“The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.”- John Stuart Mill 1806-73.
I cannot conclude this series without outlining certain salient paradigms that must line the pathway to the Isle of progress and prosperity. I pray that leaders in this clime will understand and appreciate the urgency of now and dedicate prime energy to the betterment of the lives and properties of the citizenry and in departing etch laudable footprints on the sands of time.
I have unwavering confidence that someday this nation shall overcome the dichotomy of creed and clan and congregate at the parlour of brotherhood where parlous loyalty to tribe and religion will diminish. I have doubtless confidence that this union will someday become a veritable reference of inter-tribal harmony and shall someday pave the highway to the long sought global family.
My unyielding confidence in the strength of this union devolves on the faith that this regime shall employ commensurate verve in etching a new national orientation paradigm as it does our foreign policy. We must rebuild confidence and trust at home as we do overseas. We must deepen all that epitomizes our ability to soar. We must repudiate sleaze and corruption, and redefine our moral margins. We must remove from strict partisanship and walk the talk of patriotism.
We must re-ignite our faith in the GREEN WHITE GREEN and pull down all walls of nepotism and regional prejudice. And we must arise as compatriots knowing that though tongues and tribes differ in brotherhood, we stand.
Countrymen and women, only when leadership teaches us to think and put country first can our union foster, and then we shall discover how fleeting our differences are.
Compatriots, NOW is the time to make NIGERIA work, this challenge is indiscriminate of the prejudice of creed or clan, and indiscriminate of partisanship. Regardless of regional and religious dichotomies to make this union great leadership must be responsible and responsive to the nation, yes, leadership must repudiate impunity, must lampoon corruptive proclivities, and leadership must punish corruption.
To make Nigeria work, to inspire patriotism to nation and to foster peace and prosperity we must deepen the frontiers of Nationhood. The one who wields power will do well to walk with the socio-political variables outlined hereunder as our long sought national reawakening must devolve on the seven incontrovertible normative I here present to you my Compatriots.
1. PEACE is priceless because no matter how well intentioned leadership is, in an atmosphere of rancour and conflict nothing will work, and the expected CHANGE would become a mirage. Now more than ever is the time to uphold our union, we must cease to disparage and threaten our nation but rather commit ourselves to the salient precepts of brotherhood.
2. LOVE is sine qua non to the survival of any union or nation. In our case, we must take a cue from Mr President who has consistently recognised the role Ex-President Jonathan played in sustaining this union by conceding defeat at the polls, and sheath the sword. Whether you hold partisan biases in the plumage of the PDP or the APC, or whether your prejudice wears the PMB or the GEJ garb, we must realize that in the end we are better when national interest prevails.
3. DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS are incumbent on citizenship. Leaders and the led must therefore commit to the minimum margins of discipline and responsible conduct. Leadership must be responsible and responsive knowing that governance is a social contract, and the led must not only place demands on leadership but obey Laws and discharge their civic duties without let or hindrance.
4. UNITY is fundamental for national development, no matter how well intentioned leadership is, without deepening the frontiers of national cohesion and unity, efforts at making real the promises of democracy shall at best be fleeting. The best men can do naught in an atmosphere of distrust and disunity.
5. FORGIVENESS is fundamental for national integration and brotherhood, and we must realize that at some point in our chequered union we have offended each other, therefore hate and revenge must be jettisoned for this Country to grow. Partisan and parochial prejudice will do us no good.
6. PATRIOTISM is the non-negotiable minimum for growth and progress. It defines the summumbonum of national leadership and governmental trust. Without loyalty to nation, we can do little. A new national orientation paradigm that must inspire hope and faith in the GREEN WHITE GREEN is thus imperative for the Eagle to soar.
7. SERVICE is no doubt what we owe our nation and indeed each other. We must be disciplined and dedicated to the service of fatherland as such is the way to go.
Countrymen and women, I could not have wished for any nationality but Nigerian. Here I’m not being preposterous or idealistic but frank and factual. I see uniqueness in the over 200 languages and cultures that define this nation.
I see beauty in the variegated tendencies of our people confident that this union is not happenstance but divinely orchestrated. Leadership and followership must therefore congregate at no less a pedestal than those of dignity, of hard-work and of integrity.
Knowing that our union holds the key to the new world of love, of peace and of brotherhood, knowing how in the 101years of this union, we survived the mischief of colonialism; we survived a pogrom; we survived a 30months fratricidal war; we survived internecine conflicts and carnage; we survived the Niger-Delta militancy; I know that this nation shall soon make the Boko Haram insurgency history.
We are a nation fashioned by God to lead Africa and the Black Race to the pinnacle of the New World. We are relentless offshoots of Patriarchal greats like Azikiwe, Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, AdakaBoro, Tarka, Osadebe et al. We are kindred of Phillip Emeagwali and Gabriel Oyibo paladin of Modern Science. We are folks of Nobel Laureate and literary greats like Soyinka, Achebe, SaroWiwa, Yerima amongst others. And we are a nation of geniuses and creators.
Compatriots, now is the time to build upon the halcyon feats of our history and make Nigeria truly great.
With immense gratitude to the good Lord who inspired the ballot based revolution of March 28, 2015, as the anomie that defines our politics depletes, a paradigm shift in the trust of leadership shall foster, and committedly the promises of change shall be made true. Do not forget however, that history is replete with how serious nations extinguished the control of no-do-wells and court-jesters. Mean men always run roughshod until their time is up; such is the moral score of the common-sense revolution led by the APC.
The time always comes when patriots and good-men emerge on the amphitheatre as square pegs in square holes and as round poles in round holes, such defines the popular VOTE for CHANGE.NOW THAT CHANGE IS HERE, I pray that leadership will make Patriotism the key of governmental trust, that way service to the nation shall fill up the chasm dug by greed and avarice, and that way our moral margins shall repudiate corruption.
I pray that the Green White Green will command the same loyalty as does the Union Jack with the Britishand the Star Draped Flag with the American, that way our beleaguered nation shall take up the challenge of now, and together we can make real the promises of democracy.
Now is the time to make loyalty to Country the organic minimum of our politics. Now is the time to make patriotism to nation the sine qua non for governmental appointments.Now is the time for a new NATIONAL ORIENTATION paradigm. And now is the time to think Nigeria, to love Nigeria, and to pray for Nigeria, as such is the minimum for peace and love.
I’m positive that the many crises and conflicts that trouble our nation shall pale to insignificance if we begin a sincere overhaul of our collective morality. We must cease to hail and applaud tribal warlords. We must repudiate religious fundamentalism. We must lampoon and punish corruption irrespective of whose ox is being gored. And we must deepen the frontiers of love, of brotherhood, and of patriotism.
Where there is a will, there is undoubtedly a way, knowing that the greater number seek the best for Nigeria; knowing that they are fewer who think the worst of our union; and knowing that beyond the politricks of naysayers our people believe in the journey before us. We must therefore will into being the nation of our dreams as we pave the way to the Isle of peace, of prosperity and of progress holding out theinviolable minimum that irresponsible power is vain, villainous and sanguine.
God Bless Nigeria.
Prof Chris Nwaokobia Jnr.
Director General CHANGE AMBASSADORS OF NIGERIA CAN.
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