Stepping back from the precipice

It seems such a long time since General Yakubu Gowon was leading the chorus “To Keep Nigeria One is a Task that Must Be Done”, General Murtala Mohammed was assuring us that “Africa Has Come of Age” and General Buhari was assuring us that all we needed was to wage a “War Against Indiscipline.” Now, […]

It seems such a long time since General Yakubu Gowon was leading the chorus “To Keep Nigeria One is a Task that Must Be Done”, General Murtala Mohammed was assuring us that “Africa Has Come of Age” and General Buhari was assuring us that all we needed was to wage a “War Against Indiscipline.” Now, few believe in Nigeria, most of Africa is in complete and utter mess, while indiscipline and corruption have become the religion of the elite. Femi Fani-Kayode (Obasanjo’s one-time Aviation Minister and hatchet-man) and Tunde Fagbele (of the Punch) are now announcing Oduduwa Republic, and I am yet to hear anyone even pretending to bother. Much like the MASOB, these threats have lost both their novelty and ability to alarm, but perhaps we should still ask some questions: Should we care, and is there really some “inevitability” to it all? Is it really “Goodbye Nigeria”?
The South-South wants total “resource control”, including control of the territorial waters adjacent to it; the West wants “regionalism” and “true fiscal federalism” and an end to the Land Use Act. The North is not sure what it wants and, though deeply divided, is clearly tired of insults and threats of secession, but is attending the talk-show essentially, as one friend said, to “limit its’ losses and ensure fairness”. The East wants the other “Half of the Rising Sun”, or whatever.  Our government would want us all to believe that it is the best thing that has ever happened to Nigeria since fried chicken, and most of the politicians consider the whole country as fried chicken anyway. And don’t you dare tell the Emperor he is naked for he believes he is wearing the most beautiful attire, invisible only to his enemies, who are too stupid or too blind to see the great masterpieces of his incredible illusion builders or tailors. So nobody is sure of the outcomes, or even how to go about things.
Yet I am an incurable optimist. We can still retreat from the precipice; falling into the abyss is not inevitable. However, for what it is worth, it may require the politicians to think the unthinkable. Despite all the threats, labelling and abuses, the PDP may have to look inwards and consider an alternative to Goodluck Jonathan and to its failed policies, because both epitomize ineptitude, cluelessness and exclusion. The APC would do well to get its house in order and its agenda clearer beyond simply being “not PDP”.
There are undoubtedly enough good people we could choose from, on both sides, if they only dare to search honestly. Unfortunately, I fear we may be led into chaos because of greed, ineptitude or crass opportunism. While Boko Haram could win by simply instilling fear in all of us, and by convincing the general population of the inability of the government to protect us, the government can only win if it is able to rally everyone, including those it despises and label as political enemies, and to deny these merchants of terror the local space to hide, to stock weapons, to assemble explosives and to kidnap, or enlist, new recruits. I hate repeating myself, but just fighting the northern governors, and enlisting some certifiably insane and politically bankrupt ”elders” and “statesmen” to abuse other people would neither help in the fight against the insurgency, nor win it the 2015 elections.
A more disturbing trend however is wilful denial. Every side is either shirking its responsibilities, blaming others for its own failures; or is denying that atrocities are even taking place at all. Both Kema Chikwe and her Excellency, The Dame, do not believe-at least initially-any girl was abducted in Chibok. It was all a plot to embarrass the president, they claimed. One Annkio Briggs even claimed it was just some people (northern Muslims presumably) inflicting deaths and destructions on themselves, their wives and children, and even destroying their economy, to spite President Jonathan and ensure he does not get re-elected in 2015. Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State and other religious champions are spinning their own narratives. Now even Muslim clerics have gotten on the bandwagon. Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, leader of the Zaria-based Islamic Movement in Nigeria, as reported in the Daily Trust of yesterday (Monday, May 26, 2014, p.15), while seemingly agreeing that the girls were indeed abducted, claims that it was “planned” as part of “a covert operation by western powers to balkanize Nigeria and steal its resources.” He insisted: “Let no one be fooled, there is nothing like Boko Haram!” adding that it was all part of an experiment for “the second phase of the Scramble for Africa”.  He even claimed, according to the news item, that “Shekau (the wanted leader of Boko Haram) is presently being kept safe in a secret military camp”.
Too many lives have been lost; too many children slaughtered, kidnapped or made orphans; too many women have been raped, disfigured, abused, made widows and generally had their lives destroyed for these kinds of blame-game, of passing the buck, selective denials and conspiracy theories to be peddled around. We all must start to honour the dead, commiserate with the surviving victims and work towards effective solutions. In the alternative, someone should invite all of them to go to Chibok, Gambarun-Ngala or Jos to discuss these denials or conspiracy theories. We may even get the president to be the Special Guest of Honour!