Former governorship aspirant in Rivers State and philanthropist, Prince Tonye Princewill, has raised concern over the growing number of Nigerians, especially young people, who no longer feel motivated to serve or sacrifice for the nation.
In an interview on Arise TV, Princewill, who is also into film production, said this shift in attitude stems from a deep sense of disillusionment among the youth, who feel abandoned by their leaders.
“I used to say to them, one of the qualities you need to have to work with me is that you have to be ready to die for Nigeria,” he said.
“But compared to 2007 until now, the number of those who are preparing to die for Nigeria is becoming fewer and fewer.”
He attributed this decline in patriotism to the perceived failure of the country’s leadership to show care or commitment to its people.
“They see that the country is not prepared to die for them, the leaders are not prepared to die for them,” he added. “It’s very unfortunate.”
Princewill also took aim at the state of Nigeria’s political landscape, describing it as uninspiring and stagnant. He lamented the absence of visionary leadership and called for new, principled individuals to step forward.
“Our politics is very unfortunate and nothing to be proud of. We need new blood, fresh blood in the system and we are not getting a lot of that unfortunately.”
He emphasized the importance of strong ideologies and clear policies in shaping the nation’s direction and warned that politics must not be left solely in the hands of traditional politicians.
“I always say politics is too important to be left to politicians,” he said.
