Author: Nigerian Patriot

I'm a Nigerian citizen who strongly believes that the solution to the positive growth of the Nigerian nation rests on re-awakening the long forgotten spirit of patriotism in the mind of every Nigerian. 'Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country'- President JFK (20th January, 1961). Although this is a quote lifted from the inaugural address of the 35th American President, it is the best description of the mental attitude of a Patriot. Blog site minimum update frequency: Monthly

38. 59 Years After Independence – Bailing Nigeria From The Prisons Of Our Conscience.

The good fortunes of a Nation rests in the good conscience of its citizens.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

The territorial concept of the project Nigeria was born in 1914 by the British Colonial rule. Nigeria is 105 years. The name Nigeria was given by British Journalist Flora Shaw and was adapted from the River Niger which traverses the country from the North through to the Southern Region.

On October 1^st 1960, Nigeria gained independence from British rule and we took ownership of our country. 59 years after, we have made very little strides in developing our nation for ludicrous reasons ranging from the grave paranoia of our ethnic composition, to a deliberate resolve from a majority of us to remain unpatriotic for the most flimsy reasons.

As a result, we have consistently failed to barely utilize the vast physical resources of our nation to our advantage. We seem to have made a profound resolve to live in denial of the fact that we have almost muddled the untold fortunes of our noble nation by bickering like toddlers over inconsequential trivialities. From 1960 till date we have gradually yet persistently embraced mediocrity and deliberately undermined our potential to excel. We have twisted the logic of Religion to relegate our reasoning into a fortress of ineptitude where we have handed over the ownership of our responsibilities as patriotic citizens of Nigeria to the Divine realm. I often wonder the reason Almighty God would endow humans with the untold wealth of physical and psychological abilities if we were not supposed to solve problems on our own rather than consistently wait on some divine intervention which does not require our participation.

We have developed our minds to function in a realm which is not in sync with the reality of our circumstance and as a result, we have persistently remained blind to the folly behind our irresponsible disposition to the project Nigeria.

The problems and solutions to the woes of our nation rests in the unpatriotic mindset of a majority of the citizens. A majority of us do not feel the need to protect the interest of Nigeria within our space of influence regardless the magnitude of that space. We fail to realize that our individual actions contribute to the good or bad state of our nation. We have ignorantly, consistently and unsuccessfully tried to disprove the theory which states that it takes small drops of water to build an ocean by believing that our individual actions which is currently informed by our nonchalant mindset has no trickle contributing effect on the present state of our nation.

The degree of insincerity which is displayed by our political leadership and politicians is no different from that displayed by other citizens in institutions which have nothing to do with the political system of the country. It is the same degree of insincerity that is displayed by most gatherings of Nigerians regardless the name of the setup or the size of it. Call it an office environment; call it an association, the name is irrelevant so long as it is made up of Nigerians.

With impunity, our Importers mostly flood our markets with substandard items, our Lecturers collect gratifications to give their students an undeserved measure of good grade and promotion, our National Police Force is riddled with so much insincerity they’ve lost the confidence of the citizens, the Justice system is heavily bedeviled by corruption, employment is no longer on merit, but an entitlement reserved for the highest bidder. The list is nearly endless.

Most of us who indulge in this fiesta of hypocrisy find solace in the twisted logic of religious scriptures and facts, so it is very normal to find Nigerians who will tell you that the corrupt fortunes of looting public treasury is evidence of divine blessings from Almighty God. The same explanation is used to justify any dishonest gain from any field of endeavor to the extent that the nefarious antics of a deceitful petty trader is accepted as a commendable trade skill.

We have become very comfortable celebrating mediocrity and thumping our empty Chest of achievements for other progressive nations who have gradually come to realize there is not much of a difference between the bite of our massive roars which can simply be termed empty noise and the one echoed by a toothless lion. We have become so comfortable at side-stepping the truth that it has gradually become an unacceptable norm to be plainly honest in our country Nigeria.

It is very clear that while the content of this summary post may be offensive to the patriotically immature minds of a majority of our citizens, we collectively need to realize that accepting the truth of our circumstance is the only sure step we must take to keep the hopes of any chances of reversing our currently precarious circumstance alive, albeit as a dim flame of hope. Nothing else will suffice.

We need to realize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the physical demarcation which represents our great country. We need to realize that assuming the Nigerian nation was in the care of a people with a different mindset, the story of our nation would have most probably been a completely different and more pleasant narrative. Through the decades, it has become very clear that the Nigerian plight has been deliberately and nefariously woven by us through the fabric of our conscience of warped reasoning as a nation. Our mindset is the singular reason any policy which has been successfully tested in other climes fails woefully when implemented in Nigeria.

An average Nigerian citizen most likely always has nothing noble to say about our country. This lamentation of woe mostly fails to address how the individual’s contribution of blatant inaction at effecting positive change may be responsible for the discomfort of the moment.

The massive potentials of our great nation grieves in the prisons of our conscience which has chosen to show no respect, loyalty or honor to our noble nation. Our ability to actualize the dream wealth of Nigeria is trapped in our conflict of unenlightened ideologies and twisted principles which only stifles growth and productivity achieving little else. We have collectively trampled the pride and glory of our nation beneath our mindless thoughts of selfish interests and self-pity. We have completely forgotten that the productivity of a nation can only take roots in the hearts of the Citizens in order to have any meaningful physical effect. Under our watch as an independent nation, Nigeria has almost become a dismal tragedy and we are all to blame.

There is a strong hope of reversing our fortunes if we can sincerely unlearn the harmful attributes of nonchalance we have acquired toward our nation over the decades. If we could engrave the tenets of our national pledge and anthem in our hearts, the powerful words can provide useful effect in our thoughts and our actions at restoring our country to greatness. On a final note, we need to always remember that a stitch in time saves more.

Arise O Compatriots…

37. Xenophobia: An Opportunity For Sober Reflections By Nigerians

Problem Overview

Xenophobia can be defined as a fear for foreigners or strangers. This fear creates a very tense relationship between the locals and perceived guests who may not necessarily be citizens from foreign nations. When nursed to extreme levels, this fear could lead to violent attacks which bears its fair share of unpleasant and grave consequences often resulting in the maiming of fellow human beings or the outright and senseless loss of human lives. These murderous outbursts are also accompanied by the wanton looting and destruction of property perceived to belong to the foreigners or strangers. Xenophobic attacks do not merit any iota of justification or commendation from any rational mind and must be condemned in its entirety by all and sundry. This is the strong position of this summary post.

Nigeria has been on the center stage of various xenophobic incidents around the globe including the latest wave of attacks on foreigners in South Africa. While we are rightfully entitled to collectively express our outrage and solidarity for our compatriots who are the unfortunate victims of this despicable dilemma, there is also a dire need for some sober and inward reflection on our part on the reason our citizens seem to bear the brunt of this scourge wherever and whenever there is a major xenophobic outburst across the globe, particularly in South Africa.

Possible Aggravating Factors

Undeniably, a xenophobic fear is nursed by a person of low self confidence; however there could be other underlying aggravating factors which contribute into translating this fear into actions of extreme violence. Understanding these factors might provide insight on the reason we mostly fall victims to incidents of xenophobic attacks outside the shores of Nigeria. Three of such volatile factors are highlighted below.

Please note that it might be easier to appreciate these highlights if we are to swap places with the local populace in such areas. In addition, we cannot deny experiencing the effect of some of these factors right here in our country Nigeria which is strongly divided on ethnic boundaries. Within the context of our country, we could be perceived as strangers when we find ourselves in any region that is not our ethnic stronghold.

1. The Brutish And Intimidating Behavior Of Foreigners Or Strangers.

A stranger or foreigner in another person’s homeland, or country is required to be of good behavior. The stranger or foreigner must be seen to be respectful to the local populace, their environment, their culture or indeed any other laws peculiar to the society of the indigenes of the location.

There might be certain areas of resentment regarding local issues or habits by the foreigner or stranger, however these resentments must be respectfully expressed when the need arises. It would never portend well for a visitor to engage in unruly discussions with a person who has the unilateral advantage of being on their home ground.

Travelling within our country Nigeria requires a display of this trait of respect whenever a person finds themselves outside areas of their ethnic stronghold where they may be considered strangers. For instance, it would be extremely disrespectful for a Southerner to openly disrespect the domestic ethics of a Northerner because it appears odd at first glance and vice versa.

The advice of wise providence for a stranger or foreigner, who does not see the need to be respectful to a person in their home ground, would be to refrain from paying a visit for any reason.

2. An Uncontrolled Inflow Of Undocumented Foreigners Or Strangers.

An uncontrolled inflow of (undocumented) foreigners or strangers to a particular location might arouse an unfriendly attitude from a local who might feel threatened by the prospect of scrambling for resources which might be perceived as scarce with the foreign guests. This fear is especially heightened when the staying time of the visitors appears to be more permanent than temporary. It is very human for any local perception of fear that the visitors appear to be in competition with them over resources that are their rightful entitlement of existence.

A real-life illustration of this challenge can be appreciated by understudying Hillbrow; a city in Johannesburg, Gauteng province, South Africa. Sadly, it can only be said that the notoriety of the Nigerian image created by the majority of our citizens living in this city is frightening enough to scare away most South Africans and indeed most persons of average courage.

In fairness, I am most certain that we would never tolerate such glaring domination from any group of foreigners within the boundaries of our country Nigeria. We had frowned and reacted to such domination by undocumented immigrants in 1983. Our government (with our collective consent) forcefully expelled over 2 million West Africans mostly Ghanaians from Nigeria. They left without any compensation for their abandoned properties and there was no international uproar because we acted within our rights of autonomy as a sovereign nation.

3. An Increasing And Unbalanced Share With Investments And Properties

A perception of an unbalanced growth in investments and properties favoring the foreigners or guests could draw the ire of the local population especially if the investments do not reflect the active participation of the locals either as employees or co-owners. While the laid-back attitude of the locals to work may present plausible argument for this trend, it will definitely not hold any substance in the minds of the local population who could choose to react aggressively in response.

Within the context of this factor as a fuel which can create the fear that can lead to xenophobic attacks, a close observation of some major acclaimed investments of South African origin in Nigeria would reveal that these investments (Shoprite, MTN, Stanbic Merchant Bank, and Multichoice) provides employment for thousands of Nigerian citizens, while their services are benefited by a lot more people. Undeniably, we could have a lot more small scale investments in South Africa, but there are no comparable Nigerian investments that reciprocates the same strength of employment or scope of service for South African citizens in their own country.

Closing Remarks

The pain and sadness resulting from the loss of lives and property experienced by our compatriots in areas prone to xenophobic attacks can never be understated. However the highlights of this summary post calls for a deeper and sober reflection on urgent steps we need to take as a country to mitigate the exposure of our citizens to the embarrassment of xenophobic incidents within and outside our nation (especially South Africa).

A cursory comparison of the geographic size, human and material resources of both countries would reveal that Nigeria has a huge potential advantage. The Nigerian land mass of approximately 923,768 sq km reasonably compares to that of South Africa estimated at 1,219,090 sq km. The Nigerian population is estimated at 195 million far more than that of South Africa estimated at fewer than 60 million. Our overall diverse mineral resources are far more than that of South Africa with our crude oil as an easy citation of measure. So the biggest question on the lips of the entire world is the reason we cannot translate this huge potential of our great country into any meaningful kinetic effect.

The Nearly Infinite Potentials Of The Nigerian Nation – A Tip Of The Iceberg.

Achieving this feat is within our capacity as a nation and would provide the opportunities of the better life we mostly seek outside our shores right here in Nigeria. It would also enable an ability for us to establish foreign investments in other nations which would provide employment opportunities for their citizens at the scale we currently enjoy within the shores of our country from investments by other nations. This is the wisest channel to direct our thoughts and effort in order to earn the respect of the greatness we once enjoyed as the giant of Africa.

Arise O Compatriots…

36. Empowering Nigerian Youths – The Productive Advantage of Controlled Community Development Centers Part 2 of 2.

Without essential skills, a person who has attained the age of employment does not necessarily mean they are employable.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Continued from Part 1

At the end of a cycle of beneficiaries, a percentage of the income generated by the CCDC is given to the graduating participants to go start off their own small scale trade, while the remaining amount is recycled back into the center.

For an illustration with a single community: CCDC A could be focused on fish farming. CCDC B could be focused on Catering services and CCDC C could be focused on poultry.

The productive effect of this concept can be appreciated using CCDC A which is focused on fish farming. It will recruit the local youths of employable age for a cycle of perhaps 4/5 months. We could assume that the center can produce 20 tons of fish and engage 60 youths of employable age within this period. Another important assumption is that the center is managed by competent personnel who have a diligent and professional approach on the job.

The gains to the beneficiaries, the community, and continuity of the center are briefly highlighted below.

One-off direct transfer of the knowledge of fish farming to the beneficiaries and a residual transfer of this knowledge to the immediate member of the community by graduating beneficiaries when they leave the center.
Provide the end product in surplus quantity to the community. The CCDC has a minimum annual productive capacity of 40 tons.
Reduce the unit price of fish in the community.
Provide financial empowerment for an annual graduating minimum number of 120 beneficiaries with a realistic opportunity of self employment at the end of their program.
Provide employment opportunity and income revenue for the workforce required to drive different areas of the CCDC .
Promote within the community, the residual growth of a variety of retail small scale business opportunities revolving around the product (fresh fish resellers, smoked fish resellers, roast fish resellers, cold rooms etc)
Provide income for the CCDC which can be recycled into sustaining the productive continuity of the concept.
Redirect the potentially resourceful mind of the youthful majority away from the current negative consequence of idleness to the creative subject of fish production and improvements.
Create a sense of belonging within the mind of the youthful majority as an integral part of national development and reduce the restive consequence of feeling neglected by the empowered class of the population.
Open a trade gateway with other communities as a one-stop-shop fish center.

Closing Remarks

The advantages highlighted above, makes a strong case for the CCDC as a viable and realistic solution which can contribute a considerable measure of relief to the currently unemployed youthful majority of our nation. It is a concept which can find useful application for the educated and uneducated persons of this population group.

A sincere commitment on the part of all essential key players would productively engage the massive strength of our idle and restive youthful majority who are currently engaged in all manner of social vices within the society ranging through drug abuse, prostitution, thuggery, gambling, kidnapping, thefts, rumor mongering, rioting, etc.

Hopefully, the content of this summary post may stir our thoughts on the gains of the CCDC as one of the several effective ways to productively engage our youths of employable age in Nigeria.

Arise O Compatriots…

35. Empowering Nigerian Youths – The Productive Advantage of Controlled Community Development Centers. Part 1 of 2

The knowledge of any skill diligently acquired can never be forgotten in a person’s lifetime.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Problem Overview

Through the decades, there has always been an outcry on the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. Presently, this outcry seems to be at its loudest and rightly so. The youths of Nigeria whose age group constitutes the highest segment of the unemployed population are groaning under the pains of joblessness. Several attempts have been made by previous regimes at changing the unfortunate tide of unemployment in Nigeria with very little success. The story is no different with the present government. Massive funds have been committed into various empowerment schemes, and financial aid programs however, the prospect of any significant positive change in the employment opportunities of the country is not yet in sight. This summary blog episode is designed to highlight a different approach as the first step of a thought which may assist with providing improved results toward our collective quest at creating more employment opportunities in our nation.

First of all, we need to be mindful of the reality of certain foundation factors before delving into any discussion on possible solutions.

There is no government system on earth that can solely bear the financial burden of providing jobs for all its citizens of employable age or even half of this population. The progressive nations of the world have not yet pulled off this impossible feat, so it would not be wise for us to expect anything different in Nigeria. The optimal availability of employment opportunities in any nation is a healthy balance of government and private driven effort.
It is one thing to build establishments that can provide jobs for people, however if the workforce employed cannot effectively manage the business due to a deficiency of the required skill set and(or) diligent professional attitude, the outfit would definitely crumble sooner or later. Any sound mind would term the entire venture a massive waste of money and time. Perhaps, this factor may have contributed to the death of various business establishments that provided jobs in the past in our country. These establishments included government owned companies, as well as privately owned foreign and local business initiatives.
The educational system in any country must be robust enough to produce graduates who have the basic practical skill set and in-depth knowledge required to administer any position of employment which they may subscribe to after school. If the educational system is below acceptable industry standards, this will in turn translate into the poor productivity of any business project that employs such graduates as staff. We are all aware of the poor state of our educational system so it would be most unfair for us to feign ignorance on the negative impact of this important factor on the ability of our youths at engaging gainful employment.
The government of any nation bears the responsibility of providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. An enabling environment can be achieved by the provision of constant power, good roads, adequate security, etc. Unlike the progressive nations of the world, previous and present governments in Nigeria have mostly failed to deliver on this key area that would encourage the proliferation of viable businesses across the landscape of our nation and improve employment opportunities for the massive idle population of employment age. Sustaining an enabling environment also requires the cooperation of the citizens; however this factor is not the focus of this post.

With the valid points of the section above in view, and with the mind boggling peculiarities of our current national circumstance in this regard, there is an urgent need to redirect the potentially resourceful mind of the youthful majority away from the current consequences of vices arising from idleness. The recommendation of this document which could assist us with achieving a positive difference is the establishment of Controlled Community Development Centers (CCDC).

Controlled Community Development Centers

A CCDC is a free empowerment concept which is designed to practically impart a specific skill, and financially empower a beneficiary at the end of their program with the center. The CCDC will also earn income for itself at the end of each cycle of graduating enrolled beneficiaries. It is termed a controlled environment because an enabling environment is created within the center for the business to thrive. Some of these enabling factors have been highlighted previously as the provision of adequate power, security, running water and other specifics which will encourage the business concept to prosper and deliver intended results.

Each community development center would be dedicated to a single skill area to make it easier for the resources deployed in each center to focus on achieving the positive goals of the establishment. Beneficiaries are not required to pay any fees to enroll into the center, so funding is recommended from benevolent entities which should involve the government and other private organizations.

Continued in part 2

34. The Priceless Value Of Reading: Expanding Knowledge And Improving Thought Process

Sound knowledge is the only fuel which can sustain the productive flame of intelligent discussions.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Intro

In simple terms, Reading is the action of looking through written or printed material with the aim of decoding a language in order to derive meaning from the text. It is a process that informs understanding and consequently, expands your knowledge base on a subject.

Sadly, the complexity behind the art of reading is grossly underestimated by a majority of us as we engage the process. Subsequently, the powerful essence of the art is mostly misunderstood and its priceless value lost with the ignorant misapplication of principles which bear the ability to deliver resounding cognitive improvements in any person of diligent character.

Bearing in mind the vast and complex dimension of the subject of reading, this summary blog post is designed to provide peripheral insight and hopefully awaken your interest to embark on a deeper research on the subject.

For the sake of brevity, simplicity and ease of understanding, this post will highlight major areas that will hopefully convince anyone on the relationship between reading, improving knowledge and the gainful outcome of purposeful reasoning.

The Art Of Reading

Reading is a complex process which is primarily driven by your attitude. It is an art that requires extracting meaning from written or printed words; therefore such materials must be rendered in a language familiar to you. It would make no sense at all reading a book in French, when you have no idea of the language or if you possess a very limited understanding of it.

To aid with the construction of understanding the written or printed content in its entirety as intended by the author, it is also recommended that you keep a dictionary handy. This will enable you to check out the meaning of unfamiliar words. This habit would improve and increase your vocabulary on the long run making the process of reading a fluent, more enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

Reading should be done under circumstances that offer the least distraction on your ability to wholly assimilate the content of the written or printed material. The traditional recommendation for best results had been to read in a quiet environment, however, in our modern world of information deluge and with the proliferation of mobile devices, sometimes we are forced to read on the move. As a result, it may appear plausible to think that an ideal condition for reading can be created by a self conviction on your ability to remain focused on the content within an environment of distraction. Experiments and experience have proven that results obtained from reading in a quiet environment are best.

Improving Knowledge

For the purpose of illustration, common sense implies that if you have not read the story book of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, you will not have in-depth knowledge of her interesting adventures. This logic also applies to the fact that the degree of understanding of the story depends on the attention committed and information assimilated during reading. By the time you read other story books with the same depth of commitment, or indeed materials on any other subject of interest, your level of diverse knowledge will continue to grow.

Therefore it is safe to conclude that the more you read various materials, the more your knowledge base expands in equal measure and the less you read, the less you know; fair and simple!

Purposeful Reasoning

Reasoning (or thought process) is informed by knowledge. The concept of purposeful (enlightened, intelligent, intellectual, clever, smart, witty) reasoning is the powerful reward behind the art of reading. Anyone who is well read on a subject will definitely be able to make insightful contributions on any discussion regarding that subject. Think about it: what you do not know you are not informed or empowered to speak about.

The resourceful potential of a knowledgeable person is a great asset to self, family and society when dealing with daily concerns of life. Such persons are informed to understand diverse issues; constructively providing realistic advice and proffering enduring solutions. They form the core of any positive change initiative within their sphere of reach and influence. They update their resourceful potential by constantly maintaining a healthy habit of reading.

Closing Remarks

One of the reasons we seem not to find a solution to the myriad of unpleasant sorts confronting our collective effort at resolving our issues of national challenge, rests in the fact that a majority of individual opinions on these challenges are highly uninformed and rather unenlightened. The same logic applies to our collective approach toward policies of governance and issues of group concern on any scale in our noble nation Nigeria.

Hopefully the content of this summary post will furnish an understanding which would provide helpful clues to capacity development requirements that would greatly assist with improving our reasoning ability and thought process.

Always remember that ‘Sound knowledge is the only fuel which can sustain the productive flame of intelligent discussions.’

Arise O Compatriots….

33. The Strength Of Visualizing A Goal And The Precision Effect Of Goal-Setting.

Deciding on a destination, Visualization and Planning are the foundation steps that should define the beginning of any journey.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Definitive Intro

For the purpose of this summary blog episode, a Goal can be defined as the designated end of a task or project. It is the target destination of all resources expended in any endeavor. For contextual relevance, goal in this paragraph could refer to the desired global expectation of an entire project. Examples: earning a degree at school, embarking on a holiday, building a house, etc. For the sake of distinction, it is tagged macro-goal through the rest of this post. A goal could also mean the designated end of a phase of a project; this definition is tagged micro-goal through the rest of this post. Examples: passing a semester exam toward earning a degree at school, booking a hotel toward embarking on a holiday, acquiring a structural plan toward building a house.

Visualizing a (macro or micro) goal involves creating a strong mental multidimensional impression of the destination. A person should be able to observe, feel, taste, smell, and wholly interact with this mental picture as if they are actually at that end point. It is this powerful mental impression that will provide the motivational drive required to pursue the goal-setting process as well as every other task involved in the journey toward pursuing a macro-goal to a logical conclusion. This means that a person must select a macro-goal which is driven by personal passion.

Goal-setting is the process of developing a map of smaller (micro) goals that will guide the journey toward the destination predefined in the first paragraph as the macro-goal. As we all know, without a map, the journey of a thousand miles, might transform into a perilous nightmare of a million miles. Goal-setting provides focus and direction. The footsteps of a person who is armed with such a map is always informed by the wisdom and advantages of the Precision effect.

The Precision effect is a phrase coined for the purpose of this blog episode and defined by four strengths highlighted below:

The Precision effect would birth an innate independent and deep rooted feeling of success in a person on a journey toward a goal. This guarantee of victory cannot be shaken by the doubt of people who may not share the vision of the gainful rewards of completing the journey, or phases of it.
The Precision effect develops a renewable and invincible spirit within a person who embarks on a goal bound journey. This indomitable spirit would feed and sustain the motivation, courage, faith and hope required to deal with the challenges encountered along the journey. Yes, this spirit of tireless boldness would always keep the eyes focused on the destination, and constantly propel the feet effortlessly toward the goal, regardless the odds.
The Precision effect generates a deep measure of reassuring self confidence that any resource expended along the journey would translate to a successful end.
The Precision effect enables a person to gain traction and improve momentum as a journey progresses toward the goal.

Attributes Of A Smart Goal-Setting Process

An effective goal-setting process must be guided by established standards of success. The acronym S.M.A.R.T defines a popular and globally accepted set of attributes for a successful goal-setting process. They are briefly highlighted below.

(S) Specific: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be specific and clearly defined in order to provide direction, and a fix on the destination.

(M) Measurable: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be measurable values in order to track preset milestones, stay focused and remain motivated.

(A) Achievable: The macro-goal and micro-goals could be challenging, but must be achievable within your realm of effort and ability. Setting goals beyond the borders of our capacity could lead to disappointments and discouragement.

(R) Relevant/Realistic: The macro-goal and micro goals must be relevant and realistic with your circumstance, means, and aptitude. This would develop the resilience and stability required to gain traction and win the race.

(T) Time-bound: The macro-goal and micro-goals must be time-bound to start and end moments. This will imbibe the discipline required for consistent milestone achievements which are usually accompanied by well deserved self treats.

Documentation

The procedure of deciding on the macro-goal (final destination), visualization, and goal-setting process must be documented in great detail. This documentation is the Master plan. It would form the basis of a daily reminder and an easy reference point of audit on the progress, zeal, and any adjustments required to stay focused on the finish line that marks the end of the journey.

Sustainable Action

The journey to any destination can never be achieved by wishful thinking. It requires the consistent action of motion for success. This logic of wisdom applies in gaining any meaningful result from the contents of this summary post. There are no short-cuts to bypass this understanding of truth.

Closing Remarks

This post has been designed to inspire the noble citizens of Nigeria on the basic skills required to inform a positive mindset capable of attaining success with any endeavor of life. It is the sincere wish of the author, that these endeavors include renewing our spirit of Patriotism and Love for each other. This feat would significantly assist our collective effort at lifting our country Nigeria back to greatness.

This post is in honor of the inspirational encouragement of the ‘Sweet Believer’: a profound blogger that knows how to bring out the bloom beneath any gloom. Great thanks S.B.

Arise O Compatriots….

Special Blogger Award 1

I was nominated by Ribana from Popsicle Society for the Special Blogger Award. Ribana, I am deeply inspired by this kind gesture of immense encouragement. Infinite Thanks.

Ribana is an interesting blend of positive energy. She radiates a timeless and endless dose of courage, strength and happiness. A worthy Companion on a long tiring journey. A trip to her diverse wonderland of Knowledge (@ Popsicle Society) always leaves a refreshing aftertaste of rejuvenation.

Rules as Copied from Ribana’s Post:

Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Answer the questions you are asked (if you’re comfortable doing so!)
Create 10 questions for the bloggers you’ve nominated
Nominate at least 3 bloggers for the Special Blogger Award.
Comment on your nominee’s most recent blog post to let them know you’ve nominated.
Have fun

Ribana’s Questions:

Do you enjoy your life?: I love my life. I’d never trade my challenges, my victories, or my defeats for anything. They were ordained by the Almighty God for the purpose of the season and for good reason. They blend into an exciting cocktail of experiences that informs who I am today.
Did you achieve any of your dreams so far?: Sure. The project ‘Nigerian Patriot’ is one of several dreams.

A cottage by the sea or a cabin in the mountains?: A Cabin in the Mountains.
Chocolate or cookies?: Cookies any day!

Do you shop online?: Once in a while, when I can afford to buy something of interest.
Do you have your own business or working for someone else?: I work for myself. Its more fulfilling.
Dogs or cats?: I love both because they bring different flavors of companionship to life. Its an equal love that has no preference.

Cooking at home or eating outside?: I love cooking at home. Its great fun, and presents an opportunity to create anything my mind conceives that my body needs; my way!

My questions:

What inspires your motivation to blog?
How did you overcome your greatest defeat in life?
Make a wish?
Given a chance to re-write history, what would you edit?
Do you think Humans are giving the right attention to the wellbeing of our Planet?
If something goes wrong with planet earth, is there some other place humans could relocate?
Your favorite color?
Happiness, Wealth, or Power (make a pick)?
Your favorite meal?
Your favorite genre of music?

My nominees:

Have fun & share the joy!

32. Comparing The Graceful Finesse Of Patriotism Against The Brute Naïveté Of Nationalism

The spirit of Nationalism does not bear the decency to tow the moral lines of Patriotism
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

Intro

There are broad and controversial definitions for the terms Patriotism and Nationalism. This summary blog episode highlights the distinctive differences in the attitude and mindset of a Patriot in comparison to a Nationalist. It is a personal, albeit informed opinion of the author and is designed as a guiding standard which must not be necessarily accepted by all readers.

Definitions

Patriotism is a love for one’s own country and countrymen. It is a love for the inherent goodness of the values that guide the system of Government and its people. It is a love that accommodates criticisms from other nations which can inform improvements to its value system. Patriotism understands the concept of collaboration and coexistence with other nations in order to solve shared problems and develop shared interests. Patriotism is informed by an objective knowledge of decent moral values.

Nationalism is a blind loyalty for one’s own country. It is an irrational belief system of a citizen that their country is superior to all others. It is a stubborn devotion to the values that guide the system of Government and its people regardless of the moral deficiencies of these values. Nationalism does not accommodate criticisms from other nations, nor tolerate coexistence with other nations.

Distinctive Features

A Patriot and a Nationalist can make the ultimate sacrifice on the parallel ideologies defined above; however it is crystal clear that they are not working in synergy toward a common goal.

History can bear witness, that it was the nationalistic mindset of Adolf Hitler and his infamous Nazi regime which was driven by the concept of racial supremacy that triggered the Second World War. History also bears witness that the nationalistic profile of the defunct apartheid regime of South Africa was a grave issue of global concern in the wake of the chaos and tragedy which trailed the existence of the ideology.

It is pertinent for a person to make a clear distinction between Patriotism and Nationalism in order to be morally informed in attitude when relating with others (whether compatriots or foreigners) and in the refinement of aptitude.

The vision of a Patriot is driven by a sense of responsibility which understands that even though their roots of origin maybe tied to a particular country, they are an intricate part of a larger global community. It is this realization that stirs the passion of a Patriot to ensure a collective positive and peaceful collaboration of the Human race toward ensuring the survival of the planet Earth.

The vision of a Patriot understands that the survival of the planet Earth would always guarantee a platform of existence and continuity of life for the Human Race: the generations they would leave behind.

This vision ultimately understands that though each of us may bear passports identifying us as citizens of different countries, every member of the human race is a bona fide citizen and Patriot of the planet Earth.

The perspective of the vision of a Nationalist is limited strictly to the boundaries of the ideals that define their country.

Closing Remarks

A deep reflection on the paragraphs above would avail all Nigerian citizens, and indeed any reader the knowledge that imbibing the character of Patriotism would greatly assist our effort toward building a peaceful and productive Nigerian nation. The character of Patriotism would also assist us in fostering better relations with neighboring Nations and the World at large.

On these truths and more, I rest my case on comparing the graceful finesse of Patriotism against the brute naïveté of Nationalism.

Arise O Compatriots…

NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU!! — Things Tinashe Says

They say survival is for the fittest and you do not know your own strength until you’re put in situations where you actually need to use it. Well now looking at the dire situation we are in as youth. When does survival mode kick in? We have sent out SOS signals, we have called for […]
NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU!! — Things Tinashe Says

31. Patriot Alert 20: Crushing Our ‘National Stock Exchange Of Negative Energy’ In Nigeria

Trading Blames never solved a single puzzle of Life. It is an empty expression of Negative Energy.
© 2019 Nigerian Patriot

For the sake of clarity on the context of this summary post, a Stock Exchange is an organized and regulated financial market where Brokers trade Securities (Shares, Stocks, Bonds, Options, Futures, and Commodities). Trade pricing is governed by the forces of Demand and Supply.

The title tag of this post boldly presumes the existence of an unenthusiastic yet subtle character of the mind within the physical demarcation representing our noble country Nigeria. It is a mindset that has gradually found relevance in our national space due to various self appealing reasons. These reasons inexcusably include ignorance on the dire, long term consequences, of such unpatriotic trait, nor its magnitude. It is the character of Trading Blames and the accompanying distractions on the real development of our nation.

A single unit of blame is plainly an accusation that someone is responsible for some lapse or misdeed. It is not the slightest corrective measure of action that can address any possible solution to the identified problem. It is merely an empty expression of negative energy. Negative, because the comments are designed to discredit, especially without positive or helpful suggestions.

Early Origin of the Blame Trade

At the dawn of Independence on October 1960, it can be safely assumed that most citizens were in agreement and support of the project Nigeria. Shortly after, the first national fatal altercation occurred in the Military coup of January 1966. From that point onward, the project Nigeria became the deliberate mismatch of incompatible people by the British colonialists in the minds of a number of Nigerians. The seed of Trading Blames was planted, and the first blemish was cast on the fabric of the noble concept we know as Nigeria, our home Country. It must be restated, that some of the noble reasons behind the ‘partitioning’ of the Nigerian domain by the British have been highlighted in previous blog posts: 12. The Nearly Infinite Potentials of the Nigerian Nation and 23. The Citizens of Nigeria: A People Of Diverse Strength In Colors and Numbers.

Trade Highlights

Presently in our country, most Nigerian citizens will jump to blame any Ruling Government for everything which is perceived wrong within our nation. They clearly fail to realize that governance is the collective participation of every Citizen. It is a collective national process of Responsibility and Accountability. This is the only means the process of Governance can guarantee a functional System of Integrity.

An unhealthy percentage of Nigerians are quick to blame Compatriots on the opposite divide of ‘regional boundary’ for the state of the misfortunes of our Noble Nation. These include issues bordering on resource sharing amongst other mundane self-driven ‘priorities’. The Blame Traders fail to realize that the essence of representation with the legislative arm of our democratic system is to guarantee a measure of national balance albeit an imperfect equilibrium.

In the full view of National and International media platforms, Legislative sessions which ought to display a Patriotic sense of constructive debates are watered down to non productive bickering and comic drama. The Legislator’s Constituency never sees a need to hold their own elected Representative accountable. It appears more acceptable within the context of the Nigerian space to blame another Compatriot on the basis of a perceived ‘ethnic’, ‘religious’, ‘tribal’, ‘political’, demographic, or genetic bias.

With Nigeria, the list of ‘plausible’ objections as justification can be endless.

Currently, the divisive Blame diatribe is visible on all fronts and in all fields of endeavor in our groaning Nation. Aside the Political system, it is in our decaying Education system, with the loop of Blame tossing between the Government, the Lecturers and the Students, it is in our divisive Religious character with the loop of Blame tossing between Religious groups, and Institutions. It is nested in the heart of our massively careless road habits, with the loop of Blame tossing between the Commuters, the Transporters, and Road traffic officials. It is behind the mayhem that currently defines the security wellbeing of our Nation.

Blame trading is behind the tattered status of a National economy and a poor Infrastructure profile that was once among the celebrated prides of Africa. Trading blames appears to have blinded us on the urgent need to collectively change the circumstance of our National dilemma.

Closing Remarks

There is no denying the fact that Blame Trading has become a huge negative concept of the mind within the Nigerian space. A despicable attribute boldly utilized to side-step Responsibility and Accountability.

The apparent market value of this holocaust is deliberately nurtured by nefarious Nigerian Citizens who understand how to manipulate the thirst and wrapped interest of ignorant Compatriots with the ‘right’ indicators of demand and supply required to sustain the viability of the Blame Exchange Market.

Under the baffled glare of the International Community, which includes other African Nations that previously had the pleasure of strong Respect and Admiration, we could certainly be likened to the bad workman who cast the blame of failure on his tools rather than himself.

The glare of our Children and Generations to follow, would regretfully tag us as grand failures devoid of the most remote element of maturity, wisdom and constructive reasoning.

As a Nation, we are still blessed with the landmass, and natural resources required to reverse the trend of the currently frightening narrative. We are still endowed with the strength of diversity in the Human intelligence capacity required to command the untold wealth of the Nigerian Potential in our favor. Yes, as a united Nation, we can still make a change for a prosperous future.

In conclusion, assuming we could bury our hatchets of blame and embrace the action of selfless Patriotic love, the solutions to our seemingly complex cross word puzzle of National issues, would light our path to Success.

On the truths of the summary highlights above, and more, I rest my case on the dire collective need to crush the National Stock Exchange of Negative Energy in Nigeria. It is simply a Trade platform which is given the credit of relevance by the ignorant minds of a majority of Nigerian Citizens.

Arise O Compatriots…