No Nigerian is still willing to die for country – Prince Tonye Princewill

Prince Tonye Princewill, a filmmaker, politician, and philanthropist, has expressed concern over the declining patriotism among young Nigerians, attributing it to a lack of reciprocal commitment from the country’s leadership.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Princewill said that fewer Nigerians today are willing to make sacrifices for the nation because they feel abandoned by the system.

“I used to tell young people that to work with me, you must be willing to die for Nigeria,” he said. “But compared to 2007, that number is shrinking. Fewer people are willing to make that kind of sacrifice.”

According to him, the reason is simple: people no longer believe their leaders are willing to make sacrifices for them.

“They don’t feel the country, or its leaders, are ready to die for them. And that disconnection is deeply unfortunate,” Princewill added.

He also lamented the uninspiring state of Nigerian politics, saying the political environment lacks vision and purpose.

“Our politics is in a very unfortunate state. There’s very little to be proud of,” he noted. “We desperately need fresh, principled leadership—but that’s not what we’re getting.”

Princewill emphasized the importance of having leaders who possess clear ideologies and are driven by purpose, warning that without these elements, meaningful change remains out of reach.

“Politics is too important to be left to politicians,” he concluded.