In the past 60 years, Nigeria has survived a civil war, coup d’états, and dictatorships to now when it can beat her chest as a thriving democracy and one of Africa’s largest economies. Yet, so many loopholes abound, which seem to worsen by the day even with the rising rate of corruption. In view of this, JOY NGWOLO took to the streets to find out the level of patriotism among Nigerians.
“We have not gained anything from the government” – Bakare Suleiman
The masses are suffering, we have not gained anything from the government. For over sixty years, no achievement. Look at our communities and roads, they are in bad shape. Our leaders need to change their policies to make life better for the people
“I can die for Nigeria” – Tijani Boluwatife
I can die for Nigeria because I believe that Nigeria is a great country, except that a few people are promoting corruption in Nigeria and using it to spoil the country. The government is trying their best to ensure that students go to school and are well trained, as well as provide employment and jobs and prosperity
“Never” – Ruch Honest
Never. Our roads are so bad here in Ilasamaja if you check the roads, you will know why I can never die for Nigeria not even in my next life. Our leaders are poorly organized, imagine electricity tariff being increased. SARS arrested my brother the other day because he had dreadlocks on, we had to go bail him, they even threatened to cut his hair, we had to plead for them to release so you see why I don’t have any reason to die for Nigeria. I don’t think that this country can ever be better with the kind of leaders we have today.
“The country was never like this” -Comfort Lateef
I can die for Nigeria because Nigeria will always be my country. I cannot deny the country even if there are things happening that I don’t like. I hope that God touches the government so that they can make this country the way it used to be. Since the time I was born, the country was never like this, back then you could use one naira to do something reasonable but nowadays the case is different. Before we could go anywhere but now the borders have been closed. I used to sell clothes before but because of the closed borders, I have to resort to selling groundnuts just to keep things going.
“Our opinions do not matter” -Chiamaka Okeke
Our opinions do not matter, you will only see yourself dying for a lost cause only for some politicians to use it for selfish reasons because the level of corruption in Nigeria is outrageous. Let us stop borrowing and start recovering looted funds. In the health sector, there are zero facilities, they don’t even pay doctors half of what a politician earns. The teachers are also suffering from this. We need to stop focusing on fuel and focus more on other sectors like Agriculture. But all these and others cannot be achieved if we don’t have a law to checkmate those who steal our money and save it in their houses.
“In Nigeria, lives do not matter” -Gilbert Uboh
Never. In Nigeria, lives do not matter, the oppressor always takes the oppressed for granted. The ENDS SARS protest has revealed so many social vices in Nigeria especially the police brutality, bad governance, hoarded palliatives, lack of social amenities, lack of accountability for public office holders, and so on. I am still looking for the smallest reason to die for Nigeria but I have not found any
