Let us talk truth: Many Nigerians love Nigeria but are tired of Nigeria. We sing the national anthem but shout “this country don spoil” before breakfast. Patriotism has become hard when power fails, fuel price is high, ASUU strikes, and dollar rises.
But hear this: No country was built by citizens who hate it. America, China, Rwanda — they built with patriotism despite problems. Rwanda, after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, rebuilt from ashes through deliberate patriotism, unity, and home-grown service.
Patriotism is not stupidity. It is not supporting bad government. It is loving the people, the land, the future so much that you refuse to join in destroying it.
Today, we desecrate our own country daily:
- We throw dirt in gutters then blame the flood.
- We bypass meters then complain that NEPA gives no light.
- We collect money to vote then complain leaders are bad.
- We break pipelines that feed our own states.
- We Japa and abuse Nigeria online to get foreign validation.
We say Nigeria is not good, but who will make it good? Ghanaians?
A Better Nigeria starts when we put Nigeria First — not tribe first, not party first, not pocket first.
What Better Nigeria Patriotism Means:
- Buy Nigeria, Wear Nigeria, Build Nigeria: Your next shoe, bag, cloth — try made-in-Nigeria first. If 50 million of us spend N10,000 monthly on Nigerian products, that is N500 billion staying in Nigerian youth hands every month.
- Serve small: NYSC is not a scam. Volunteer one Saturday for sanitation, teach for free, clean your street. A nation is a community.
- Speak well, act well: Correct Nigeria but do not curse it. Criticize government, but respect the flag, anthem, institutions. Do not destroy what belongs to all of us.
- Diaspora as asset: Not enemy. 17 million Nigerians abroad — make them partners. They remitted over $20.93 billion in 2024 alone — more than four times our Foreign Direct Investment. Easy investment, voting rights, skill return.
We do not have another country. If the house is dirty, we clean it, we do not burn it.
Your Task Today: Do one patriotic act — buy a Nigerian-made product, fly the flag small on your DP, pick litter on your street, or post one good thing about Nigeria that is TRUE. Teach a child the new anthem correctly.
Our Current Anthem (reinstated May 29, 2024): Nigeria, We Hail Thee — first adopted October 1, 1960, lyrics by Lillian Jean Williams.
