Open letter to Lemu’s panel
A commission can treat local, national and international issues respectively for societal charges, political stability, mutual understanding, genuine reconciliation, peaceful co-existence and national development, among others, but some or most of Commissions of inquiry or panels lack focus, ardour and commitment to find out the lasting or permanent solutions to so many crises in this […]
A commission can treat local, national and international issues respectively for societal charges, political stability, mutual understanding, genuine reconciliation, peaceful co-existence and national development, among others, but some or most of Commissions of inquiry or panels lack focus, ardour and commitment to find out the lasting or permanent solutions to so many crises in this country, most especially that of Jos, in Plateau and Kaduna State.
The inauguration of Lemu’s panel by Mr President to investigate the post-election violence, is a good development even though it is unconstitutional. Instead of establishing a panel to investigate the post-election violence why not establish a body of Truth and Reconciliation Committee that would reconcile the warring parties in the north to avoid the re-occurrence of such crisis in the region. That type of panel be a wel-come idea and a good development to bring lasting peace in the region and the nation as a whole. Notwithstanding let us watch and see how it will be, since the members in this panel who were chosen for this task, going by their past records are God-fearing, honest, dedicated, unbiased and selfless people.
To be candid, some or most commissions of inquiry set up by government in the past to look into issues bothering this country for peace and progress of this nation; they don’t normally or most times, do a good work and the right thing. The commissions of inquiry or panels that were organized, used to be one-sided, parochial and lacked merit. They used to sell their conscience because they allowed themselves to be used to satisfy some group or someone’s selfish interest. They also used to betray the trust. Yes, they are expected to come up with balanced and unbiased judgment. Alas! That is on the contrary.
This point in time, since we are in a democratic dispensation, everything is suppose to be through democratic process, that is a fair deal among the citizens. To this end, since the federal government has breached the constitution and inaugurated a panel to look into the post-election violence, I appeal to people, especially from Kaduna State, to co-operate with the commission of enquiry to open up and give sincere and useful information that will help in getting authentic data and conduct a balanced investigation. The panel should endeavour to contact both sides to say their own story, not like previous commissions or panels, please! That will make their report a fair and unbiased one. Those who were found guilty should be punished, to serve as a deterrent to other with similar erroneous minds.
Citizens must speak out against injustice, repression, inequity, bias, nepotism, tribalism and other imbalances in the society, which are aggravated by bad leadership across the length and breadth of any society, or nation.
Sincerely speaking, citizens have agreed to recognize and vote for their leaders and pay respect and loyalty to them. The leaders must reciprocate by providing services to the greater number of the people in the society.
The present situation whereby so many youths are unemployed gives miscreants the opportunity to recruited to perpetrate dastardly acts that have been on the increase recently in the country. The mayhem that was unleashed on some parts of the country following the announcement of the election results was perpetrated by youths, most of them, unemployed.
The committee should know that the violence (problems) in the North was not caused by any other party or the north having any personal issues against Jonathan’s victory. They are caused by wicked activities of northern leaders that have ruined the lives of the people. It was the venting of a bottled up frustration engendered by the twelve years of democracy which produced nothing, but poverty, hunger, insecurity, deprivation and lack of basic necessities and amenities.
I hope these 22 wise men, headed by Lemu will suggest to President Jonatahn to engage youths in order to stop violence which was aggravated because of unemployment and injustice in the land. There are more than thirty million unemployed youths roaming the streets of the country these days and as the old saying goes; ‘the idle mind is the devils workshop’
I also appeal to people or citizens, that ethnic affiliation, religious background or selfish interests should not be a yard stick to deprive, humiliate, victimize or kill others or bring disunity among Nigerians or disturb the peace and progress of the nation.
May God give us the ability to do the right things, and for the right purpose. May He also bring a lasting and permanent peace in Kaduna, Jos, Bornu and Nigeria as a whole. Amen.
Adamu Muh’d Usman, Kaffin-Hausa, Jigawa State. [email protected]