By Awala Fricky Hayes, Esq.
In recent times, I have come to the painful realization that education alone does not always translate into wisdom or patriotism. Across our national conversations, one troubling pattern keeps emerging — what I call the politics of opposition.
It is the tendency to celebrate anything that embarrasses the government of the day, even when such developments harm the collective image and interest of Nigeria.
Today, I woke up to the news that the United States had designated Nigeria as a “country of interest” over alleged killings of Christians. Ordinarily, such a designation should concern every patriotic Nigerian, irrespective of faith or political affiliation. It touches on our international reputation and the delicate balance of our plural society.
However, what followed the announcement was disheartening. I watched as some of our most educated citizens expressed joy, not because they believed the narrative of a Christian genocide, but simply because they saw it as a political minus for the Tinubu administration. That, to me, reflects a troubling decline in our sense of national responsibility.
We must ask ourselves: how does such a label affect our internal politics? Does it increase our purchasing power, improve our security, or enhance our standing in the comity of nations? Shouldn’t our first concern be the potential diplomatic and economic consequences of such a tag, rather than who it politically benefits or hurts?
It is ironic that while the so-called “colonial media” often portray Africa as a continent of perpetual crisis, we sometimes reinforce that narrative with our own words and actions. When the U.S. President Donald Trump granted asylum to some South Afrikaans on the grounds of alleged genocide against white farmers — a claim lacking credible evidence — I did not see South Africans jubilating. They understood that their nation’s dignity was bigger than any internal political divide.
Can we honestly claim that there is a deliberate, organized attempt to eradicate Christianity in Nigeria? The evidence does not support such a sweeping allegation. What we are facing are complex security and governance challenges that cut across religion, region, and ethnicity. Yet, instead of working together to address them, we have allowed partisanship to cloud our patriotism.
As Nigerians, we must learn to rise above petty political reflexes. Opposition should be about ideas, policies, and accountability, not the eager celebration of every negative headline about our country. We cannot build a great nation while simultaneously rejoicing at its embarrassment on the global stage.
Patriotism does not mean silence in the face of wrong. It means choosing to criticize constructively, to speak truth without destroying the house we all live in. Our loyalty should first be to Nigeria, not to any political camp or candidate.
Awala Fricky Hayes, Esq., writes from Lagos, Nigeria.