Nigeriaism

Leroy Edozien

DOCTOR • LAWYER • PAN-NIGERIAN PATRIOT

About Nigeriaism

Nigeriaism

TOWARDS A GREATER NIGERIA: THE NIGERIAISM CAMPAIGN

Leroy C Edozien

 

Nigeria is a country of paradoxes. It is blessed with an abundance of human and natural resources but suffers from abysmal poverty of infrastructure. It has one of the world’s highest economic growth rates but also one of the highest levels of poverty.

 
Nigeria has experienced many false dawns. Since independence in 1960, promises of better governance, improved infrastructure and more equitable distribution of wealth have been unfulfilled; hopes have been dashed.
 
Must we remain helpless? Must we just sit back and continue to hope that one day a miracle will turn the country into the Dubai of Africa? Or should we now say enough is enough and seek to bring back our country from the precipice as well as build a legacy for our children and future generations?
 

Nigeriaism, the Nigerian solution to the Nigeria paradox
As a student in the 1970s, a time when political discourse was dominated by various ‘isms’ (such as colonialism, capitalism, communism, socialism, pan-Africanism), I published an article in the Daily Times (then Nigeria’s leading newspaper) advocating a doctrine of Nigeriaism, a doctrine that exhorts us to translate national goals into personal commitments. In that article, I also called for the mobilisation of youths in promoting Nigeriaism. I called for ‘national guidance’.
 
That was decades ago but there has been little progress, and the need for NIgeriaism and for mobilisation of the citizenry is now greater than ever. The time has come (TTC).
 
At this stage in our political evolution we need a campaign along the lines of Nigeriaism. I call on Nigerian citizens generally, and youths in particular, to wake up and join in creating and driving an inclusive movement of Nigeriaism for the betterment of individuals and the country at large.
 
Nigeriaism is a vehicle for raising the socio-political awareness of the citizenry, and for actualising the ethos espoused in our national anthem (unity, peace, love, justice, freedom). Nigeriaism challenges us all, as Nigerians, to practicalize these in our day-to-day activities.
 
Why Nigeriaism?
We need Nigeriaism because without informed participation at grassroots level, the country of our dream will elude us. Many commentators talk a lot about ethnic divisions in the country and use the narrative of a divided country to cloak their self-interests. It is true that there are divisions on ethnic lines, but they are not our major problem. They are intrinsic to a multi-ethnic country. Our major problem is the pyramidal division of the country, resulting mostly from inequitable distribution of our common wealth, with a tiny proportion of the rich at the top and a vast very poor majority at the bottom. In a land so blessed, the gap between the rich and the poor should not be this large.
 
The ethnic divisions are not in themselves barriers to peace and progress, so let us not dwell too much on them or allow anyone to exploit them. Rather let us find strength in diversity and work towards a better life for all citizens.
 
Nigeriaism builds on the notion that the national cake is large enough for all; that the cake is baked by all of us and we should all have a fair share of the it – every man, woman and child.

 
The tenets of Nigeriaism include:

  • Transformational leadership – inspiring and visionary leadership that will actually take us to the promised land through judicious and equitable use of resources. Chief Awolowo (Western region), Dr Samuel Ogbemudia (Bendel) and Professor Dora Akunyili (NAFDAC) are examples of past leaders who offered transformational leadership.
  • Civic competence – citizens having the knowledge, attitude and behaviour required for creating a better society.
  • Grassroots participation – encouraging people at local level to be actively involved in politics and to influence how they are governed.
  • Youth empowerment – the young are equipped with skills, attitudes and beliefs for acting as agents of change.
  • Strength in diversity – although we have differences in language and culture we are truly ‘bound in freedom, peace and unity’; we respect our differences and share the ethos of Nigeriaism.

 
How do we move forward with this?
The message of Nigeriaism will be disseminated through the mass media, social media, citizenship awareness meetings and youth leadership forums. The progress of the campaign will be monitored through a log of events, a record of formal and informal feedback from the field, collation of media coverage and periodic formal qualitative analysis.
 
Hopefully this campaign will gather widespread support – the time has come!

Nigerian-FlagNIGERIA NATIONAL ANTHEM

Arise, O compatriots
Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom
Peace and unity.

Oh God of creation
Direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And live in just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace
And justice shall reign