Pledge to Nigeria, my Country. To be faithful, loyal, and honest. To serve Nigeria with all my strength. To defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory. So help me, God.
The above prayer is the Nigerian national pledge. I remember the first time I said these lines, and I think it was in my Primary School. I consider it a true prayer from the heart, committing to something tremendous and expressing my faith concerning my Country's fate, a place God has given me to live, lead, and show forth His Glory.
The pride of nationhood cannot be over-emphasized; it gives that identity, dignity, and confidence that one belongs to something significant and enduring.
Nigeria is my Country, and I consider her a miracle. She (Nigeria) is the most populous black Nation on earth with a very complex people spread in terms of diversity and ethnicity, and each yearns for identity and belonging.
This yearning has brought about so much agitation within the Nation. I have come to see about the Nigerian spirit because it has defied logic and has created this unique voice of resilience that cannot be denied globally.
Nigeria and Nigerians – The younger population- are searching for nationhood, a place that they will call their own and home. A place to dream, desire, and grow into a fulfilled and satisfied human being with dignity.
This cry can be heard and felt across the land; even those who have somehow found their way out of the Country still have these tears on their faces and hope that someday not too far from this day, our collective prayer will be answered.
A good number of well-meaning Nigerians have come to a place where the belief in their Country is now questionable, and they are in dire need of a Miracle to turn the Nation's fortunes around.
In this Epistle of the Word Café, I have the opportunity of discussing Nigeria with Dike Chulkwumerije.
Dike Chukwumerije is a Nigerian spoken word and performance poetry artist and an award-winning author. He has eight published books, including the novel Urichindere, which won the 2013 Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Prize for Prose Fiction[1][2] and a poetry theatre production - Made In Nigeria - currently touring the Country. As of May 2022, it has been to 17 Nigerian cities: Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Ile-Ife, Maiduguri, Yola, Bonny, and Jos. Minna, Kano.
Chukwumerije was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2016
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