ARISE O' COMPATRIOT

 

Arise, O compatriots,

 

Nigeria's call obey

 

To serve our Fatherland

 

With love and strength and faith.

 

The labor of our heroes past

 

Shall never be in vain,

 

To serve with heart and might

 

One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

The last time I penned on paper was probably about a month ago. I got a job and a whole lot of things changed, 24hrs suddenly became too little, contrary to been too much in my couch up days. I barely have time to think, talk less of write, anyways, that’s a topic for another day. But bear in mind that for those of you who still lazy around the house, couch ridden and putting bored AF on your pm, your 24hrs will not increase when your days become busier, there’s a lot of wisdom in learning busy now.

Happy Independence day though, its the start of a new year for Independent Nigeria and the start of a new month for us all. My family and I celebrated ours in church and it was really interesting. We sang the national anthem; it was probably my first time singing it after about a year since I remember singing it last in last year’s independence celebration. Gone are the days when we sang it every school morning, it was just a routine then though, we didn’t even know the exact words talk less of its essence and meaning. I mean I remember singing “One Nation Pound In Freedom” for years till I realized it was wrong.

The Pastor made us sing the National Anthem three times today and in it all, I realized this anthem could pass for a chapter in the book of Psalms. So intense and deep and in simple words, it brings the entire message of commitment to heart.

I gave it a deeper thought and decided not on an analysis but adding a little length and a couple of synonyms to help you realize that been a Nigerian is not necessarily by birth or migration, but it is a commitment, one that most of us have fizzled out of, leaving most part of the job to mere mouth service. So here it is:

Arise O’ Compatriot

Arise O’ Nigerian

Arise O’ Northerner, Southerner, Westerner and also the Easterner

Be you Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba or whatever.

Be you a Muslim or a Christian or even an Atheist.

Arise to a call of duty, A call from our Father Land, Our pride land, Our Home Land.

A call to service, service from our hearts, embedded with strength, with Love to share and with Faith in each other wheather far or near.

Imagine if Nnamdi Azikwe, Tafa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo and all our freedom fighters sat back while they should have fought, we would have no home, at least not a home to call ours. So let not their effort be in vain by Serving selflessly and thoughtfully with all our hearts and might.

One Nation One Nigeria. Beautiful and Resourceful. Now bound together by its hard earned liberty and tranquility, unified despites its diversity.

 

So next time you sing the Nigeria National Anthem, as a Nigerian, bear in mind that its not just a routine but a commitment call, not to our tribes or religion but to our dearly beloved Nation.

Be a true Nigerian, Our Father Land needs it now more than ever.

Thank You.

deji ONADEKO.