Nigeria – Dead or dying?

Here is conventional wisdom out there.Northerners it is usually claimed, are still smarting from the somnolence that cost them the presidency that they have created a political insurgency with a spiritual coating to recapture political power. Supporters of this theory point to the loud but personal views of some losers to support their claims.The oil […]

Here is conventional wisdom out there.
Northerners it is usually claimed, are still smarting from the somnolence that cost them the presidency that they have created a political insurgency with a spiritual coating to recapture political power. Supporters of this theory point to the loud but personal views of some losers to support their claims.
The oil rich Delta on whose shoulders providence has placed governance for three years (by Doyin Okupe’s calculations) there would be Armageddon if Goodluck Jonathan is not given his return match rights in 2015 with the characteristic INEC landslide. Those who subscribe to this would, again find the vituperations of certain warmongers from that part as recurrent examples.
Until recently, everybody’s bride appeared to be the southwest. Subtly, there is a redrawing of the Oodua dream with so-called lost tribes in some sections of the country. This is the ingenuity of a wise husband attempting to increase his harem. The only jingoist to have openly proclaimed Oodua outside the now subterranean OPC is not worthy of being taken seriously even when he shamelessly publishes the diary of his cross-cultural dalliances.
However, these are interesting times indeed and people have an elephantine impression of their self-importance and nuisance value.
The southeast has never taken General Yakubu Gowon’s mantra of no victor, no vanquished as anything but bullying a child while muffling it. The 47th anniversary of the defeat of Biafra was marked by social media with horrendous pictures of starved children in contortive postures to drive home the depth of the injustice. This happened just weeks after a group attempted and succeeded in taking over the seat of government of a south eastern state ‘voted’ by their own people.
You cannot decree what anniversary should be marked.
Some do odd numbers, some see sense in even numbers; others simply number the days. The problem with the third is when the last part of the injunction ‘that we may apply our hearts to wisdom’ is omitted. Wisdom, may mean picking your battles including its timing.
There are those who insist that the Igbo race is the greatest investor in the Nigerian project and should, for the purpose of that investment be apostles of peace. Others say there cannot be peace until injustice is tackled and properly addressed and that the enterprising spirit of our eastern brothers can resuscitate the battle and win this war this time around and that any investment can be sacrificed for this greater goal.
Just last week again, another group marched to a radio station and attempted to make a broadcast to their nation. You may dismiss these as the naivety of children playing with a loaded gun but as these events pass without efforts to put them down, they weaken the fabrics of nationhood.
The big question that those who see themselves as potential power brokers or rulers of ethnic aquarium instead of constantly dodging the sharks in the ocean is with who they intend to partner in their quest or their delusion. Who becomes partakers of your banana republican dreams? Have you spoken to them? Do they share your vision and mission or are you assuming that they should?
The entity called Nigeria is adrift. The captains are showing increasing inability to plug the leaking stern, if care is not taken, this ship will sink and take all aboard down with it. We seem to laugh at the things that should make us cry. There is, today no pretence to keep Nigeria one. Political statements and actions are aimed at further polarizing the polity rather than cement the elements.
Except something is urgently done to placate those hell bent on destroying this entity for their own perceived ends, we may watch with crash insouciance the fulfilment of the prediction of our integration as 2015 hurries upon us. Already, the state has failed and failure comes before disintegration. Yet, there is still that silver lining, opportunities are daily presented to rally rather than divide the nation. This nation of 160 million cannot afford to disperse across its borders as refugees without negatively impacting its neighbours and eventually the globe. I hate to give up even in the face of all the odds.