2019: “Nation bound in freedom, peace and unity”
Nigerians are lovely and loving people. A people of over three hundred ethnic groups and multiple religions have lived together since 1914 with a 30 month-civil war that erupted nearly 53 years after the amalgamation. It ended early 1971. This year 2018 is 47 years after the war. This means that Nigerians with diverse ethnic, […]
Nigerians are lovely and loving people. A people of over three hundred ethnic groups and multiple religions have lived together since 1914 with a 30 month-civil war that erupted nearly 53 years after the amalgamation. It ended early 1971. This year 2018 is 47 years after the war. This means that Nigerians with diverse ethnic, socio-cultural and religious affiliations have lived together for 104 years. It is really something to rejoice about and be more knitted together than lamentation. Those who have ever witnessed war of any kind can tell the gory story. Those who witnessed the war codenamed Nigeria-Biafra war and are alive today should continue to speak up and educate Nigerians how it was. The aftermath of that war can only be imaged by the new generation of Nigerians. It devoured Nigerians in the name of seeking segregation. John Pepper Clark described how the forests were eaten up by the war, not through fire or deforestation but by the dead buried with coffins made of wood. Life in the IDP or refugee camps is neither attractive nor palatable.
I remain resolute that war cannot be a solution to any human affairs. There is no justification whatsoever for Nigerians to kill or be killed in another war orchestrated by their enemies. I do not think that Nigerians deserve another war because the security challenges faced by the country should be the concern of every Nigerians. Agreed, many Nigerians have been killed by terrorists in different parts of Nigeria. These terrorists cannot be killing for any religion because neither Islam nor Christianity, not even the traditional faith allows killing of human beings without justification. No part of the country is receiving less heat from the wanton massacre. Members of the Islamic, Christian and traditional faiths have been killed by the terrorists operating under whatever guise. So, any call for war in Nigeria is definitely misplaced because every faith has claims of losses.
But the intermittent call by the Christian leaders for war in Nigeria is an eye opener. In my local language, there is a proverb that a bird dancing in the middle of the road has a musical band somewhere playing for it. One sometimes does not want to totally believe that the call for war is based on the fact that a Muslim is a President of Nigeria today. Some other times, it is extremely very difficult to disbelieve that these unnecessary drumming for war in Nigeria is unconnected with the nation’s political scheming and leadership. Whichever option is apt in this situation, one thing is clear. The return of Nigeria to democracy since 1999 has exposed Nigerians to diverse levels of understanding themselves and forging ahead to peaceful coexistence which definitely will take some time.
Yes, the people calling for war may not have been pushed by personal concern and patriotism. If not, they would have been concerned about the killing of Nigerians, not Christians alone. These senseless killings predate the Buhari regime. In short, it started in former President Obasanjo’s era. Precisely, it was too bad during former President Jonathan administration when Nigeria also lost a great number of her security personnel in the northeast. Obasanjo and Jonathan are Christians, no doubt. They allowed a free government where accountability, integrity, patriotism and the true spirit of Nigerianism were shallow. Muslims were badly marginalized. Christians of the Northern minority were extravagantly empowered. During their regimes, no Muslim leader or Islamic organization in Nigeria called for war. Yes, there were complaints; there were warnings; there may have also been protects. But there was not call for war. There was no call for violent destabilization of the constitutionally positioned federal authority or call for animosity and acrimony amongst Nigerians. Why is it now?
The looters of Nigeria are made of up Muslims and Christians. Muslims as well as Christians who stole Nigeria’s wealth are being prosecuted by the current government without discrimination. In short, a lot of Muslim politicians who are involved in corruption are being tried in different courts of Nigeria. Some have definitely been sent to jail. It is clear that terrorism as well as corruption has no religion in Nigeria. It is also clear that the call for war is because of the current President Buhari. All efforts are geared at tarnishing his image for trying to rebuild Nigeria and recover the nation’s monies from the powerful political clique. While it is quite clear the motive behind the opposition to the Buhari-led administration, it is not clear if these war mongers are making their pronouncements by themselves. That is to say if there are no external influences to the call for war. Whoever is responsible, the truth is that war is dangerous with limitless casualties and losses.
Nothing is less than the truth in the proclamation by the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, who has revealed that the politicians are sponsoring killings across Nigeria in order to have something to campaign against Buhari in 2019. But is it to call for war that will guarantee any politician’s victory in 2019? Why the call for war that does no one any good? The Igbo people are still suffering from the effects of Biafra agitation. The people of the Northeast are still suffering from Boko Haram war. The Niger Delta people are still suffering from the duo environmental torment and militancy. In all cases, those who suffer are the masses, not those who call for the war. The parents and relatives and the communities of kidnapped Chibok and Dapchi girls are still suffering. Many of, if not all, the unreleased Chibok girls are Muslims. Some of them died in captivity. Some were married off against their will. Muslims did not call for war or rebellion against the government. So why has the case of Leah Sharibu been seen with different eyes. Though we all pray for her rescue and final reunion with her family and loved ones, it is time for Nigerians to stop the division of everything in Nigeria on religious line.
It is too much for Nigerians. One continuous to wonder why any patriot should ever think of calling for another war. When all these wars and civil disturbances were raging, every Nigerian suffered. Every member of any society ravaged by war suffers in different way. There will be no rest of mind. There will be no freedom of movement. The funds which are supposed to be used to develop the society will be diverted to seek for aids in terms of food and medicare, or for weapons to ensure the defeat of the opposition. People will die. Those who will die will constitute largely those who do not know how and why the war started. Basically, the masses will die and those why ignited the fire will run away to safety outside the shores of the society they claimed to belong. Everybody is a casualty of war.
For this, the Nigerian government should as a matter of urgency summon those calling for war in Nigeria and interrogate them for the safety of Nigeria. It must not be swept under the carpet. One is very worried with the way weapons are being intercepted by the Nigerian customs and security agencies at the ports, boarders and highways. What are all these weapons meant for? Who are actually behind these senseless importations of ammunition? To kill Nigerians! To kill Muslims and Christians of Nigeria! Why has no one begun the whistle blowing on ammunition? Nigerians must rise up to the challenge of safeguarding their nation by exposing those who are in custody of ammunition for any reason, being it for 2019 or for succession. The love for Nigeria which many proclaim should be put in practice by assisting the government to secure the nation against internal and external transgressors. Nigerian government should also look beyond the shores of Nigeria and sniff for those playing the minuet.
We must not allow foreign interests to divide us. All the insinuations of Islamization of Nigeria and its affiliates are not real because it is not possible in Nigeria. Those blowing the whistle of war should have a rethink and know that dialogue is the best tool for peaceful resolutions. Let us live in peace and support the government in place to continue its efforts in providing the basic needs of the citizenry, the lack of which is the root of all the disturbances, cries and threats. It shall be well with Nigeria!
Muhammad Ajah is an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance in Abuja [email protected].