August 23rd

Dear Diary,
Why are Nigerians so unpatriotic?
Yeah yeah yeah, we are very very unpatriotic!! Why on earth would you prefer another man's land to the one God put you in?? I mean, God knew what He was doing when He put you here, He put you here for a purpose, a purpose you can't achieve if you are in far away 'another man's land'.

I would rather be a first class animal in my own country than a second class citizen in another man's country. Thats right, no matter how much we would like to deceive ourselves  that racisim is a thing of the past , the truth is, racisim is still a part of us, we live with it everyday.

I schooled in England for a year and I have been a victim of racism. I remember a number of times when i received unwarranted insults not because I had done anything wrong, but because I am African, the colour of my skin brought me insults. I remember visiting my friend in London last summer, I was walking down to use the ATM machine, when this fellow standing by his open window shouts out the 'N' word at me without any provocation. I was to shocked to reply at first but when I regained my composure,  lets just say he picked up new Igbo words. Or was it when my friends and I visited a theme park just outside Birmingham. We were sitting on the kerb after a long day filled with rides waiting for a taxi, when suddenly this beat up car filled with white teenagers made a u turn after passing us the first time, to come give us the middle finger and again throw the 'N' word at us. Again lets just say the learnt new Igbo words. Or is it while sitting and waiting for the bus or even inside the bus when these Briticos feel they are too good to be seated beside me? Oh well more room for me innit? Or my brother who was on a trip from Abuja to London through Germany? He walked up to his seat and saw his German sit mate already seated and so he said hello, the German got up and asked for a change of seat. Oh well more sleeping room for him right?

I don't get Nigerians who go to another man's land and think oh the country was the way it is from the beginning, they even start loving the country more than the owners. I was speaking with someone who doesn't want to return home to Nigeria recently and his argument was that Nigerian leaders are corrupt while there is no corruption in England. Are you freaking kidding me??? No corruption in England?? Wow!! Those English people have taken corruption and made it legal. I wouldn't even deny that Nigeria is corrupt, but the fact is those foreign countries had their own issues too, some of them corruptions others greedy leaders, but the fact is they still have their issues. But the citizens of those countries didn't run away from their country and her issues, the stayed and made things better. If we all keep running, how do we expect Nigeria to get any better?? Nigeria is just 53 years old as a country, a country made up of people with different cultural identities. Now compare that with the United Kingdom's over 300 years or America's 237 years. That's a really long time to look beyond your cultural differences and to bring about solutions to their problems, even at that, they still have their issues.
I would rather put all my efforts into developing my country than into making another man's country better. The funny thing is after giving 'HER' your best, the owners of the country can still decide to throw you out. In my opinion, learn all you can and come back and try to use it to make your country better. Your contribution might not make an impact countrywide, but at least make a difference within your community, be an example to others.

Like I said, I would rather be a first class animal in my country than a second class human being in another man's land.

Love always,
Iphie.
XoXo