One of the core things that the New Nigeria Club seeks to address is the question of identity. Not just image, but identity. In this classification, image is how you are perceived while perception is how you see yourself. True sustainable image is one that is projected directly from one’s sense of personal identity. If what I am projecting as who I am is not who I really am, it’s only a matter of time before all my projections break down.
There was a question I was asked yesterday, I’ll like to ask you too. What makes someone a Nigerian. What is our unique selling point? What differentiates us, for what course are we willing to die. Who is a Nigerian? What are our values? What do we believe in? What binds us together? For the Americans it’s easy, it’s freedom. The free spirit has been branded the American spirit. Many American’s have died for Freedom, they have a statue of Liberty that is a National Icon, they believe in freedom of speech, of e.t.c. America is synonymous to freedom! When you think Singapore, you think cleanliness. They are so crazy about keeping the town beautiful and clean that they go to almost any length. As far as ensuring their citizens or visitors don’t chew gum, for fear they might not find where to stick it 
. For Germany it’s commitment, e.t.c. There are some other countries like these, some known for fashion, some known for machines, some known for their technology, some for their piracy e.t.c. What is Nigeria known for, what what makes us Nigerian, and what should it rather be?
I bet there are many postulations about what makes someone Nigerian today, or what our identity is. For the sakes of not feeling bad, I will not propose any here, of what use is pointing fingers rather than being a part of change? Rather I have decided to act like a New Nigerian and take responsibility for what should bind us together. In the New Nigeria Club, we have defined what should separate a Nigerian from every crowd to be that he is P.A.T.R.I.O.T.I.C.
In our own Language the new word PATRIOTIC means to live in such a way to make God and Country Proud. This is the underlying theme, or what the call the Commanders Intent for the value re-orientation we wish to achieve in Nigeria. Beyond this number 1 meaning of what we believe should distinguish Nigerians, we also have 9 others that begin with letters that form the acronym PATRIOTIC! The great thing with these values is that what we have done is re-brand the same set of values that Fela Durotoye has been pushing to different companies and the Ministry of Education. If we can all adopt one voice, we can all have our desired New Nigeria, a value based Nigeria!
P.A.T.R.I.O.T.I.C. – We live to make God and country proud!
P – Problem Solvers
This means that “we are solutions to problems and not problems to solutions”. It means that the average Nigerian can be expected to look at problems and not give excuses or play the blame game, but to rather take responsibility.
A – Aspirational
This means that we are “consciously building a great legacy”. We aspire for greatness, as individuals and as a people. We are conscious about our environment, about our nation and about the legacy we are leaving with our words and actions.
T – Timely
“We value time and make the best of it.” We don’t operate by Old Nigerian time, we know that time is life, and we maximize the use of it.
R – Role Models
“We live lives worthy of emulation”. We don’t wait for positional leadership to become influential, we are leaders and everywhere we find ourselves we comport ourselves in ways that can be followed.
I – Integrity
We say what we mean, we mean what we say, we live transparently. Our words and actions are in sync. Integrity to is the commitment we give to our words. “We each live a life of integrity”
O – Outstanding
“We are the best in what we are naturally good at.” We have clear areas of talent and regularly strive to be the best at what we are naturally endowed with.
T – Trustworthy
“We can be trusted to do the right thing at the right time.” We are dependable and reliable, we live by the spirit and the letter of the law.
I – Impactful
“We make positive impact on everyone we meet and everywhere we go.” We have the courage of our convictions.
C – Compassionate
“We care and show that we care by our words and our actions” We are our brothers keepers. We believe that our candle loses nothing in lighting up another candle.
Can we commit this to memory like some of us have? Can we pattern our lives after these values? Can we create a positive values epidemic? Can we spread this fire and cause it to catch on? I believe we can.
To this intent we are sponsoring a visual arts competition for a catchy and memorable representation of each of these values in the form of a graphic design, painting or work of art that can serve as a billboard. The finished product must be available in print form, as a coreldraw file, jpeg and pdf. The winners of these competition will be rewarded in the following ways
1. Winner (person whose works score the highest ratings) gets a cash reward of N800,000 and a graphic artists laptop
2. The First Runner up, gets a cash reward of 300,000 and a laptop
3. The Second Runner up, gets a laptop.
All interested participants must submit their expression of interest before the end of July to deolu@deoluakinyemi.com with the title – Expression of Interest.
We’ll also be sponsoring writing, poetry, drama and music competitions to create memorable thoughts from these values.
I am a Nigerian and I am PATRIOTIC, how about you?
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Yeah…I am a Nigerian and Patriotic. I feel that our generation has a lot to do as regards creating the Nigeria Identity. If we fail to stand for SOMETHING, then we will fall for anything. This is a great initiative and I believe that it will yield GOOD fruits if we faint not.
One of my lecturers was associating Nigeria with internet scams in one of his talks earlier in the week and I had to take him up. A lot of people were surprised that I could challenge him. Everywhere I go, I am proud to show off my GREEN PASSPORT. This sometimes come with rejection but it is just a matter of time. Nigeria is going to change before our eyes. Are we going to just sit down and watch other cause the change or we become the change agent? The choice is ours to make today.
D,
as always you point a way forward rather than just complain bout how things are. I will surely now more than ever be committed to a new nigeria. Thank You for “THE WAY FORWARD”,THANK YOU.
Great post…I believe in your dream…I’ll try n see what i can do…I wrote a post on “Things Fall Apart” on my blog. I hope you will have the time to read it…
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I am a Nigerian and Patriotic as defined in this article. Yes we will create a positive values epidemic, the journey has started strongly, it’s only a question of time, we will get there, so help us God.
Great iniatives you have put here, i will spread the goodnews as far as i can, up New Nigerians!!!!!
At times when people talk down on Nigeria and start the blame game, I like to stay ‘out of the area’, ‘cos i’ve learnt that complaints alone will hardly solve any problems. It’s everyone’s fault and everyone’s responsibility to make things right.
In a mailing list am subscribed to, someone was recalling the ‘days of old
‘ when our seniors in sec. school (one in particlular in this case) maltreated his one-year juniors (many, if not all, are currently no more his juniors!).
But the CRUX OF THE MATTER was when one said it was a SYSTEM ISSUE rather than just an individual one. The system’s leadership values was faulty so it was hard for people that found themselves in those shoes not to dance to the tune of oppression.
There needs to be leaders that will reinfuse into crucial places, the right values, else, we’ll not move with so much speed. The various institutions (educational, social, business, religious…) will have to be infused with the “God’s proud, Country’s proud” syndrome for this dream to come to pass….I could go on…
And for the competition, I had better get to work… and inform one or two friends… (Do I get a ‘down line’ for that? lol
) )
deolu,must confess its a great post!i’m glad to be alive at this time in naija,the truth is there’s a drumbeat of revolution though silent,march towards greatness though unseen and voices asking for a new dawn.it may tarry but it’ll surely come!
lets get at it!
naija 4 life!
Yes! I am a Nigerian and am patriotic.
Thank you for reigniting my passion for a Nigeria I can be proud of anywhere, anytime!
I’M INCURABLY NIGERIAN……2 NAIJA 2 QUIT
Naija 2 da core
Now and always
Naija to the core,am proud of Naija before but now am extra proud of Naija anywhere,anytime,anyhow.Thanks for the believe you have in Naija.
sir,
I believe things are looking up for Nigeria. We as individuals aretaking responsibility for the development of the nation. i will pick up this acronym and shout it on radio loud and clear. We will get their
sir,
I believe things are looking up for Nigeria. We as individuals are taking responsibility for the development of the nation. i will pick up this acronym and shout it on radio loud and clear. We will get their.
Hello Patriots,
I read this beautiful story this morning and i felt excited to paste it here for us all to read, i think it is relevant to this thread, ”What a good ambassador of New Nigeria Gene, many of this kind stories to come about us all over the world, please read on…… ( copied from Independent of London Newspaper website).
Reprieve for ‘model’ student who was sent back to Nigeria By Robert Verkaik, Law Editor
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
An immigrant who was deported to Nigeria despite being honoured by the Church of England for his contribution to British society has been given the right to return to the UK.
In a change of heart by the Government, Damilola Ajagbonna, 20, has had his case reconsidered by the Home Office and been granted a temporary residency to live here.
Mr Ajagbonna came to Britain with his mother when he was 11 and only discovered that he was an illegal immigrant and faced deportation after he was accepted for places at universities in Cambridge and Sheffield. His achievements in education and community work have won him acclaim from both teachers and immigration campaigners.
When the Home Office said Mr Ajagbonna, who had missed the deadline to register his immigration status by only a few weeks, had to return to Nigeria, the case became a cause célèbre championed by the Church of England, MPs, teachers and immigration campaigners.
The Bishop of London, the Right Rev Richard Chartres, said yesterday that he welcomed the Home Secretary’s “U-turn” on the case. “I congratulate the Home Secretary on this decision. It is unfortunate that Damilola was forced to return to Nigeria where he had not lived since childhood; but it is a huge relief that he has been allowed to return here,” he said. “He has much to offer this country, and we were worried that the Home Office had not taken his past and potential contribution into account.”
This year, Mr Ajagbonna attended a service at St Paul’s Cathedral where the Bishop of London awarded him the St Mellitus Medal for his contribution to his school, the Greig City Academy in Hornsey, north London, where he achieved 13 GCSEs and three A-levels.
His former headmaster, Paul Sutton, told The Independent after the decision was made to send him to Nigeria that Mr Ajagbonna’s was one of the school’s highest achievers. “He has been an absolute star who has given unfailing support,” he said. “It seems to me he is the very kind of person we need to keep. So it is quite bizarre that we are even thinking about deporting him.”
His talents have also been recognised by the United Nations, which in 2005 appointed him an adviser on youth issues to its child protection organisation, Unicef. He was closely involved in one of the flagship community projects run by the former Department for Education and Skills and held prominent roles in the Children’s Rights Alliance for England.
One of the judges who heard Mr Ajagbonna’s immigration case described these achievements as “spectacular”. He said in his judgment: “I find the appellant’s contribution to youth culture in our society as a whole, and to his school society in particular, has been remarkable … He is clearly an outstanding young man. He would appear both keen to learn and keen to give.”
Mr Ajagbonna has now returned to Britain and is living in Luton. He intends to start a degree in September and train to be a teacher.
“I have always regarded Britain as a just country and believed that as long as you played by the rules you will be treated fairly,” he said earlier this year. “I find myself the victim of consequences of which I have no control.”
A Home Office spokesman said it could not comment on individual cases.
Please go here to see Damilola’s Picture and original story
Damilola’s Story
in the midst of obscurity will come forth. while some people blame Nigeria for their problems while some other people continue to pray for more problems in nigeria. why? problems are opportunities for prosperity. the storms of adversity, poverty and corruption are like that of the sea, they will always obey us if we are patients enough to know how to wring victory from defeat, and make stepping stones from our stumbling blocks. believe it or not, there is a silent epidermic spreading all around the nation. the spirit of the new Nigeria is being redefined, rising, growing.
nice post, oga D. you’ve always stayed ahead, at the very edge of progress, keep moving.
lemme see what i can work out.
cheers
Oops, error sending.
Out of obscurity will light come forth. While some people blame Nigeria for their problems, some other people continue to pray for more problems in Nigeria. why? problems are opportunities for prosperity. The storms of adversity, poverty and corruption are like that of the sea, they will always obey us if we are patient enough to know how to wring victory from defeat, and make stepping stones out of our stumbling blocks. Believe it or not, there is a silent epidermic spreading all around the nation. The spirit of the new Nigeria is being redefined, it’s rising and growing.
nice post, oga D. you’ve always stayed ahead, at the very edge of progress, keep moving.
lemme see what i can work out.
cheers
Hi Deolu,a great post about Nigeria you got here.I’m a Naija 2 Da Core.I’m EXTREMELY NIGERIA.I believe that if we join our hands together,we can build a nation that can stand out amount the commitee of nations.
I’m a Nigerian and a Patriot…Mr. Deolu, after reading your post the day u wrote this, i found myself in the midst of some of my friends who have a complain about Nigeria…Thank God, i took up the challenge to tell them who a Nigeria is… I defined the P.A.T.R.I.O.T.I.C by heart with all the quotes to back it up… They were seriously re-oriented and at the end we made ways to buy the Nigerian pins so could carry it about and show that we are truly a Nigerian.
Hope u got the mail i sent to your email (deoluakinyemi@gmail.com)?
Have a grate day
hi,
this is really a thought provoking comment from you which i believe people of like minds will participate in.
i think whether people like it or not the glory of this country is beginning to shine forth all over the world, although black legs, bad eggs exist the truth will always prevail .This country is destined for a better image and its light is bound to shine like a house set on a hill .it may take time but people have already begun the battle and their struggles will win out eventually.
i read somewhere during the week that Nigerians top the list of brilliant scholars or achievers in that country,so keep up the good work we will do this country proud.
ramael
Lets together build the Nigeria of our dreams
THE DUE PROCESS
Nigeria is not yet ONE, so she doesn’t have a true identity. She is still in the process of getting it. Before Nigeria can get her true identity, she has to be ONE. Being it is not by singing the song “We are one” or wearing T-shirts with such inscriptions. Being ONE is a life.
Take a look at those countries you mentioned (although it’s not good to compare ourselves with others, let us learn), they had general pains (external forces warring against them, natural disasters e.t.c) and so wisdom taught them that if they were to survive, they had to love themselves and work together idealistically (willing to CHANGE whenever any IDEA is modified for a better survival & development). We talk about America so much and know many good things about them but lets take a close look at the Germans who are known for COMMITMENT. Nothing just happens, something has been happening somewhere, somehow within someone (somepeople).
For sometime Germany was separated into East and West Germany and there were some restrictions/limitations to Germans from either side. The “Berlin Wall” as it was called, stood between this two sides as a Barrier. Germans died (as the Berlin Wall was watched by Military troops, they shot at any intruder) while attempting to cross over, just to see the other side. One day it was pulled down, and pulled down by the people from both East and West. It took COMMITMENT for this to happen. Commitment (their identity) didn’t just come. Love was at the root. Love for the same thing. They desired to be together, even though they were ONE at heart. this DESIRE (not only in one individual, but in a large population) powered them to resist the Force at the Wall and pull it down. And so Germany was UNITED.
Being ONE at heart leads to becoming UNITED. In unity, the Germans have their identiy. Defintely, some Germans would have loved the Berlin Wall to still be (not ALL will be one at heart) but ibelieve someone (unknown to us) prayed, spoke to the minds of the people, instilled the passion for unity and interceeded for Germany. We can do the same.
So now we have UNITY, IDENTITY, RESPONSIBILITY & AUTHORITY.
Deolu, if for now discovering our Identity is our goal, everyone (I mean each man, woman, boy, girl, young,old) has to follow the due process. Let Love be our Life. This is a CHOICE. The Choice to have that Life. love not based on FAMILY or RELIOGION or TRIBE or POLITICAL PARTY but love at heart for Our God and neighbour regardless of status. This Life is gotten by Choice (not by proxy or default). We should live intentionally. Due process means that with a Life of Love we can be United, and in UNITY we can find our IDENTITY. But what is left is more. Our Love, Unity and Identity has to be MAINTAINED and CONTINUOUSLY growing while we do our best to righlty fulfill our RESPONSIBILITY – what we are to be doing. (I have an article on Responsibility to be posted on my website presently on construction).
Lastly, for us to be rightly responsible, we have to be under AUTHORITY – someone should be in Control. Both Responsibility and Authority are broad aspects on their own, so we concentrate on our primary goal for now. I have HOPE, FAITH and LOVE Nigeria and ibelieve that we will discover our True IDENTITY as we Choose to follow the DUE PROCESS.
Lets make it real: New Nigeria.
I am a Nigerian and I am Patriotic.
NIGERIAN TO THE CORE. EXTREMELY NIGERIAN. NOTHING CAN CHANGE, EVEN OUR FLAWED LEADERS AND POLITICIANS,
I’d love to share this mail sent to me with you, it hit me hard and i hope it does so to you:
Dear Edmarker,
I want to share with you this nice poem. This depicts the importance of knowing your passion in life.
PASSION IN LIFE
To achieve something great in the world you need PASSION
To fulfill vision, a great leader’s courage comes from PASSION
Whatever it may be, you must find your PASSION
If PASSION drives you, let reason hold the reins
Follow your PASSION and success will follow you!
…Never underestimate the power of PASSION
Without PASSION, religion is spiritless
Without PASSION, history is meaningless
Without PASSION, art is useless
Follow your PASSION and success will follow you!
….When you take up a mission with PASSION
There are no dreams too large
No innovation unimaginable
No frontiers beyond reach
Follow your PASSION and success will follow you!
great teacher i hail you sir. i love the article. we should learn to be patriotic. it will help us a great deal.