Random thoughts

So I have been planning on going to see this movie (half of a yellow sun) since its
release in cinemas across Naija, and I finally did a few days ago with my guy.
However the movie centres on the lives of two love birds and their struggle for survival during the Nigerian civil war. I have never read about the civil war, or the personalities involved.  This movie however gave me an insight into the then Nigeria and also about the Biafra leader Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The movie potrays the then Nigeria as a very classy society with well educated leaders, who I think did whatever they did with the interest of their people at heart.

About Ojukwu, like I said I had no explicit knowledge about the war, all I knew was that there was a declaration of a Biafran republic by Ojukwu hence the war. I have always looked at him as the bad guy, you know... the guy that wanted to divide the country and caused the death of many Nigerians and Biafrans alike.
I looked at him as a not very literate person and perhaps  one  that is not in his right frame of mind. But then a scene in the movie changed the way I perceived him. In this scene a military leader was shown giving a speech.  It was Ojukwu and yes I recognized him lol. I was left in awe of the impeccable English that came out of his mouth as he gave his speech. Being used to leaders that are not so fluent in english and a country where simple english is a problem for the average man, I was in utter shock that someone as far back as the 1960s can have such cool diction.
I did a little research on him and found out that he was the first Oxford graduate in the Nigerian army.
Yes, maybe he didnt put all his decisions into perspective, but what struck me most was the total faith,  respect and trust the people had in him.
He called on his people to go to war against a "government" and they did. Fast forward to the Naija of today where there is no respect whatsoever for the rulers nor can any Nigerian leader of today call upon his people to fight for a course. The insurgency of boko haram can be sighted as an example.

If we had been a great nation before, we can still be one again. If only we can regain the spirit of nationalism we once had,  Naija would be a place we would be very proud to call home. It starts with you...

Ayanate.