I am also aware that when I write on a particular issue that I chose, as long as it is published in the public realm, like the internet or newspapers, then I am putting my head on the block, and readers of my articles are bound to take positions, views and opinions which may or may not differ from mine. This is normal. We cannot all lie on the same bed and face the same way, because if we all do, and we are all wrong, then we face the same fate together. Hence, the necessity in life to agree to disagree or disagree to agree.

However, one thing for sure is that I am not writing on behalf of individuals or groups in order to pander to them, or to seek favour or position or for monetary gains. All my articles have never put a penny in my pocket, and neither have I asked for any remuneration. I am satisfied to express my feelings and opinions about issues affecting my country as best as I could, in most cases, out of frustration for the plight of the country. When in such a mood, I often found solace in putting my thoughts down on paper. I feel much better. Again, in most cases, I am much concerned if what me, and other writers write is falling on the deaf ears of our rulers and countrymen.

I also take great joy in readers responding to my articles, either by making critical comments or by commending favourably on the contents. It encourages me further, either way. Some readers leave comments on the website, while some write to me directly via my email address. I take it all in good stride, and sometime laugh inwardly when I see the humour and inventiveness of the posters. In fact some comments are more like articles in themselves. I like it.

However, some criticisms are outright attacks, because such critics do not share my views. Well, what can we do about this? Nothing really, and that is why in most cases, I do not engage in fisticuffs over the internet, but try and say to such critics that I was only expressing a view, and not forcing my own personal view of issues or events down people’s throats.

For example, my last two articles about the Niger Delta (The Niger Delta and Nigeria) and about patriotism and unity (Reflections of Patriotism and Nigerian Unity) attracted a lot of diverse comments, especially the latter. Some readers felt I was calling for a forced patriotism of Nigerians towards their country despite all the ills of the country. No, why should I? And how can I? Is it possible to force people to be patriotic towards their country which has not exactly been looking after their interests for decades? Is it possible to unite a disenchanted and fragmented country of tribal and religious differences just by writing to them and exhorting them all on empty?

So where do I stand? My articles are calls to arms, so to speak. It is an appeal for us to realise that we stand better chances of survival if we are united to fight forces of darkness and retrogression, both internal and external (especially the former) by first recognising the problems and then tackling them. They have been my own way of expressing my thoughts, and at the same time, looking forward to hearing from diverse views and opinions on such issues.

My thoughts were perhaps most aptly expressed by Walemi Ogunleye in his article “I Love My Country, But Does My Country Love Me?” (Nigeria Village Square, Sunday 10^th August 2008). In the article, he asked a series of questions “What do I expect from my country? Nothing extraordinary. Just a few mundane things – food, good road network, kerosene, gas and oil for his car, security of life and property, electricity, good and qualitative education at all levels for leaders of tomorrow, a good and efficient health care system for the rich and poor alike, good mass transportation system for ease of movement around the country, provision of the enabling environment for the creation of jobs for the unemployed”………. And he’s not asking for too much, is he? Especially in a country as blessed as ours.

Walahi tallahi. These are all I am asking for too, before we can even talk about patriotism or unity. But, there are more that I would add. Equality, justice and social justice, humanity, zero-tolerance to corruption, good governance; and if I may add, reduction of poverty; equitable distribution of wealth; all people, be they from the maimed and killed Niger Deltan, or the disenfranchised Igbo, or the grumbling Yorubas and all other minorities from the Middle Belt or the oppressed Northern “talakawas”, to be one before the government of the land. As a Nigerian, am I asking too much? Aren’t these what we all want? So who am I to force patriotism and unity on the people of Nigeria? How can it even be forced? It will come by itself.

God knows it has been a lack of all the above that has fragmented Nigeria into little pieces, but like they said, there is Unity in Diversity and we are not minding this wise saying? The moment we unite, that is when we will see real patriotism.

In previous articles, I have lambasted pseudo-leaders who like to see and call themselves patriots, just because they are in charge of the wealth, but we know they are not, by any imagination. These are the people we should hunt down and expose and bring to justice to account for their evil sins and crimes against their own people. This very act itself will be an act of patriotism.

So, a very good friend of mine spanning over 30 years, “Ewuro” (A Yoruba word meaning “Bitter leaf”, his pen name on Nigeria Village Square) went for my jugular on my last article (both in Nigeria Village Square and Chatafrik Articles). In fact, I respect his views which were in most parts, very valid points. (As indeed were the views of another Villager called Amen, who did not spare the rod on me, bless him), but where Ewuro erred was to say the article was “a bundle of contradictions”. He failed to see that the message being sent out was not a call for enforced patriotism, but rather an appeal to seek the true patriots who can facilitate change in the country to make the country realise its full potential. While Ewuro dwelt on Patriotism, he failed to address the issue of Unity which went along with it. He knows we share the same views, but he still went on to damn me. He then went further to accuse me of “a hidden political agenda” on my part and “that this was one of my exit strategies back to Nigeria …….. To smoothing my way back into a political appointment back home”.

Well, who would know it? I am in trouble and in a dilemma, because if indeed I do get offered a political appointment back home now or in the future, my friend, Ewuro, will say “Didn’t I say it?” And if I don’t accept such an appointment, my family and friends, including Ewuro himself, will say “you are a fool for not accepting it”. That has put paid to seeing myself as somebody who could, most sincerely and honourably, contribute my own quota to the survival, development and progress of my country, something I have always expressed and have the determination that I will do to the best of my ability, if the opportunity comes my way. Ewuro, thanks very much (LOL). I am tempted to accuse Ewuro of a breach of trust, but I won’t.

However, this minor setback is not daunting in my efforts to go back to Nigeria. I’ve got my farm to feed my family, and will do other businesses on the sides to sustain me, as I am rather too old to seek paid employment, and insulate myself from the problems of Nigeria as much as I can, and don’t get involved. And Ewuro is an honourable man, and I am sure he will support me as a friend. In fact he has to support me now, as I know he’s not planning to stay in the UK forever. Ewuro and I are still going to sit over some bottles of Guinness and argue it out this weekend.

That was a little digression. If we do not recognise and accept that there are agents of doom and darkness militating against our survival, including patriotism and unity, we are in for a very nasty surprise. When I say Agents of Doom, I am not referring to writers on the issues of Nigeria, I am talking about our leaders, past and present. I am talking about those who deliberately put us in this swirling quagmire of poverty, religious and tribal intolerance, corruption, mistrust, oppression, etc. Unprofessional and corrupt military rulers, mad and greedy politicians, murderous coup plotters, avid tribal chiefs and traditional rulers, corrupt civil servants, unscrupulous businessmen, you name it.

The problem with us, and with the word “patriotism”, in this case, is that we tend to take meanings too literarily, according to the various definitions of dictionaries. The word “Patriotism” projects a vision of billions of Chinese waving flags, or millions of Americans waving flags and singing their national anthems with nationalistic emotions. Well, don’t we do the same in Nigeria, even as we profess not to be that patriotic? Patriotism is not only by definitions or quotable quotes of great philosophers or great men. Who can deny that our own Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, is not a patriot, despite his well-known and long-standing criticism of many a government and socio-political issues of Nigeria? Yet this great man and hero to many of us is always projecting his Nigerian-ness to the whole world. He has made us proud in many ways, and never have I heard him say, “To hell with Nigeria”. Professor Chinua Achebe, likewise a Nigerian, an Igboman who has suffered as a result of the Biafran war, has never denied his love and patriotism for the country of his birth. And I suppose Chief Gani Fawehinmi hates Nigeria, considering what he has gone through in his life fighting for social justice for Nigerians, which they still haven’t got? Joseph Yobo, our Super Eagles captain, is an Ogoni man, whose people have been maimed and killed for their oil. The young man is always proud to lead his country out to play football, but we can’t label him patriotic? Segun Odegbami, former Green Eagles captain, will forever be a patriot looking for ways of improving Nigerian football, not to talk of our many athletes, from various “under-privileged tribes” who have toiled and represented Nigeria all over the world. When Nigeria or Nigerians are participating in any sporting event or other life’s endeavours, we all sit with our eyes glued to the TV wishing success for Nigeria. If that is not love of or patriotism for one’s country, despite our many ills and shortcomings, then please tell me what it is. British Airways mistreated some Nigerians recently, and over 5000 signatures were received in protest against BA about how they generally treat Nigerians on their routes, how do you classify this call to arms? MEND, MASSOB and OPC are concerned about Nigeria in different ways; yet, concerned they are. They all want a change of some sorts in their country and fight for their rights.

Those who write and read and comment on the various internet websites and newspapers do so because of their concern, and hence, love and patriotism for that country known as Nigeria. If you are not concerned, why do you wake up eagerly in the morning to read Nigeriaworld,

Like my friend and brother, Adebayo Adejuwon wrote from Canada, “The more I read about some ugly stuff about Nigeria which sometimes demoralises me, the more I receive some inner conviction that I must not be discouraged on Nigeria at all. I just can't explain why. The sense of this ultimate safe landing for Nigeria where all her enemies and 'conquerors' will be powerless to continue in their demonic manoeuvrings remains ever strong”. I share his views. 

Let the truth be said, I say. It will set us free.

Akintokunbo Adejumo lives and works in London, UK. A graduate of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1979) and University of Manitoba, Canada (1985), he also writes on topical issues for newspapers and internet media including Nigeriaworld.com, Nigeria Today Online, Nigerians In America, Nigeria Village Square, Champions Newspaper, ChatAfrik.com, African News Switzerland, New Nigerian Politics, Gamji.com, Codewit.com,  etc.

He is also the Coordinator of CHAMPIONS FOR NIGERIA, (www.championsfornigeria.org) an organisation devoted to celebrating genuine progress, excellence, commitment, selfless and unalloyed service to Nigeria and Nigerians.

Robot  # 1 | 11.08.2008 23:24

...Read the full article.

AMEN  # 2 | 12.08.2008 00:52

@ Babatoks, you suprised me with this one, you claimed you were too busy to engage in an intellectual, clean and factual debate in your last write up, you even said you were not going to write another long article to please me as you hadn't the time for that etc, and now this rejoinder? well lets go fishing!!! 1.you seem very hurt from my rebuttal though i apologised if any harm was done, this is evidenced by the fact that a large part of this post is dedicated to why you write, and who you please or not, and how people have reacted, what you meant or not and other semantics. 2. pls learn to seperate issues, my attacks are never personal on NVS, but intellectual and i actually do it to bring out the best in my co-debators in their replies so i can learn from them or further rubbish their claims. 3.yes you were trying to force people to be patriotic when you made statements like "I detect some hidden agenda by some agents of doom and those who just never see anything good or positive with Nigeria. I see people who are bent on not making anything work; people who have been brainwashed into thinking negatively about their fatherland or maybe people who are simply giving up without putting up a fight. These same people have never really fought for anything in their life, so fighting to correct the system is beyond their intellectual capacity. On the other hand, these people want other people to fight their fight for them".COLOR> read through that statement again to see were you deride and accuse poor nigerians of conspiracy and intellectual ineptitude as regards patriotism to nigeria, which you have obviously placed above their main priority which is HEALTH AND WEALTH. 4.Did Chinua and Wole tell you personally or in any write ups that they are patriots? please quote me wrong and i will raise an apology to you, do not mis-judge their humane, intellectual and civilised acts in nigeria as patriotism, these men will do it for all mankind, has Yobo told you his deep thoughts?, that people serve nigeria in football, boxing, army, civil service etc does not mean they are patriots, they might just be surviving, or have no other choice in life etc, after all playing for nigeria helps Yobo get better deals abroad, and he can play the part of a captain but think otherwise as an Ogoni man (I AM SPECULATING HERE), look we all root for nigeria in football etc, but then we all have to support a side (so patriotism is out of the equation here), just see how nigerians now support MANU,ARSENAL,CHELSEA etc to very sickening levels, if they are patriotic as you want them to be, should they not be supporting local teams to that fever pitch levels? As to the BA incident, i think RACE was the primary issue and then that it affected nigerians secondary. 5. PLS READ THE MEANING OF THESE BODIES AGAIN AND STAND CORRECTED A. MEND= MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION (FREE) OF NIGER-DELTA B. MASSOB=MOVEMENT FOR THE ACTUALISATION (MAKE REAL) OF THE SOVEREIGN STATE OF BIAFRA C. OPC= ODUA'S (YORUBAS) PEOPLE REPUBLIC (NATION OF THE PEOPLE) GOD BLESS YOU AMEN

Lovenest  # 3 | 12.08.2008 02:14

=AMEN;4295082409>@ Babatoks, you suprised me with this one, you claimed you were too busy to engage in an intellectual, clean and factual debate in your last write up, you even said you were not going to write another long article to please me as you hadn't the time for that etc, and now this rejoinder? well lets go fishing!!! 1.you seem very hurt from my rebuttal though i apologised if any harm was done, this is evidenced by the fact that a large part of this post is dedicated to why you write, and who you please or not, and how people have reacted, what you meant or not and other semantics. 2. pls learn to seperate issues, my attacks are never personal on NVS, but intellectual and i actually do it to bring out the best in my co-debators in their replies so i can learn from them or further rubbish their claims. 3.yes you were trying to force people to be patriotic when you made statements like "I detect some hidden agenda by some agents of doom and those who just never see anything good or positive with Nigeria. I see people who are bent on not making anything work; people who have been brainwashed into thinking negatively about their fatherland or maybe people who are simply giving up without putting up a fight. These same people have never really fought for anything in their life, so fighting to correct the system is beyond their intellectual capacity. On the other hand, these people want other people to fight their fight for them".COLOR> read through that statement again to see were you deride and accuse poor nigerians of conspiracy and intellectual ineptitude as regards patriotism to nigeria, which you have obviously placed above their main priority which is HEALTH AND WEALTH. 4.Did Chinua and Wole tell you personally or in any write ups that they are patriots? please quote me wrong and i will raise an apology to you, do not mis-judge their humane, intellectual and civilised acts in nigeria as patriotism, these men will do it for all mankind, has Yobo told you his deep thoughts?, that people serve nigeria in football, boxing, army, civil service etc does not mean they are patriots, they might just be surviving, or have no other choice in life etc, after all playing for nigeria helps Yobo get better deals abroad, and he can play the part of a captain but think otherwise as an Ogoni man (I AM SPECULATING HERE), look we all root for nigeria in football etc, but then we all have to support a side (so patriotism is out of the equation here), just see how nigerians now support MANU,ARSENAL,CHELSEA etc to very sickening levels, if they are patriotic as you want them to be, should they not be supporting local teams to that fever pitch levels? As to the BA incident, i think RACE was the primary issue and then that it affected nigerians secondary. 5. PLS READ THE MEANING OF THESE BODIES AGAIN AND STAND CORRECTED A. MEND= MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION (FREE) OF NIGER-DELTA B. MASSOB=MOVEMENT FOR THE ACTUALISATION (MAKE REAL) OF THE SOVEREIGN STATE OF BIAFRA C. OPC= ODUA'S (YORUBAS) PEOPLE REPUBLIC (NATION OF THE PEOPLE) GOD BLESS YOU AMEN So, what then is patriotism to you? Please lecture us on that!

allaccess  # 4 | 12.08.2008 08:04

well done AMEN, good response: @ article writer You have written a lot for the betterment of your beloved country Nigeria, I commend you for it although a lot of your articles have been continuation (if not a lack of originality) of what others have written extensively about. Article that I might say are devoid of concrete solutions. But no one can fault you for doing your best. Your articles end up falling on deaf ears and become no more than fist fights because there is nothing new in the article writing industry in Nigeria, they contain no new suggestions for progress. The issues remain long after your articles have been consigned to cyber dustbins. It is nothing personal, as I fall into the same boat man. And I am sorry if some of the responses to your article turn out to be outright attacks; frustration has set in, it is currently doing the rounds and people don’t always want to hear stale news and repetitive articles but they want to see progress. Any Nigerian article that does not call for either a revolution or a cessation from Northern Nigeria is wasting its time. What exactly is it you expect an individual to do to fix Nigeria’s problems without first ensuring a livable Nigerian nation is created? Listen to this “Equality, justice and social justice, humanity, zero-tolerance to corruption, good governance; and if I may add, reduction of poverty, equitable distribution of wealth” No kidding!!! I must have seen 1 million articles from 1980 talking about the same thing! Nigeria has some of the smartest and educated people in the world’s black community, but, my fear is that many of us are educated in the books of our subjects only, the ability to use our literacy (devoid of silly traditional thinking) is another matter. Why does someone write silly articles asking for Nigerians to try and be united and stay together when there is CLEAR EVIDENCE to suggest the biggest problem of Nigeria was brought by balkanization? Short of being a weakling or a fearful person who is trying to avoid insults or violence from other ethnic group we should all now have a firm handle on why we lack progression! We should at this stage be thinking why we need to be in an arrangement with people who have absolutely no intention of changing their 13th century koranic ways. India had to remove itself for a similar arrangement with Pakistan for it to become one of the world’s fastest growing economies. But we have educated Nigerians telling us about patriotism 48 years down the line: is this not intellectual masturbation?

Ewuro  # 5 | 12.08.2008 08:22

Tokunbo, I have not breached any confidentiality. The statement you singled out is a summary of a paragraph from your article. Notice that I said there were serious contradictions in your article. These contradictions may be unintentional. I put the questions for you to answer in the public glare. The question marks indicate that they are questions. If I have come out as offensive, accept my apologies. I quote the paragraph below, this time in verbatim: "I have always reflected on this. One, I will never come back to live abroad once I decide to settle in Nigeria except to visit on holidays, or to do business or to visit my family and friends. Secondly, I will never join in the looting, raping and maiming of my country, because I am not greedy or mad, nor do I want to live in two houses at the same time, or drive three cars together, nor sit down in my living room counting millions or billions of Naira in my bank account, no matter what the peer pressure is on me to join the system of corruption. I do not need it, not at my stage of development, ethical and moral awareness. Indeed, I will help my people, and when I say my people, I mean Nigerians, not only my family, or my tribe or my friends." If you are going to help Nigerians and not your family and friends or kinsmen as you have done in the past and currently, I could only guess in what role. It has to be political. Your recent role shows you are not apolitical. I could only extrapolate that you might be prepared for a political office in one way or the other. I believe the best way to help our people is by politics: Using the resources of the people for their greatest good. There is nothing wrong if people like you become a minister, or governor, or a senator. Your contribution would be a lot better than the current crop of treasury looters called politicians. Even then I will still have the opportunity to criticise you privately and sometimes publicly. This why I am Ewuro. If you look at those Youtube videos on Christopher Okigbo memorial lecture at Harvard, the Wole Soyinka series, he replied to a question that he regards himself as a humanist rather than a patriot. Chinua Achebe refused a national honour by Obasanjo in protest of his inhumane treatment of the igbos,and the Odi people. I suspect he regards himself as a humanist as well. You see there are times when patriotism ceases to be a virtue. Like I said earlier there are pre-conditions to it. If you say Nigerians need to unite. Some would ask, unite for what? Unite behind those who defined their nationalism by Sharia? Behind those coup-ploter-murderers? Behind people like Obasanjo, IBB, and their beneficiaries who looted the treasury while millions die of hunger? I do not subscribe to the unity of mokey-dey -work baboon-dey-chop. In fact MASSOB, MEND, and OPC do not believe in unity any more. AMEN had said by their very names they have also defined their nationalism. In the Nigerian case at the moment, a division into various nationalties or a true federation or confederations are alternatives to getting our humanity in order. This should be discussed among the nationalties before the current situation as being experienced in Niger delta deteriorates further. Countries do not usually survive two sectarian wars. I can tell you that most Yoruba, or Igbos, are not in a mood to support a flawed Nigerian Unity war against any constituent group like the Igbo or deltans like they did in 1967. Those who think that the Igbos would be defeated should there be a repeat of the Biafra scenario are not thinking straight. Toks, what we need to be united about is a sovereign constitutional conference. A sermon on patriotism or unity has become offensive to a lot of certain Nigerians. At least you have seen that from the reactions to your article. A rejoinder on OPC OPC is a Congress today. The Primary Objective of OPC is to eventually transform to an Oodua Republic if all negotiations for a humane, fair-to-all Nigerian fails. To all intent and purpose the objective is not dissimilar to that of MASSOB or MEND.

Babatoks  # 6 | 12.08.2008 09:21

Amen, Allacess and Ewuro, The very reactions and diverse views I really want to bring out from readers. Thanks. Like I said, we are all learning from each other. If Allacess condemns silly articles, that is one man's view. Others people might not necessarily see it that way. But it still reamins an opinion, and it will be taken into consideration. Thanks _________________________ _________________________ Furthermore, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Gani Fawehinmi, Yobo and others do not have to go on top of the world and call themselves "Patriots". True patriots are recognised by their actions and by their people. No, they dont have to carry the label on their foreheads. By their action, we shall know them. We know what they and others like them have done for their country, and it is the world who will label them as such. I do not expect Prof Soyinka to go to a lecture and call himself a patriot. In history, true patriots do not shout on top of the roof that they are patriots. Others do it for them. Again, patriotism is not a virtue, if indeed it is a virtue, that is forced on anybody. The country earns it as much as the person. And I will agree with you all that the way we have been treated in Nigeria, there is no cause to be patriotic. What i am saying is that despite all these, there are still people who are real Patriots of Nigeria. They do not have to sleep wrapped in the Nigerian bi-coloured flag, but by what they are doing to promote Nigeria at every opportunity; by what they are doing to right the wrongs and to see that other Nigerians like them are getting a better life, they are Patriots. By the way OPC means Odua Peoples Congress (not a Republic) as Amen defined. Well, if "Emancipation" means Freedom or Liberation, and that is what MEND is all about, liberating themselves from the rest of Nigeria, and the same goes for MASSOB, then Amen is right about that and I am wrong.

Ewuro  # 7 | 12.08.2008 10:18

A rejoinder on OPC OPC is a Congress today. The Primary Objective of OPC is to eventually transform to an Oodua Republic if all negotiations for a humane, fair-to-all Nigerian fails. To all intent and purpose the objective is not dissimilar to that of MASSOB or MEND.

Bode Eluyera  # 8 | 12.08.2008 13:01

=allaccess;4295082505>well done AMEN, good response: @ article writer You have written a lot for the betterment of your beloved country Nigeria, I commend you for it although a lot of your articles have been continuation (if not a lack of originality) of what others have written extensively about. Article that I might say are devoid of concrete solutions. But no one can fault you for doing your best. Your articles end up falling on deaf ears and become no more than fist fights because there is nothing new in the article writing industry in Nigeria, they contain no new suggestions for progress. The issues remain long after your articles have been consigned to cyber dustbins. It is nothing personal, as I fall into the same boat man. And I am sorry if some of the responses to your article turn out to be outright attacks; frustration has set in, it is currently doing the rounds and people don’t always want to hear stale news and repetitive articles but they want to see progress. Any Nigerian article that does not call for either a revolution or a cessation from Northern Nigeria is wasting its time. What exactly is it you expect an individual to do to fix Nigeria’s problems without first ensuring a livable Nigerian nation is created? Listen to this “Equality, justice and social justice, humanity, zero-tolerance to corruption, good governance; and if I may add, reduction of poverty, equitable distribution of wealth” No kidding!!! I must have seen 1 million articles from 1980 talking about the same thing! Nigeria has some of the smartest and educated people in the world’s black community, but, my fear is that many of us are educated in the books of our subjects only, the ability to use our literacy (devoid of silly traditional thinking) is another matter. Why does someone write silly articles asking for Nigerians to try and be united and stay together when there is CLEAR EVIDENCE to suggest the biggest problem of Nigeria was brought by balkanization? Short of being a weakling or a fearful person who is trying to avoid insults or violence from other ethnic group we should all now have a firm handle on why we lack progression! We should at this stage be thinking why we need to be in an arrangement with people who have absolutely no intention of changing their 13th century koranic ways. India had to remove itself for a similar arrangement with Pakistan for it to become one of the world’s fastest growing economies.But we have educated Nigerians telling us about patriotism 48 years down the line: is this not intellectual masturbation? Thank you very much for your BRILLIANT comment. Although, I very much respect the efforts of the writer, but whenever I read his articles I just can't stop myself from laughing. The guy seems to be living in a different continent. It's good to have organizations like champions for Africa or whatever, however without first understanding and diagonising a problem correctly, you will be prescribing wrong solutions. Most importantly, no matter how perfect your plan is, if your partner is INSINCERE, you are just bound to fail. My article "One Nigeria: To be or not to be? (part 6)" was devoted completely to this issue. What is most disappointing about the writer's articles is his MYOPIC and SIMPLISTIC APPROACH to Nigeria's problems. He would rather remain an optimist than a realist - never mind the fact that there are no bases or grounds for his optimism. Sometimes, I see his articles as more of PERSONAL ADVERTISEMENT or a HIDDEN DESIRE to get noticed by the authorities than a GENUINE DESIRE to present WORKABLE and REALISTIC SOLUTIONS to Nigeria's problems. I can't understand why somebody who studied in Canada write these BABY/EMOTIONAL ARTICLES. Sometimes, I feel like calling him to tell him about the futility of his ideas, but I later abandoned the idea. Anybody in his right senses knows that one Nigeria is not possible. It's a dream that will NEVER come true. Therefore, anybody who bases all his ideas on this unrealistic dream/desire is just WASTING HIS TIME. Adejumo needs to wake up from his slumber, and see things first in the right perspective. In any case, let's commend him for his efforts and wish him all the best in his venture. But he should please stop trying to persuade us to be patriotic, or lecture us about the virtues of unity. I guess we are old enough to take some decisions ourselves. Personally, I don't believe in any One Nigeria and all those bla bla bla about unity and patriotism. IT'S JUST A COMPLETE WASTE POF TIME!!! THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE NIGERIA'S PROBLEMS IS TO BREAK IT UP, AND NOT UNITE IT. BUILDING ONE NIGERIA AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS IS UNACCEPTABLE. All these talks or/and articles about One nigeria, unity, patriotism are nothing but mere emotional and groundless oitbursts. I commend those who summon the courage and find the time to write articles. At the same time, we need to understand that it's not the quantity that matters, but the QUALITY and ORIGINALITY of IDEAS presented in one's articles. WHAT IS WORTH DOING AT ALL IS WORTH DOING WELL. _________________________ _________________________ A miracle has just taken place on NVS! When I logged to NVS about 20 minutes ago, I discovered that my latest article titled "How the Niger Deltans can get their freedom: The action plan! (part 6) had been published. But to my greatest surprise, when I returned to the main page of NVS, immediately after posting my comment to Adejumo's article, I was shocked to discover that the article has disappeared! Admin!!! What is going on?!!!

aliyuAH  # 9 | 12.08.2008 18:40

I am assuming that many of those who cannot see any other way except war and the break up of Nigeria are comfortably stationed abroad. Perhaps you should relocate to your part of Nigeria before calling for the war that you believe is so inevitable. Thank you Mr. Adejumo for your thoughts, there are 140 million Nigerians not just a few war mongers.

Onari  # 10 | 13.08.2008 02:26

Babatoks, There is always something that fertilizes patriotism and that to me are justice, liberty, democracy and freedom which is long missing in Nigeria. I hope those fundamentals that enriches and grow patriotism is discussed more often here than patriotism. Our dear country is far too away from the word patriotism. I will be patriotic when I see leaders who wear and promote the shoe, shirt and suit made in Aba that brings jobs and encourages enterprise for the ordinary men and women in the main street of Nigeria. I will appreciate patriotism and become a patriot when the gas been flared a mile behind my mamas house in the creeks of Niger delta by Shell and Chevron is extinquished and not the only source of light for my mum and fellow dwellers of the creek. I will become a patriot when men in designers suit, Agbada and resource control cloths in Abuja stop sending the county's money out of the country and invest it for our people. I will be a patriot when government create the enabling environment to allow ordinary Nigerians start the baby steps that gave other countries the opportunity to create sturdy solid economies that have brought succour to their country's population. I will become a patriot when Nigerians are given a chance to build and rebuild their infrastructure rather than giving it to the Western world or China to build. I will become a patriot when the environment allows us to manufacture our tooth pick, screws, metal sheet, cloth, petro etc. I will be a patriot when the managers of our public institutions like health, education, public utility, transportation etc start using those facilities like ordinary Nigerians on the main street of Nigeria. I will be a patriot when our government supply efficient electric power to our citizens before thinking of increasing and billing citizens for services that was never provided. So much anti-patriotism in our country by those who are suppose to nuture it.When will I be able to drive through the streets and roads of Nigeria without paying a bribe or go to immigration to get my passport without a bribe. Who is the patriotic Nigerian you know? Babatoks give me a name...Even those who are benefitting from our polity have not shown any sign of patriotism...Patriotism will start in our country after we have mopped the mess in every corner of our dear country.

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