BETWEEN NIGERIA AND HER UNPATRIOTIC CITIZENS.
By Otori Ozigi
There is no gainsaying that Nigeria today is largely populated by bad and unpatriotic citizens .
I hate to say this, but that is the gospel truth.
These are unscrupulous politicians, criminal elements, thieving Public office officials,corrupt Political office holders, unpatriotic elements masquerading as business men and women and other groups of people, who are engaging in negative ways that have contributed in no small measure in portraying Nigeria in bad light.
There is no gainsaying that unbridled corruption have been promoted to high heaven.
It has become an all comers affairs.
No profession is insulated from the virus of large scale corruption in the country today.
Whoever said Nigerians are scandalously corrupt is just stating the obvious.
There are another set of people who have sworn to de-market Nigeria for their own pecuniary gains and personal aggrandizement,both at home and in foreign land.
True, some Nigerians are exhibiting behavioral tendencies in a new low, that calls to question if our generation have seen the last of Patriots and nationalists in our national life and history.
There are fundamental questions begging for answers.
Have we seen the last of selfless and patriotic leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo,Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe,Chief Michael Opara, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa,Sir Ahmadu Bello and General Murtala Muhammed, all of blessed memories?
These were leaders with the hallmark of visionary and purposeful traits, who gave their best to serve Nigeria without any material wealth to show for their uncommon service.
These days there are avalanche of negative news items like the corruption of our political leaders that are now in the multi billion naira mark.
What of the unending activities of criminal elements who have waged war against their fellow Nigerians, without any good and justifiable cause or ideology.
Some years back, if anybody told me that a time would come when Nigeria would witness the activities of suicide bombers, I would have argued vehemently in denial.
But I have been proved wrong by the unending activities of Boko Haram insurgents.and bandits who are so daring in their activities and operations.
What of other criminal elements like kidnappers, ritualists, murderous Fulani herdsmen and armed robbers that have held sway in the country in recent time.
In the same vein, other unpatriotic and bad citizens have shown their various negative tendencies in the ongoing cases of hunger and hardships being experienced by majority of Nigerians.
The activities of shylock market women and business men these days have called into question the humanity in us.
Where is the conscience of Nigerians?
Viewed against this background therefore, I wish to pray to God to heal the growing tribe of unpatriotic citizens at home and abroad.
May God deliver them in good time.
We shall overcome this trying and perilous times.
Nigeria will survive.
President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will succeed.
He means well for the country.
His reform policies and programs will birth a new Nigeria of our dreams.
No sweet, without sweat.