Nigeria: A very poor aristocratic society

Recently, the ‘state of the nation’ has turned towards the senseless killings rampaging the lives of innocent Nigerians. At first, it had nothing to do with the ‘state of the nation’ until one of the aristocratic in the society Pa Reuben Fasoranti’s daughter Funke Olakunrin was called to glory. It even turned out to be […]

Recently, the ‘state of the nation’ has turned towards the senseless killings rampaging the lives of innocent Nigerians. At first, it had nothing to do with the ‘state of the nation’ until one of the aristocratic in the society Pa Reuben Fasoranti’s daughter Funke Olakunrin was called to glory. It even turned out to be a media paparazzi of ‘state-men’s’ stately visits and condolences and of the very recent, the ‘watch-tower’ realized the need to sharpen his letter-writing skills. May her Soul rest in peace. Amen!

Nevertheless, it now seems that no one is immune to this epidemic or how should the poor pray? That the problem should visit the elites so that the menace can be immediately attended to?

Will Azikwe, Awolowo and Balewa have allowed such a problem bedevil the whole of us before addressing it or only when it visits their kinsmen and acquaintances because patriotism is lacking somewhere in the ‘state of the nation.’

On the side of the ‘children of the lesser god,’ we have seen on a daily basis the abuse of human life in the senseless killings and burning of houses in Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna, Benue, Zamfara, Borno, Adamawa States respectively. The rate of killing and even of killing babies in the womb has now attained a poetic position making up statistics that even the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) cannot account for. Yet there is no solution in sight for the average Nigerian.

Our national security is at stake yet we keep on having nomenclatures to our problems instead of solutions. The government must protect us as a matter of urgency and find a solutions to our problems since we have surrendered the right to protect ourselves over to the government and as a matter-of-must, the MUST secure us whether they like it or not.

This is not a time to debate over who is right or who is not right moreover if our laws cannot punish criminals and reward patriots then in the Dickensian language the law must be an ‘ass.’ We don’t want to know if these criminals are criminals with cows or they are criminals with arms – we want a solution. We need jobs, electricity, infrastructure; our hospitals are not working; our educational systems are not accommodative; our security institution is in a state of disarray and nothing seems to be working in the Nigeria of today. In the end if there is not an end in sight, I must cease to be optimistic but realistic to say that anarchy is looming in the dark, chaos might be the order in the coming days. Or in the words of Pa OBJ, ‘a very onerous cloud is gathering’ over Nigeria and it could result into a ‘rain of destruction, violence and disunity’ if not checked; truly gone are the days of peace and plenty.

Are we then not very poor even if we are that aristocratic? The systemic abuse of logic, sacredness of life, language and the rule-of-law on a general rule is on the extreme and is likely to be represented as embodying the true ‘state of the nation.’ Our logic of discretion must represent true values of patriotism on all fronts because it is our problem – the whole of us. May our national interest be the ‘state of the nation’ so help us God. Amen!

Francis Anselm Zirra wrote from Jos, Plateau State.  [email protected]