Only one man can destroy this Nation
Posted by Factnews | 7 years ago | 2,531 times
Apart from Chinua Achebe’s book “There Was A Country” and a few books by a few social commentators and the Ikemba Nnewi himself, there have not been so many books that painted an exhaustive picture of the Nigerian civil.But since this whole military action in Abia Sate started, the image that keeps coming to my consciousness is the powerful but disturbing images I saw some years ago in the movie Hotel Rwanda.
The hate speeches (one tribe calling) another “Cockroaches”, the outbreak of violence, litters of corpses like refuse on the streets of Kigali, and the silence of the whole world over the whole Rwandan issue.The whole IPOB saga is gradually tending towards that direction. There’s been a few altercations here and there. Some very strong disturbing images and videos, rumours of reprisal attacks and highly aggressively manipulated propaganda, accusations and counter accusations going on in the social media.In the midst of these whole current situations, one thing has become glaring to us. And that’s the lack of intellectual depth in our discussion and our resort to force over every little disagreement in the life of our nation.
How is it possible for us to live together as a nation if we can’t talk? Is there anything that can’t be talked about? Are there no trained diplomats in our systems who are verse in diplomacy and negotiations?The IPOB discourse is just another current voice of an age long discussion. Firstly, the current resurrection of the Biafra ideology is indicative that the ghost of the civil war and the aftermath wasn’t properly interned and buried. No, this ideology didn’t resurrect, it wasn’t just buried. For the last 50 years or so the ghost of this agitations has been hovering around us.We have seen the apparition of this ghost in the Niger Delta through the Ogoni 7 led by legendary journalist Ken Saro-Wiwa. Did the spirit of the Ogoni 7 die? I don’t think so. It only progressed to the creeks and possessed more souls. Men more demonized than the previous generations and now more in numbers. Their ghost gave birth to more organized violence in MEND and strong militancy in the Niger Delta.
We mustn’t forget that these ghost is not even dead in the Niger Delta because the grand masters of these groups are still alive and very angry with the current state of our nation. The Asari Dokubos, Tompolos, and their protégés many of whom are still hovering around us can still wake up tomorrow and return to the battlefront in the waterways of the creeks.This ghost is not just a South South/East group it has reared it’s ugly head in the Maitesina group in Bauchi, the Ombudsman in Nasarawa and the grandest of them all the Boko Haram group in the North East. Lest I forget, how about the Shiite group and the subtle but dangerous group known as Fulani Herdsmen littered all across the length and breath of our nation?In the South West this ghost evolved from the Afenifere Group, to the Oduduwa Peoples Congress, and now the Badoo cult in the Ikorodu area of Lagos. This is not to mention little schism that has transpired between the Ife and Modakeke, the Hausa and the Yoruba in Ife, Mile 12 in Lagos and several part of the South West.Can’t we find a way to lay these ghost to rest once and for all? Is it not possible for us to find a way to appease this demonic entities and blood of our heroes past hunting us as a nation? Can’t we send some of our best brains to go and study how other nations are thriving in their diversity and return with a blueprint on the way forward? How come we have excelled in every sphere of human endeavours and yet we can’t dwell together as neighbours and brothers?I think the problem with our nation is that we talk too much and listen too little. We are a nation full of experts, analysts, professionals diplomats, technocrats and politicians full of ideas yet we are bereft of the grace to sit down and hear each other out without “cursing”, exchanging punches or tempers flaring.Most times, our discussion ends up in violence, tearing of ‘Agbada or Jackets’ , throwing broken bottles, IED or bombs. We only come to our senses when blood begins to flow like a river. What a nation!There’s too much suspicion, hate and aggression in our tune of discussion. We place primordial interest above our corporate destiny. We think in terms of tribe, race and ethnicity while other nations are bonding together to build a better world. We have never seen ourselves as one people. Even those in power still balkanize us in tribal lines. That has been shown clearly in the current political appointment of the present government. They peach us against one another in their tones and dispositions.
Our leaders exploits our proclivity to religion and ethnicity to destroy us. They tell us how Igbo we are, they make us believe that we are the great sons of Oduduwa, they emphasize that we are of the descent of Uthman DanFodio. They become religious and preach the differences in our faith and the superiority of our religious beliefs over our neighbours. A religion that doesn’t influence their characters or decisions especially when they want to steal our commonwealth.The one Nigeria ideology only comes alive when they want to contest or win elections. This is when they will add Chukwuemka to their Hausa name, Fadeyi to their Igbo name and Malam to their Yoruba name.When they gather in Abuja to share our loot they don’t worry about who’s Chibuzo, Idowu or Mustapha. They can worship together in the same church and sit down on the floors of the same mosque when they’re perfecting their moves on how to syphon our corporate wealth & transfer our petrodollars to United Arab Emirates, Europe, America and Switzerland.
Now their children are all enjoying themselves in some of the best ivy league academic institutions abroad while our lecturers are on strike here. Here we die because of poor health institutions and facilities while they transverse the length and breath of the world to seek for health solution for something as common as malaria or flu on our corporate accounts too.It’s time for us to talk. We must talk. Whether we like it or not, this is time for our fathers to come together let’s talk. If they refuse to talk let all the young people from 40 years downwards come together and find a way forward on our corporate destiny together as nation if we actually want to live together. After all, they are our fathers, aren’t they? Why would they not listen to their children?The ghost of agitations wouldn’t die even if Nnamdi Kalu is killed. This is a trend that has come to live with us. The killing of the leader of the IPOB will only mean the transfer of this ghost of agitations to many more frustrated young people who would be willing to go to any length to make a name and history for themselves.What has happened is not peculiar to Nnamdi Kalu is just a ghost that have been traveling through Nigeria it only found a body and abode in him. And the reason it was huge is because most young people of Igbo extraction bought into him. And the Igbo tribe is one of the biggest tribe in Nigeria. They’re in the class of the major tribes; Hausa and Yoruba.We can bury this ghost. Mr President is a father who have seen wars, coupes, imprisonment, rejection, poverty and health challenges. I think that with his age, experience and exposure he can fix this whole situation without a single blood shed. God has chosen him for such a time as this to fix this nation. History and posterity will remember him for his role in this whole sagaThe destruction of this entity called Nigeria is not in the hands of a few young agitators. These guys are insignificant. The destruction of these nations is in the hands of Mr. President and his team.The whole Igbo race can be annihilated from the face of the earth but it wouldn’t stop agitations as long as the issues breeding agitations and aggressions are not properly dealt with. And without this dangerous ghost which has now turned into a monster or demonic entity exorcised from this landscape called Nigeria.The president and his team can sheath their sword and look for an alternative way to deal with this issue. As a father He has got the right to be angry and also show it. But it takes maturity and restrain to deal with issues of this volatile nature. And I know that the president and his team loves this nation too much to think of destroying it.I believe that Nigeria will not break. But I also believe that the President can write his name in gold by listening to what the north, south, east and west are saying and finding a common ground to move the nation forward.Beyond coming together to discuss about how we can live together, we must also begin to look at how we can intelligently position Nigeria as one of the greatest nations in the world. We have that capacity.
May God give the president and all of us the wisdom to navigate through this season!Always inspired ~ DrPreiz ~
Readers Comments
comment(s)
No comments yet. Be the first to post comment.
