Column No.6: Of failed states and failed state governors

The current national conversation, which includes words like ‘forgiveness’ and ‘dialogue’

One day I will write a piece called ‘The Greatest Hits of Lai Mohammed’, and it will be quite the zinger. Today, however, you have to make do with my thoughts on the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture’s comments on the current situation in the crisis-torn nation of Afghanistan. In Washington DC during engagements with international media, he said Nigeria is not a failed state and cannot go the way of Afghanistan, where the Taliban has seized power. I couldn’t possibly agree more with him on that note. However, that doesn’t mean we should not push ahead and make conscious efforts to solve the current problems we have. And they are legion.

True, Nigeria can’t possibly go the way of Afghanistan, because both countries aren’t alike in that way. One of the biggest problems we have, with the risk of sounding like a broken record, remains the on-going insurgency in the North-East, where related conflicts have so far claimed 350,000+ lives, according to a UNDP report released in June. I’m one of those who almost fanatically cheer for the victories of our armed forces, and mourn their losses, which is exactly why I’m of the opinion that grand claims and wordplay isn’t what we need now. We need a push, from the government, by way of equipment and motivation, for a more realistic and permanent success.

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Another recurrent headache remains ‘banditry’, as we have come to name that other form of terrorism that sees murderous gunmen abducting, raping, and killing wantonly. The newest trend in that subsector of the terrorism ecosystem (yes, it is an ecosystem) is one that sees governors urging citizens to arm themselves against the criminals. Now, I’m not saying those are indicators of a failed state, but it kind of suggests a failed state governor, right? How else can you describe such a leader who stoops so low as to ask civilians to put themselves in harm’s way? I remember being shocked way back when one governor first made the preposterous call, but now it’s like their number is growing. This needs to stop.

A very close cousin to ‘banditry’ is ‘kidnapping’ (also in inverted commas due to its improper name), and it continues to grow as an industry. Arrests have been made, and victories have been recorded during gunfights with the criminals, but their reigns continue, from Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto and badly-hit Zamfara states, including others. The current national conversation, which includes words like ‘forgiveness’ and ‘dialogue’ while discussing murderous criminals, seems poorly thought-out. Maybe employing a new lexicon might help us see things in better focus, and in the actual light in which they should be seen.

Secessionists, and the loosely-termed ‘ethnic agitators’ are also problems that if not handled decisively will threaten the very fabric of our nationhood. Sure, arrests and a lawsuit are currently on-going, but so are sit-at-home orders, which are actually just threats to instil fear in the hearts of the populace, and curtail the citizens’ right to freedom. In other words, it’s not enough. The relevant security agencies – they know themselves – should work harder, and more out-of-the-box to tackle these. People are getting killed, as are law enforcement agents carrying out their duties.

While I understand the need for Alhaji Mohammed to do his job and manage the country’s image, he really should cut down on the theatrics and grandstanding which make much of his efforts fail. We Nigerians really shouldn’t make examples with Afghanistan in an effort to deflect from what we should be focusing on. When someone else’s house is burning, the last thing we should do is gloat about how fire-proof ours is, especially if we happen to have rats, cracked walls, or a stinky toilet. You get the picture?

Postscript: Of course social media (or at least what’s left of it) has been awash with news of and photos from Yusuf Buhari’s wedding to a beautiful Kano process. Some comments I’ve seen are simply excited ones, but I have also seen many that are caustic, bitter, and downright distasteful. As usual, Nigerians have zero respect for social graces or boundaries, saying all kinds of unkind things online. Are you one of them? You should be ashamed. This is, after all, someone’s wedding day. If you can’t bring yourself to feel happy for them because of whatever political leaning you tilt towards, at least apply your humanity. That usually works.