By Patricia Turyahebwa,
KAMAPALA
The youth have been urged to uphold their cultures and avoid valuing trivial and material wealth over their own identity and national pride.
This call was made by the Commissioner for National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps (NSPC) in the Office of the President, Hellen Seku while speaking to a group of university students at the patriotism awareness day symposium held at Makerere University in Kampala, on Wednesday.
“As patriots, I don’t expect you to go by the band wagon and you have to be much aware that the whites will never give you anything for free. For example, they have gone back to their organic foods but for us we are busy copying their ways of eating Pizzas, burgers, sausages and everything without realizing that such foods reduce our life spans,” Seku said
According to the patriotism commissioner, a significant number of young people in Africa have been swayed by external forces trading their cultural heritage for superficial and short-lived benefits. She cautioned against adopting foreign cultures without critically evaluating their impact on African identity.
“The whites vowed to make us ideologically empty and culturally naked, make us suffer from inferiority complexes, mental inferiority, and lose self-confidence. Yet we are intelligent people and wiser than them. But I’m here to assure and encourage you that our time is now to wake up and have our eyes open as Ugandans and Africans; let us think like patriots who love and respect our country and cultural heritage.” she emphasized
In addition, Seku stressed the importance of embracing our locally made products, good discipline and utilization of opportunities available for the youth to succeed in life.
“You find a beautiful girl but she is busy putting on artificial hair on the head without knowing that the chemicals we use are cancerous yet we have our own ghee and avocados that can make our skins and hair naturally beautiful,” said Seku. “I encourage you to be patriots who are always open to participate in all opportunities. I know there are some leaders who can want you to be under their wings and they do not you to shine, to the extent that they can never even think of introducing you to a village local council one chairperson and that is being selfish.”
She said observing good discipline does not only help the Ugandan youth become responsible, resilient, resourceful citizens but also unfolds opportunities for them.
“Being loyal to your principals and elders is one value that will take you places that you never imagined but when you are wordy, or a thief, no one will trust you.” “But patriots must have discipline; and when there are strikes for example, as patriots be the ones to tell your fellows to stop fighting and also advise them that it is possible to sit at a round table and iron out all issues and then come up with solutions.” added Seku
Abias Musiime, the president of the Patriotism study group of Makerere University expressed his gratitude to Seku for her valuable support and guidance, noting that her leadership will be instrumental in promoting patriotism not only at Makerere University but also to the nation and the African continent.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank madam Seku for having time for us. She is one in a million, she is not only a good teacher and leader, but also a patriot, and iam sure under her guidance and stewardship, patriotism at Makerere will never be the same again.” said Musiime
The symposium was also attended by the Guild union, Dean of students and Convocation leadership of Makerere University.
