“Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was officially readopted on 29th May 2024. In the third stanza of the anthem, a prayer is made to God to help leaders build a nation where no man is oppressed and to turn Nigeria into a blessed land. The person that would bring about such a change is God, acting through a human instrument—the president. The challenge faced today in Nigeria is that our faith is contradicted by the choices and actions we take.
Americans chose “In God We Trust” as their country’s motto in 1956. This decision was rooted in their religious beliefs, connected to European Christianity, and served to distinguish the United States from the Soviet Union’s atheistic Communism. Today, malnourished school children stand at attention every morning in their assembly grounds with shrunken, pale eyes, reciting their beliefs and prayers through the national anthem. The end of Communism in the early ’90s marked a significant shift in world history. Nigeria is a democratic country, but it is far worse than Communism. Communism could clothe a man and put food on the table with other economic benefits, even when such leaders did not believe in God.
As Nigerians, we have long dreamed of a nation where every citizen can live without fear of oppression, marginalisation, or exclusion. However, economic inequality, religious tensions, political marginalisation, and social injustice have overtaken the decent, fruitful, and normal lives of citizens, turning them into slaves in their own country. Godly leaders are known to be sensitive and great listeners. They communicate with God about the conditions of their followers, resolving the problems of the poor masses. George Washington Carver was one of the great scientific minds—a loving and compassionate leader. Around the turn of the 20th century, agriculture in the southern states of America was suffering, but Carver pioneered the idea of crop rotation, urged farmers to plant peanuts, and increased their fortunes.
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When we examine the problems confronting us today, we find that each one stems from an “inner space”—the dark side of the human spirit. Wickedness and heartlessness are rampant, especially among African leaders. What hope remains for a promising future for Nigerian youth? The so-called economic miracle worker’s magic wand seems to be failing. Sycophants once promised the world that change and transformation would come to Nigeria, claiming he could perform miracles and make the impossible happen. But reality contradicts these promises. In Nigeria, everything is far from sweet, beautiful, or happy. Justice and rule of law seem like distant dreams. The love of the President for Nigerians, if it exists, remains unseen and unfelt.
Moreover, hopelessness compounds Nigeria’s fate amidst the “Renewed Hope Agenda.” Taxes and subsidies have been removed, but there is no sign of reinvestment. “Are there so many women in the harem?” Everyone desires success, abundance, and prosperity, but not at the expense of others’ welfare or suffering. Hardship in Nigeria is multidimensional—loss of loved ones, betrayals, painful emotions, inflation, price hikes, insecurity, suffering, rejection, neglect, and subjugation. The poor masses in Nigeria are not trained soldiers, so how does the government expect them to endure hardship?
In conclusion, we have learned that a government can have wicked, autocratic, and oppressive policies, but it is up to the people to resist and withstand such harsh impositions through inner and superior strength. These policies and programs may be imposed by parasitic politicians, but the power ultimately rests with the people and the God who made them. The government has stifled all avenues for a profitable life, and citizens now wallow in abject poverty, pain, and regret. No one should remain silent at this critical time; instead, we should refuse to be indecisive. We must confront our problems head-on by demanding good governance and accountability from our leaders. Nigeria belongs to God, who made us its citizens. The voice of opposition and criticism is faint and dying due to the government’s oppressive posture. We may fail ourselves, but we cannot afford to fail God, who enables us to overcome and achieve great feats.
Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Awgbu.
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