The annual Independence Day Special Edition Poll results published by NOIPolls Limited shows that an overwhelming 85% majority of Nigerians say they are proud to be Nigerians.
Although heart-warming and gratifying, considering the various economic, security and infrastructural challenges faced by the country on a daily basis, the number of those who say they are not proudly Nigerian is on the rise over the past seven years, since 2012.
According to data by NOIPolls, the number of respondents not proud of their ‘Nigerianness’ has grown from 7% in 2012, when 93% expressed pride in their national identity, to 15% this year. Within the seven-year period, 2013 recorded the highest percentage (94%) of respondents proud to be Nigerians, while six percent responded in the negative. The number doubled to 12% in 2017, when only 88% were proud to be Nigerians, a number that dropped to 85% in the latest survey (2019), as 15% responded in the negative.
A breakdown of the 2019 Independence Day Poll conducted in the week of September 23, 2019, five in 10 Nigerians (51%) are proud to be Nigerians because ‘it is their Mother’s land,’ depicting their level of patriotism; while 30% of those who are not proud to be Nigerians stated that ‘nothing is working in the country’.
“Further findings reveal that in 59 years since independence, some Nigerians (21%) adduced that ‘improvement in the educational system’ is the greatest achievement the country has recorded. Other achievements mentioned by Nigerians include the ‘sustainability of democracy’ (16%) and ‘sovereignty as a nation’ (14%).
“Additionally, the survey results reveal that ‘unemployment’ (27%) is the main issue Nigerians want the government to address with ‘security’ a close second at 26%.
“At the zonal level, unemployment was cited most in the South East (38%) and South-South (35%), while security was cited most in the North East (39%) and North West (38%),” the report noted, stressing the need for the government to expedite action in this direction considering the danger it portends for the country.