An Essay on the state of the Nation
”Arise
O compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey. To serve our fatherland, with love and
strength and faith. The labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain, to
serve with heart and might one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.”
The above words referred to as
the national anthem were put to music by the Nigerian Police Band under the directorship
of the late Benedict Elide Odiase in 1978.
These words amongst other things
impress upon our minds and hearts that we are one and are supposed to dwell in
love, peace, and unity. Sadly this has not been the case in recent times.
Our beloved country Nigeria has
been made seemingly ‘ungovernable’ by the Boko-Haram insurgents in the last
four years. They have constantly carried out their nefarious activities over
the years with reckless abandon forcing many to flee their homes in the
northern part of Nigeria.
So many persons have lost their
lives – Christians and Muslims alike – which makes me wonder; where is the
love, where is the peace, and the unity the very endearing attributes upon
which our founding fathers built this nation? If the Boko-Haram insurgents had any
love whatsoever for their Nigerian brothers and sisters, would they
continuously unleash such mayhem thereby making the Northern part of Nigeria
anarchic?
While some may argue that these
insurgents are not of Nigerian origin, it suffices to conclude that since they
have taken up residence in Nigeria, they should live as one with us. Lets take
the American experience for example. “E Pluribus Unum” is the United States
motto appearing on the nation’s coin and paper money and many of its monuments.
It means ‘from many one’. This phrase was acquired after the USA received an
untold number of immigrants from many lands. These immigrants had to find ways
to reconcile their varied backgrounds and fit together under the constitution
and a set of laws of the United States. That process of creating one society
out of many different backgrounds is one of the biggest stories of the American
experience, wherein lies their strength.
Therefore whether these
insurgents are Nigerians or not, they should contribute to building the country
and not tear it down by making it ungovernable.
It is truly sad and tiring to
turn on the TV and radio each morning to hear of fresh attacks from this sect.
Series of blasts were reported in Kano state, scores of people praying at a
mosque in Borno were killed, school children were killed, schools were burnt
down, the list is endless. Although the government stepped up its fight against
the Islamist militants when the military began an air and ground offensive
against Boko-Haram on May 16, 2013, yet we still record killings by the group
even after the declaration of a state of emergency in select northern states.
Is there an end in sight? One
must wonder. But then, if only we could sit back and pay very close attention
to the lyrics of the national anthem; if only the Boko-Haram sect could listen
to the lyrics of the national anthem, allow these sink into minds and hearts
thus realizing that we are indeed one nation, a nation wherein our strength
lies in our diversity, maybe just maybe they would put a complete stop to their
activities and have a complete turn-around for good.
Our country Nigeria is indeed a blessed
nation and whether we all know it or not, whether we like it or not, whether
the Boko-Haram sect believes it or not, we are our sister and our brother’s
keeper. Therefore if each one could reach one and each one could teach one,
what a much more beautiful, peaceful and united nation bound in love Nigeria
would be!
Originally written by Phill Eze
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