The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal is reputed for its sheer entertainment value, not only because of Fredrick Forsyth’s exquisite handling of heart thumbing suspense as the novel or is it the film, which ever you prefer, progresses to its denouement, but also for his adroit execution of a number of contemporary themes which has sustained […]

The Day of the Jackal is reputed for its sheer entertainment value, not only because of Fredrick Forsyth’s exquisite handling of heart thumbing suspense as the novel or is it the film, which ever you prefer, progresses to its denouement, but also for his adroit execution of a number of contemporary themes which has sustained the novel’s relevance several years after its publication.  The Day of the Jackal could be read on many levels but the notion of the invincibility of the French state in the face of a relentless faceless group’s attempt at unleashing violence, acted out in the elaborate preparation and fruitless attempts at the elimination of Charles de Gualle would suffice for our purpose.

The story revolves around a clandestine group’s attempt at killing President Charles de Gaulle in France during the French National Day celebration. The group enlisted the services of an assassin–codenamed the Jackal whose ruthlessness was matched only by his predilection to exploit people; he would take on any assignment as long as the pay was right. The French Secret Service got wind of the plan, as such outfit worth its salt must, and so began a captivating tale of the Jackal pursuing the Charles de Gaulle and he himself being pursued by a hard working police lieutenant and his assistant. It was a case of the hunter being hunted. The one already paid to deliver by killing the French president; the other called upon by his professional and national duty to ensure the president came to no harm. For the French government at that time there was no contemplation of abridging the national day celebration by scaling it down, nor deciding not to hold it all.

It was the national day and therefore not to observe it or scaling if down would be unheard of, it would amount to a sacrilegious act of defiling the sanctity of the French nation. All the foregoing, of course, is in the realm of fiction, therefore, some would say, it would be far fetched to draw any parallel with any recent occurrence anywhere. True, but as they say, art imitate life; besides, Fredrick Forsyth was paying tribute to the indomitable spirit of the French by underscoring the fact that nothing whatsoever must be done to diminish the aura of the French nation, not even the murderous intent of a spineless faceless group that had let loose a psychopath bent on killing their president and throw the nation into turmoil.

Barely two weeks ago, Nigeria celebrated her 51st anniversary as a nation and the hallmark was not the pomp and pageantry that usually greet the annual occasion. Rather, the momentous occasion was marked by a number of low key activities—church and mosque services, national day lecture and other nondescript events, not remarkable enough for an august occasion of the national day. Now, it must be noted that this year’s National Day celebration was better marked than earlier ones in recent history. In recent past Democracy Day (DD)—the day democratic governance was re-embarked upon in Nigeria– was elevated over the National Day and it deservedly attracted the anger of a great number people on the account that the government at that time was misreading the importance of these two days in the nation’s history. The series of events that were on show to commemorate this year’s ND indicate an attempt at bringing back the importance it deserves. And it is fitting and proper that the government has deemed it so.

But this laudable act has been somewhat diminished by the low key celebrations that characterized the occasion. This year the usual parades and match pasts by the military, para-military and other bodies that usually serve as the highpoint of the celebration were not done. If they were done at all, then they took place out of the sight of Nigerians. According to reports, the whole thing took place at Aso Rock and not at the Eagle Square where the event is normally held. Now, one is not unmindful of the exigency of the situation that informed the decision to undertake the parade at the inner recesses of the Aso Rock. Last year a bomb went off at the Eagle Square during the parade, killing a number of people, since that time bomb blasts have been a recurring traumatic event that has done incalculable damage to the psyche of Nigerians who now believe insecurity has become the order of the day.

Government has taken measures to combat the danger faced by the people such as the heightened culture of surveillance now prevailing at Abuja and across the nation. The impact, to be sure, so far has not stopped the bombs going off, which itself is an indication of the shortcoming of the security agencies. In a sense, therefore, the people and the nation are gripped with fear. A frightened and cowed people would soon lose faith in the capacity of their country to protect them. No self respecting government must let this happen to the people it is ruling over. This is the reason why the whole scaling down of the ND celebration should have been well thought through before embarking on it. It depicted a government overtaken by fear, ready to yield ground to purveyors of irrational violence.

Dissidents and disaffected people, willing to throw bombs to achieve their aim cannot be wished away —and thankfully they are usually in the minority.  It is the business of government to ensure these fringe groups bent on violence must not have their way, so much so, that their activities disturb government business. Fredrick Forsyth showed us how to achieve that in the Day of Jackal in the relentless pursuit of the Jackal until he was cut down while the French National Day celebration still went ahead as it should with no alteration or scaling down of activities.