Celebrating a spark of patriotism in Nigeria

In keeping with the best tradition of service and with deep sense of duty, I join other Nigerians of goodwill to appreciate serving and retired military colleagues and with a grateful heart thank immensely those who lost their lives to make sure that we are alive. We wish families and relatives of our fallen heroes God’s inestimable grace and the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones. May the souls of innocent citizens whose blood have been shed for several years in Nigeria rest in peace.
In circular history, many people are remembered for one thing or the other. Some are remembered for good while others are remembered for evils and atrocities they had committed. On 15 January 2018, members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigerian Legion converged in different states across the entire country to hold a remembrance parade to honour military personnel who fought during the First and Second World Wars, peacekeeping operations and the Nigerian Civil War.
Since 1967, Nigerians have been living in a peaceful but dangerous nation. The level of insecurity has now reached its climax such that those who are alive have to sleep at night with one of their eyes closed. Only those who have lost their loved ones to kidnapping, militancy and herdsmen attack will bear testimony to this assertion. Yet, most killers are not arrested, tried and convicted in accordance with extant laws. This exposes the weaknesses inherent in Nigeria’s security structure and criminal justice system.
Notwithstanding the weaknesses in Nigeria’s security structure and criminal justice system, the services and sacrifices of our military veterans brought peace to many parts of the world including Nigeria. That is why Nigerians celebrate the spark of patriotism displayed by our fallen heroes and those who have served, and are still serving to protect the nation against all forms of threats. It is therefore expedient to call on the federal government (FG) to ensure that the welfare of serving and retired military personnel is given the attention it deserves. Why, you may ask?
The life of a military personnel in active service is dedicated to duty in its supreme form. The first layer of duty is to the country and this is followed by duty to the armed forces. The list is endless. However, on enlistment of other ranks and selection of officers into the armed forces, there is the attestation to serve dutifully without any bias and be prepared to pay the supreme price of death if occasion demands.
For several generations, loyalty is taught by superiors to subordinates in the military. That is, loyalty to the country always. Loyalty to Nigeria is vital and it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to be loyal to the country. Citizens should not take laws into their hands and thus, become irritants to their fellow men and women. If citizens are not loyal to their country, they cannot be patriotic. Patriotism comes from the heart and it is reflected in the loyalty of a person to his or her country or leaders of the country. With patriotism, no one is exempted while the nation in itself is of the highest value. At the heart of patriotism is the loss of personal interest to public welfare.
Anytime I reflect on each line of ‘The National Pledge,’ I am always happy that Nigeria has leaders and followers though few, who are faithful, loyal and honest to its unity. While some citizens are fanning embers of discord, there are those who are willing, ready and able to truly defend Nigeria’s unity and uphold the nation’s honour and glory always. The crux of the matter at this stage of our national life is that all Nigerians must be patriotic. We all need to be faithful, loyal and honest to our country. Occasionally, one wonders why some citizens are determined to destroy the country while others are trying to make it work. It is only Nigeria that we have. No other nation will help us build our own country.
Let us join our hands together to build a peaceful and prosperous nation. Why are gun-wielding herdsmen slaughtering farmers and other innocent citizens without arrest for several years? Why is the Niger Delta Avengers determined to launch deadly attacks on oil facilities? Are these young men induced to sabotage the nation’s economy? I am not a conspiracy theorist, but there are theories expressed by concerned Nigerians that some powerful people in our society are determined not to make things work. But for divine intervention, the country was almost turned into an arena where a cow was almost equal to hundreds of human lives. That is not our collective aspiration as a people.

Sometime ago, I read the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within the context of national security, but I can’t remember any aspect of the document where it was expressly stated that animals have equal rights with citizens of our country. I am yet to see any civilized nation where animals have equal rights with mortals. Life in all animals is a gift of God. But humans are superior to all animals. So, who owns the cows and sophisticated guns used by the infamous herdsmen? Who are the sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers? Who are these herdsmen that destroyed farmlands and killed human beings in their sleep? These are tough questions demanding truthful answers.
Protection of lives and properties is one of the social responsibilities of government towards its citizens. While all citizens without exemption are to obey the laws of the country. There should be no sacred cow in a crisis. The question this writer is asking is: What will you and I be remembered for when we quit the stage? Are we going to be celebrated or condemned? All Nigerians need to ponder over these questions. As we remember our heroes, we all need to be patriotic citizens of Nigeria!

MA Johnson