TheCable

Some blocks of years ago, my definition of patriotism and nationalism began to change when I noticed that about 99% of those who call themselves nation builders have more than one passport. If Nigeria collapses (God forbid) today, it does not affect them a hoot. It will only crash on the poor man’s head. It was then that my mindset and way of thinking began to change—about what patriotism is all about in our clime. I now think and live as a global citizen, because I cannot afford to let my country of birth stop me from doing all I am on earth to do.

A few years ago, the administration of President Buhari started making the accustomed and familiarized empty-noise on procuring our locally made goods and services, but the truth is, those in the corridors of power do not procure our goods and services. It is clear as water that locally made goods and services are only for the poor and helpless citizens of Nigeria—who do not have multiple-options like the rich. Or does Buhari use locally made goods and services? And does Osinbajo use locally made goods and services? Do our politicians make use of our hospitals that are observably in coma? Do their children attend our poorly funded schools?

In the same vein, some days ago, when baba wanted to make happy a group of people who went to worship at our own Mecca and Jerusalem (Aso Rock) in the Federal Capital Territory, he said and I quote verbatim: “We promoted policies that will support local industries such as import restrictions…We will not allow Nigeria to return to the days of exporting jobs through the importation of food and clothing items which can be produced locally. We owe this to the over 200million Nigerians.” Remember, where politicians are sited and those they meet with—largely determine what they say. They blow hot in the morning and at night, they blow cold. Infact, immediately they talk, they forget! This is why they contradict themselves a lot. And they do not get punished for it, because our people are very poor when it comes to record keeping.

Each time baba and his vice travel beyond the shores of Nigeria to access what we either do have or are capable of having in Nigeria, they are unknowingly sending a dishonorable, discreditable and an appalling signal to all of us. It is a nerve-racking-sign that they do not believe two hoots in Nigeria.

And after training their children abroad, they would bald-facedly splash and display the photographs of their graduation days on social media and national dailies, and those who are marooned in Nigeria would be the ones to first pat on the back for destroying their own education in order to fashion a great future for their children in countries where they truly care for their own people. This is what most of our blind and ill-bred teenagers, youths and young adults do not know: As you are serving their fathers, so shall your children serve their children! A thoughtless, tactless, visionless, indolent and an unserious generation that wants people (as Prof Wole Soyinka), who are in their 80s to speak and fight for them! When Soyinka was a youth, he stood to be counted and worked hard to get to where he is today. For the umpteenth time, on the condition you do not rise to dispassionately hold your public servants accountable and unwaveringly demand for a better country, your children would unquestionably serve those you are serving today.

Furthermore, I remember an impious and visionless governor—who did shut down a higher place of learning for years and while the children of the poor in his state were at home due to school closure, he travelled outside Nigeria to attend the graduation ceremony of his own children and those who were marooned at home were congratulating him. It seems the generation of those who are under forty (40) in Nigeria is under a very strong diabolical-influence. It seems those who are plundering Nigeria are controlling their minds. That generation needs an urgent help!

You may not like me for what I am saying right now, but make sure you do not hate and reject the counsel I am about passing on to you. If you do, your children would rise to curse you in the days to come. This is the counsel I do have for you: Give birth to either one child or two children that you can afford to send beyond the shores of Nigeria for world-class education, because Nigeria won’t be ready anytime soon. And you cannot afford to let your children be marooned in Nigeria as you are stranded here right now. Remember, even your political leaders are holding more than a passport!

In 2015, before the president election that brought “baba” to power, all our political leaders were keeping their foreign passports in their pockets, because they thought Nigeria would go up in flames. They have alternative countries, but it is so sad, because all their political-doormats and praise-singers do not have even ECOWAS passports.

As I begin to coast home, each time they travel out of Nigeria (using aircrafts being maintained by the marooned common man) to attend the graduation ceremonies of their children—who school abroad while your own schools here are in ruins, they are indirectly telling to you that they do not believe in your country, Nigeria. If baba is truly serious on building Nigeria, he should place a ban all our political leaders, stopping them from sending their children abroad and he should ban himself (and other political leaders) from going abroad to be treated medically. Until this is done, we are only deceiving ourselves. It is either we force ourselves to build up a truly great nation or we remain forever doomed as a people.