By Deborah Uzoma
Last Saturday, the ambiance of Enugu had Dike Chukwumerije teaching the 7th batch of the pilot training of the Made in Nigeria course. The free training which took place at the West Africa Broadcast Media Academy, WABMA, Enugu, had men and women drawn from various fields of endeavor in attendance.
Dike averred that the aim of the training was to instill patriotic citizens and motivate the individual towards being resilient. Going through the overview of the six segment of the course, he taught patriotism which he defined as love for one’s country, a brief historical account of the Nigerian system.
He averred that the enemy is actually “ourselves”, and that diversity cannot be eliminated but can be properly managed and a new nation can be constructed within a Nation, citing examples of Rwanda, China, etc.
The Patriotic advocate added that an individual’s willingness to co-exist and the capacity for communication are two primary factors that make co-existence possible. He emphasized the need for mutual respect and empathy which he disclosed are the tools that make people move from being tolerable to attaining total acceptance.
He concluded with a reading of one of his poems which sparked off the spirit of change and a rethink of one’s commitment to his country. Dike further described the change as “a long-distance struggle that requires resilience”, and encouraged all participants to be the change they need.
