A call to patriotism
It is neither intolerance nor partisanship that has spurred my hands to write this but the fact that much ado has been said about the “Change” slogan of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari who rode to power amid great fanfare of high hopes and expectations from all Nigerians. Many years of bad governance coupled with the crippling effect of deep rooted corruption on Nigeria’s socioeconomic development have left many Nigerians in a state of penury resulting in anguish and frustration towards the ruling class. It is on the back of this premise, that many Nigerians saw the ascending onto power of President Buhari, a man of proven integrity and incorruptible track record as the much awaited piece in the puzzle to take Nigeria to the promise land.
Many saw President Buhari as the Messiah to deliver Nigeria from the after effects of years of misrule and many erroneously even had the belief that Nigeria will be transformed within the twinkling of an eye upon the President’s assumption of office, a feat that would perhaps only be possible with the wave a magic wand. The President’s hard stance against corruption as well as his unblemished track record in public service as a former military head of state was alluded to be the reasons behind these high expectations.
Interestingly, the ruling APC wrestled power from the now opposition PDP on the back of a popular and widely accepted “Change” campaign. A plethora of promises and pledges were made to give every Nigerian a better deal and deliver Nigeria from her crunches.
However, 20 months on and the groaning of Nigerians are getting louder by the day. Economic situation is biting harder, the country is faced with one of her worst recessions in history, prices of food items and other commodities are soaring higher and expectedly, many are now beginning to lose patience and are questioning the feasibility the change mantra of this administration. But an in-depth look at the past and present happenings in the country reveal an enormous challenge facing the nation, one which requires great reflection from all and sundry. Corruption is deeply entrenched in the fabric of our society, tribalism and nepotism is the order of the day, religious intolerance, excessive greed, lack of patriotism and acts of sabotage are widely perpetrated in both public and private spheres of our society cutting across the rich and the poor.
The change campaign was launched by the president and everyone was supposed to participate in transforming our nation, this is what the “change begins with me” campaign was meant for. It is not just the duty of the president. As one Nigeria, we must begin to deemphasize religious and cultural bigotry and work together for the greater good of all. The love of our country must be placed higher than sectional interest and acts harmful to the growth and development of the country such as bribery, corruption, act of sabotage must be shunned at all level of our society.
Amazingly we have been blessed with both human and natural resources to become a truly great nation and therefore, it is pertinent that only through positive attitude towards change from all and sundry will we achieve our potentials.
This is a clarion call to all Nigerians irrespective of their economic or social status to become the change they want to see in the larger society as has been aptly captured by President Buhari’s “change begins with me” campaign that was recently launched. It is time for true sober reflection and a return to good moral values that binds us as a people. God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.
Fatima Binta Mohammed, IBBU, LAPAI, Niger State.