Where are the true Patriots and Progressives
Dr UUCHE DIALA
From 2015 to 2023, we built a truly organic and efficient citizen-army of Nigerians from every tribe, tongue and creed, across socio-economic, political/partisan, age and educational demographic, galvanised by patriotism, nationalism and a passionate love for our dear nation, inspired by one man Muhammadu Buhari.
That was how ‘Buharism’ was birthed. Not as some feel-good political concept or identity or cult (Buharist), but as an enduring ideology that transcends partisan, socio-economic, ethno-religious and time barriers.
Anchored on the fine principles of democracy, patriotism and progressivism and driven by intellectualism, we were able to engage, checkmate, fact check, push, promote and support the last administration.
This we did by responsibly critiquing the administration’s policies and programs, holding it accountable, and proffering ideas and suggestions for solutions.
Then resiliently, factually and intellectually informing, communicating with and engaging Nigerians, online and offline with verifiable facts, figures and undeniable achievements, even in the face of an unprecedented relentless onslaught against the administration from multiple fronts and interests – ethnic, religious, media, political, foreign, etc.
We sustained that modus operandi to good effect and positive results until the 2023 APC Presidential Primaries when unfortunately that coalition of patriots and progressives gradually began to quake.
By the time the 2023 presidential election was over and won, that coalition had become dangerously fractured, leaving our more intellectual-minded elements as outliers, deliberately or unintentionally.
Today, no thanks to some overzealous, and rambunctiousness elements and some unschooled gatecrashers into the progressive fold, that patriotic, intellectual-driven progressive coalition is almost extinct.
This has had monumental consequences for the current administration and the nation, starting with the fact that the administration appears to have lost its progressive toga, at least in the perception of many Nigerians.
Those who don’t understand or who choose not to understand are free to not do so, but until and unless those who are indicted by this swallow their ego and self serving antics, and quickly return to the path we collectively charted and threaded for 8 years, I only see prolonged pain and net loss for all of us, no matter what we might gain individually from the administration.
Nation building and governance are neither achieved by gragra nor by wishful thinking, and there are no solo champions in nation building and governance. It is a collective responsibility.
I expect that every TRUE and PATRIOTIC PROGRESSIVE, especially those who were high on the steroids of ultrapartisanship and sentimentality, must have woken up and been sobred up by the stark realities facing us, some of which some of us enabled by our silence and pandering.
I hope we can see caution and take it.
On my part, I refuse to give up, but I am currently running on my last energy. It is up to us to make the right choice now or I will equally conserve my energy for my personal survival.
God Bless Nigeria.
©️ Uche Diala
