HOW TO BUILD A NATION (Part II)
By ONOJA J. OKPANACHI
“Oh God of creation
Direct our noble cause
And guide our leaders right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace
And justice shall reign.”
In continuing our basic analysis from ISSUE 38 on “How To Build A Nation” using the prayers as composed in the second stanza of Nigeria’s National Anthem, it therefore become very necessary therefore to bear in mind that our diversity is not the problem as a people, instead it should be our strength and reason for progress. So, our willingness and sincere desire to truly live in “Justice and Peace” are key factors.
Our diversities should be the varieties needed by our lives and the essence is for us to be able to compliment each other and become great, making up for each other where necessary and thereby building a stronger nation with booming economy, achieving dreams together towards attaining greater heights.
So, we shall continue from the fifth line of the NATIONAL ANTHEM:
“In love and honesty to grow”
As it stands today, love is obviously far from our relationships as a people of one nation and that has pushed off honesty from us in most of our dealings. We must love each other and be honest to to grow.
“And living just and true”
Living a just life goes a very long way to lighten our burdens because when you are just, upright you have nothing to be afraid of hence truth will always prevail and this will help the nation a great deal.
“Great lofty heights attain”
To attain lofty heights as a nation, togetherness is no doubt a key factor. We must be united and if we are, then we won’t be suspicious of each other’s moves – we will be sure that we are a team and as such achieving the same goal will be the primary objective.
“To build a nation where Peace
And justice shall reign”
In summary, true leadership and followership are very fundamental to building a nation where peace and justice shall reign. Hence, we must focus on fixing our priorities and getting our values right. Our education must be tailored to meet our contemporary realities. We must appreciate our humanity first as a people knowing that beyond ethnicity, region and religion we are first of mankind with common fate. Until this TRUTH become part of us there will be no peace and justice in the nation.
ARISE!
