By Msonter Anzaa
For some time, I have carried myself as a little patriotic mind, struggling hard to advance reasons why my love for this country should be unconditional. I am always put on the defensive each time my friends speak angrily against this nation. As our fatherland, the convention worldwide is to defend, not attack Nigeria.
The above is a nice argument and our people in government would no doubt agree with me. Our leaders most times interpret patriotism to mean the love of a nation and its leaders. But patriotism is the love of a nation and all other parties only to the extent to which they enhance that nation’s interests. So in practical terms, patriotism may also means opposition to leaders whose behavior jeopardizes the larger interests of the nation. People who speak against Nigeria site a number of reasons. But as usual, my argument is that a nation- the geographical entity alone cannot be good or bad by itself. People who live there- the leaders and followers- make it whatever it becomes.
