June 30, 2010 I was at a program and at the end we had to sing the second stanza of the national anthem. Some days before at another function we sang both stanzas and when while I was proud that I could actually recite the lines with faltering and feeling the anthem I realized that most of us can't even remember the lines of the national anthem of our country.
If that be the case then what is it that we are fighting for? Why is that we are clamoring for a better place when we don't even know what our anthem says about a better place? How will we be able to serve with heart and might? How can we build one nation that is founded in freedom, peace and unity?
I was so happy that I could remember all the lines and that in my own way was actually working out the words of the anthem that I joyously laughed and said (loudly) to myself "I remember!" Some people took at me like "and so what?" For me it was a big deal.
How many of us have the ability to arise? or are we still sitting down waiting for miracles that won't come? Are we compatriots or just citizens? Do we even hear Nigeria's call much less obey it? How many of us actually serve our father's land? I aint talking about lip service we pay online towards service or that criticism against the people in power. I am talking of actually rising up to serve and do it with love, strength and faith. A lot of Nigerians don't even believe that Nigeria will be better, they don't have faith in their own individual strength and we no longer love our neighbours.
Now I see that the labours of our fore fathers, heroes that have gone by (no matter how bad we think they did it, they fought for independence) is now in vain. Some days ago someone was saying it would have been better if we were still a colony. Imagine!!
No one have a good vision, we are not collectively reaching for greater heights and with the corruption and the constant fight for who gets what we can't even see the lofty heights we must attain therefore we have remained a country. Instead of us building a nation were peace and justice reigns we have continually worked towards chaos and injustice. A country were the judge can be bought and justice can be perverted because of power and position.
Even though Nigeria has more churches than a lot of countries or nations combined, we have removed God from nation building. However the start of the second stanza asks God for direction. How many of us are noble? How many of us have noble causes? We don't pray for our leaders because we don't give God his place in nationhood. Most of our youths don't know the truth about what is happening; only what they hear on the news or read in the papers (if they read) and that is what they rely on. Without truth it is impossible to see the light.
It is important that we go back and memorize the words of our national anthem and live by it. If we can do this then Nigeria would be better.
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