country shall only move forward when we don’t fill forms with “state of origin and Ethnicity” included. Our Country shall move forward when Muslims stand against Islamic extremist. Our country shall only move forward when Christians in the church call their pastors to accountability. Our Country shall only move forward when parents stop telling us which tribe or ethnic group we must not marry from. Our Mother Nigeria shall only become greener pastures when our leaders are not chosen based on ethnicity, zoning, and religious beliefs. Our Mother Nigeria will only raise sound and incorruptible leaders, when our values and cultural morals are respected over and above western cultures. These and more are issues and questions to be addressed and worked towards not  bringing back grudges and battles fought on pride, selfishness and  ignorance on the chess board of western players  .  Neither by pointing out who destroyed who, who was no hero or who was a hero, as far as the youths of the 21^st century are concerned we have had no hero in Nigeria. We have only had leaders who fought and schemed for the dominance of their tribes over the others or long lasting royalties for their families.

   It is painful to know that we as the youths have refused to ask questions but lived our lives daily to the call of what our society gives to us or what some group of myopic activist decides as the way forward. In my opinion, childish you might call it, how often do you question your basis of actions?, how often do you question your decisions?, how often to you go for answers for questions unanswered? Painfully, we demand answers from our leaders when our parents don’t answer our questions, when our lecturers believes any question out of the box is a failure.

     We are at War in the northern Nigeria spanning a timeline of over four years; Mr. President does not even know it. Soldiers, the real patriots, are dying in numbers. We in the south are probably less interested, after all it is not our land. 2015, we’ll probably vote in a Northerner with sentiments that he would end the war.

  I have not written this piece to criticize any soul; living or dead. I have only started in my own little “ignorant” (as my Godfather would say) way to call the youths to reasoning. We cannot change our situation when our parents, churches, mosques, schools are the foundations of our problems. We cannot Change our situations when the core values for a better society is lost.  We cannot change our society when we cannot question our faiths, beliefs, elders and actions. We cannot change Mother Nigeria for good if a foreign company from nowhere earns from over a 100 million Nigerians and still rips us off, while we still patronize them.

This is the beginning of my journey to speak for those with like minds. If I sound ignorant to you, and you are out there this is a challenge to join me. Speak your mind, spread your message but first question them.

Remember to drop your comment.

I am a Patriot! I am Nigerian! Mother Nigeria Shall Rise!

 

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