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THEORY OF NATIONS BY REV. (DR.) CHRIS OYAKHILOME. (PRT. 3)

Democracy is beautiful, if and when, a State achieves nationhood. Until-and unless-a State has transited from statehood to nationhood, the gains of democracy, if at all present, will be minimal. And this is the dilemma of many African countries who have embraced democracy. Many in their bid to salvage their situation championed nationalism instead of pursuing nationhood.

It is made clear that nationhood and nationalism are neither synonymous nor do they serve the same purpose. Though nationalism in its true and positive sense is laudable, it is important for us to realize that in our world today, savage nationalism is the same spirit of racism, resulting in such despicable acts of the American black history, South African Apartheid, and ethnic cleansing of Eastern Europe, and [Central] Africa’s Rwanda 🇷🇼. These evil are the result of nationalism where it is defined by blood, language, culture and history. We have to realize that nationalism, where it is so defined by our relationship through language, or culture or blood, has only led men

to their untimely graves and fractured societies.

Our nation will not escape such fractures if we define ourselves according to our historical origins rather than our purpose, our vision. This perversion of Nationalism is the absence of national purpose; in many nations today, through Nationalism, we have a disguised resurgence of medieval tribal wars. Nationhood is different. In Nationhood, there’s mutual respect and respect for citizens’ rights. We must remember that democracy is borne of the idea that citizens have a right to choose by whom and how they should be governed. And at this particular time in our country, it has become so important that we realize what democracy has granted us: the right to decide who governs us and how we shall be governed. Of course, it has been a slow journey, a slow process, because most of us are children and grand-children of military officers, and we were brought up to be militant in nature.

But the time has come for us to settle for the change that has come upon us, the change that we have all embraced. And by that change our language must change; our perceptions must change; our respect for law and order must change; and of course, the law must change to favour its citizens. Democracy comes with a citizens’ Bill of Rights, even though ours remains largely undeclared. But I call on every smart thinking person to study the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria , so at least you understand what your rights are; what you can do and what you may be forbidden to do.

Democracy thrives in informed and educated and enlightened societies. Dictatorship thrives in ignorant societies. We must, therefore, embrace education. We cannot wait until we have the best of situations. We cannot wait to have the best of conditions to read a book. We must choose to be informed; we must choose to open our minds and get educated. There is the ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude that we must have. Each one of us must be willing to educate himself, only that way can we be involved in nation building.

No one else will build Nigeria for us; Nigeria will be built by Nigerians. To build a nation, we must recognize the concomitant sub-nations; these are the micro-ethno systems that function within the sovereign nation. It is the development of these micro-ethno systems that increases a nation’s gross national product, its per-capita income, and therefore its citizens’ standard of life. Micro-ethno systems are usually frustrated in States that are yet to understand, much less metamorphose into, nationhood.

True nations by their very definition must inter-relate. As this is true of nations, it is also true of their micro-ethno systems. And these systems are inter-related and inter-dependent. It is important to know that each of us functions with one or more of these sub-nations, without which our relevance in the larger society will be grossly impaired. Individuals and indeed nations attain financial and economic independence through these relationships that nurture demand and supply. Your ability to analyse, interpret and apply these simple principles is your opportunity in today’s world. Most African countries are built on ideas and ideals of yesterday’s philosophies. We Need today’s thinkers for tomorrow’s visions.

When I look at the young people, I see extraordinary resources. I see wealth and greatness. I see the best doctors, the best sportsmen, the best engineers. In America, the black boys who were picked from the slums became some of the best basketballers; America has largely left that game for the tall black boys. The stout ones went into boxing and became the best. They have left sport for the black and Africans. Let me tell you a secret: your excellence and your abilities are not limited to sports. It is time to include the discipline to go beyond sports and produce the best books, the best schools, the best hospitals. We can set the pace and grow an extraordinary economy in Africa to translate and transit from third world to first world. We can do it. And we will.

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