A university don has blamed the nation’s education system which
according to him only teaches moral and skills, but fails to instill
patriotic zeal in young ones as the major factor responsible for the
seeming lack of patriotism among Nigerians.
Delivering a paper entitled ‘Embracing Cultural Value For National Re-Orientation and Political Emancipation’, to mark this year’s Oodua Festival at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Ajibade George Olusola of the department of linguistics of the institution, noted that national symbols like the national pledge, anthem, flag and the coat of arms were not being accorded due regard by the younger generations.
The varsity teacher, who went down memory lane to the period in the nation’s history, when on their very first day in school, pupils were imbued with the spirit of patriotism through the singing of the national pledge, lamented the abandonment of the old order.
He averred: “In those days, the national pledge was the first song one learnt in school and we were trained to standstill even if the earth was collapsing. Nowadays, things have taken a terrible turn, situation that our kids are taught poems and rhymes that have no bearing to nationhood in schools.
“It should be noted that pupils and students get an education without patriotism now. Our national pledge demands faithfulness, not hope, it involves loyalty not betrayal, honesty and not deceitfulness. We need to go back to where we lost it.”
Earlier in his remarks, the national coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress and promoter of Oodua Festival, Otunba Gani Adams called for cultural reawakening among Nigerians to build the spirit of patriotism in them.
He urged all tiers of government to dedicate more resources to cultural enhancement to get results from efforts geared at national orientation and political emancipation.
Delivering a paper entitled ‘Embracing Cultural Value For National Re-Orientation and Political Emancipation’, to mark this year’s Oodua Festival at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Ajibade George Olusola of the department of linguistics of the institution, noted that national symbols like the national pledge, anthem, flag and the coat of arms were not being accorded due regard by the younger generations.
The varsity teacher, who went down memory lane to the period in the nation’s history, when on their very first day in school, pupils were imbued with the spirit of patriotism through the singing of the national pledge, lamented the abandonment of the old order.
He averred: “In those days, the national pledge was the first song one learnt in school and we were trained to standstill even if the earth was collapsing. Nowadays, things have taken a terrible turn, situation that our kids are taught poems and rhymes that have no bearing to nationhood in schools.
“It should be noted that pupils and students get an education without patriotism now. Our national pledge demands faithfulness, not hope, it involves loyalty not betrayal, honesty and not deceitfulness. We need to go back to where we lost it.”
Earlier in his remarks, the national coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress and promoter of Oodua Festival, Otunba Gani Adams called for cultural reawakening among Nigerians to build the spirit of patriotism in them.
He urged all tiers of government to dedicate more resources to cultural enhancement to get results from efforts geared at national orientation and political emancipation.
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