Recent articles on patriotism have left a huge gap in the minds of readers in that the articles haven’t clearly explained what patriotism is in a way that leaves no doubt in the mind of its readers. In order to correctly label people or people’s action as patriotic or unpatriotic one needs to understand the true meaning of the word, patriotism and the various types of patriotism. In trying to help to explain the subject, I hope I do not create the impression that I relish the challenges of academic discourse. Sometimes the temptation for me to fill a missing gap in order to enlighten people can be so overwhelming that I am beginning to wonder if I am not educationally patriotic!

Patriotism is when individuals and groups have very strong positive and supportive attitudes to their fatherland (Note: fatherland is used here to also mean motherland). It is essentially a positive and supportive attitude you have towards the culture of your fatherland, the achievements and identification with other citizens of your fatherland. It also involves an innate desire to preserve the root culture and character of your fatherland and die in the defence of your fatherland (nation). Patriotism is often used in the context of a nation while fatherland can be town, village or a region. For example, Western Region of Nigeria is the fatherland of the Yoruba people just as the Niger Delta is the fatherland of the Niger Delta people.

If patriotism is used mainly in the context of a nation, what then is a nation? The word “nation” means community, society, population, race, tribe, empire, kingdom, union of states, country and land. Here you see the link between nationalism and patriotism. The clear difference between them is that nationalism is an ideology that promotes patriotism. A nationalist and patriotic zeal can promote ethnicity, racism and other negative behaviour towards other people mainly because of its self-proclaimed moral high standard and superiority. Patriotism main essential requirement is that you subjugate individual and group interests to the nation interests. However, some people argue that whilst nationalism uses aggression or hatred for others, patriotism on the other hand uses defensiveness and positive community building in the pursuit of its goals.

Note that I am only discussing modern patriotism and not authentic patriotism, which is based on some form of genophilia and sharing of common ancestor. Genophilia can be defined as the love of one’s own kith and kin, tribe, kind or race.

Modern day patriotism (as opposed to authentic patriotism), which took its origin from the creation of nation states in the 19^th century, can be classified into two main groups:

1. Official patriotism. Using pledges, national anthems, commemoration ceremonies, national monuments and national honour awards, Governments aim to promote patriotism. There are many examples of these in Nigeria. These include Independence Day, Armed Forces Day and naming international airports and streets after past leaders.

2. Personal patriotism. This is value based, emotional and voluntary act of individuals, (e.g., the respect (or love) for your country flag, placing your country’s sticker on your car). Some countries legally enforce adherence to certain patriotic values. I personally tend to get easily provoked when anyone (including Nigerians) misuse our national flag and when a Nigerian footballer is not able to sing the Nigerian national anthem in international matches shown live on Television. Strangely, I cannot sing the national anthems!  

The two types of patriotism have two important things in common. They are both symbolic acts and/or expressions and are value based. Patriotism plays on your emotions in order to achieve the fundamental aim of securing your allegiance to your fatherland. You tend to notice a very high official and individual symbolic patriotism more when a nation is at war or facing external treat when morale needs to be high. However, during peacetime, as Nigeria is today (?), measuring patriotism takes a different form and the levels of commitment of individuals and groups varies.

There have been historical differences in the way people understand patriotism. Patriotism is seen in ethical theory as implying that individuals or groups have moral responsibility to citizens of the fatherland than to non-citizens. While patriots may see cosmopolitanism as the opposite of patriotism, the advocates of cosmopolitanism see patriotism as akin to racism. In ethical theory, cosmopolitanism is the view that all of us have moral duties to other humans.

In many countries, the Roman Catholics owe their allegiance to the Pope rather to their fatherland, which often is the source of hostility from patriots towards them. I have witnessed Jehovah’s Witnesses who refuse to participate in certain patriotic acts because it conflicts with their beliefs. Some Muslims on the other hand, see their commitment to other members of the Muslim community, wherever they are, as more important or compelling than their allegiance to their country.

Politicians, particularly during election campaigns, in order to win support for their views, may attack the opposition party by appealing to the patriotic emotions of the electorate.  Patriotic loyalty and pride in their nation are likely to be rejected by minorities when they feel excluded from the mainstream of national politics. Journalists, news reporters and social critics have all at some time appeared and/or called unpatriotic because they found themselves at various times having to take actions in order to defend their course and/or fellow citizens.

I have never come across anyone as confused as to what patriotism is than Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. She said:

“The entire country may disagree with me but I don’t understand the necessity for patriotism. Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country…I don’t see why people care about patriotism”.

Her outburst, foolish as it may be, was directed at the America obsession with creating an image of patriotism.

Let me conclude by using the comments of Bayard Taylor of Worldviews in the News about patriotism when he said:

• Love of and loyalty to family, tribe, clan, region and nation are not evil in and of themselves. God has made us for these kinds of person-to-person and person-to-group connections.

• Patriotism can and has brought evil and misery to the world; but patriotism can and has also brought a lot of good to the world. The big issue is not patriotism itself, but the practical values connected to it.

Having read this article to this point, I hope that you are now in a much better position to appreciate and accept other people’s views on patriotism, most especially when such views do not accord with yours.

Robot  Villager

# 1 var sbtitle8082=encodeURIComponent(Patriotism:...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 03.06.2007 16:42

Sapele Man  Villager

# 2 =Robot;180667>var sbtitle8082=encodeURIComponent(Patriotism:...Read the full article. Thank you for this excellent explanation. I thought with the way some people use it that patriotism mean more than this. Now no one can fool me any more. I am patriotic, with nationalist tendencies. Posted by Sapele Man| 05.06.2007 17:57

Enforcer  Villager

# 3 It's my pleasure, Sapele Man. Tell me something, are you a Sapele Man because you like Sapele water (local London Gin) or you are from Sapele town? Just curious. Posted by Enforcer| 07.06.2007 13:55

Sapele Man  Villager

# 4 =Nosa Olotu;181985>It's my pleasure, Sapele Man. Tell me something, are you a Sapele Man because you like Sapele water (local London Gin) or you are from Sapele town? Just curious. Mr Olotu. You know what they say about “curiosity kills the cat”? Sapele water ought to be drunk by all patriotic Nigerians. I am a patriotic Nigerian; the question isn’t if I like Sapele water because you and I owe our country that duty. Before I answer your question in more specific details, can you tell me, honestly, if you are really patriotic enough to serve Sapele water at your birthday party? Posted by Sapele Man| 08.06.2007 13:53

Sapele Man  Villager

# 5 =Sapele Man;182342>Mr Olotu. You know what they say about “curiosity kills the cat”? Sapele water ought to be drunk by all patriotic Nigerians. I am a patriotic Nigerian; the question isn’t if I like Sapele water because you and I owe our country that duty. Before I answer your question in more specific details, can you tell me, honestly, if you are really patriotic enough to serve Sapele water at your birthday party? Hello Sapele Man, The answer to your question is yes. There is no reason for any Nigerian not to serve it. I do appreciate that there are some Nigerians who feel that sort of drink is below their perceived standard. Sapele water is in fact purer than the London Gin that cost a lot more. Posted by Sapele Man| 10.06.2007 16:30

Enforcer  Villager

# 6 =Sapele Man;182342>Mr Olotu. You know what they say about “curiosity kills the cat”? Sapele water ought to be drunk by all patriotic Nigerians. I am a patriotic Nigerian; the question isn’t if I like Sapele water because you and I owe our country that duty. Before I answer your question in more specific details, can you tell me, honestly, if you are really patriotic enough to serve Sapele water at your birthday party? Hi Saplele Man, My answer to your question is in the affirmative. I guess the underlying reason why you throw that question at me is because some Nigerians, particularly the elite, consider Sapele water as inferior in comparison with the London Gin. They tend not to appreciate the purity and medicinal properties of Sapele water. I do not share thier view. Posted by Enforcer| 11.06.2007 13:58