When the fate of Nigeria depends on hunters…

Nigeria as we presently know it in its last days? Are we subsisting in the belly of a dinosaur in its final moments of existence? Is our proverbial giant in the unforgiving African sun, as predicted, about to become the common delicacy on the tables of its envious predators on the African continent and beyond? […]

Nigeria as we presently know it in its last days? Are we subsisting in the belly of a dinosaur in its final moments of existence? Is our proverbial giant in the unforgiving African sun, as predicted, about to become the common delicacy on the tables of its envious predators on the African continent and beyond?
The incurable optimists in our midst will definitely answer ‘no’ to the question but we need only a brief recount of the histories of once great empires and nations to recognize that the potential demise of Nigeria as we presently know it has never been more palpable.
Not too long ago, I was also an incurable optimist on the resilience of project Nigeria, just like the fast diminishing tribe of patriotic countrymen who now risk being referred to as fools for their uncommon enthusiasm.
That Nigeria has enormous potentials was never truly in doubt. Also, the fact that it seemed only a matter of time before all the lofty promises evident at our independence would be realized was known to the whole world except, of course, you happened to be among those who once rebelled against it, or have now hijacked the levers of power and are actively working hard for its demise while at the same time pretending to be among its most patriotic citizens. I will return to this point in due course.
Long before the gang of depraved serial rapists and psychopathic killers led by Shekau blasphemed against Islam when it carved out its so-called Islamic Republic in the North-Eastern part of the country, Nigeria was already effectively a failed state, if we accept the most basic indices of the subject.
For those who missed my previous piece on the subject a few months ago, a Failed State is according to Noam Chomsky – easily one of the leading authors of the subject because his prognosis does not spare his own nation America because of its frequent abuse of its powers both within and without- is one which is basically un-willing or incapable of defending the overall security of its citizens or borders.
Failed states are also characterized by the preponderance and volume of internally displaced persons; weak or non-existent democratic institutions; paucity of responsible leadership; unbridled corruption in high and low places. Generally speaking, it also refers to a state which due to acts or commission or omission, is viewed as incapable of fulfilling some of the basic responsibilities of a sovereign government.
Not too long ago, Somalia, with its numeric clan wars, general insecurity and multiple sovereigns, would have easily sprung to mind when such scenarios on failed states are contemplated by Nigerians. But certainly, not to millions of Nigerians, especially those currently in the Borno, Yobe or Adamawa states. They are actually brutally living the experience.  
They, and not even Noam Chomsky, can provide the best illustration of what it means to live in a failed state.  Today, we have hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons from those three states alone. Businesses and the barest forms of commercial activities have been ruined. We have the thousands of other refugees in Cameroun, Chad or Niger, and that is without even contending with the millions who have been denied of their citizenship by virtue of the de-facto existence of Shekhau’s Islamic caliphate!
When we add that to the numerous incidents of rapes, kidnappings, armed robberies, cor-ruption, sterile or underperforming democratic institutions, our ineffective judiciary, brazen theft of crude oil that persists as if there is no semblance of a responsible government in place; then we arrive at the inevitable conclusion that the final evidence that Nigeria is already a failed state, could only have been topped by the fact that it took a rag-tag ‘army’ of extremely brave septuagenarian hunters and vigilantes, to liberate no fewer than two townships from the clutches of Boko Haram after our conventional forces had fled from the battle field. No further illustration of our failed statehood is required beyond that.
When Winston Churchill made his time-less statement quoted at the beginning of this discourse it was to salute the uncommon bravery of Britain’s Royal Air Force during the ‘Battle of Britain’ fought above the skies of London. It was a major turning point in the Second World War.
Hitler’s German forces had introduced a new brand of warfare which was hinged on the intensive mobility of its Panzers and infantry closely supported by airpower. They called their new brand of warfare the ‘blitzkrieg’. By 1940, almost all of Western Europe, including France, with its seemingly impregnable ‘Maginot Line’ – a series of concrete fortifications and bunkers built across its borders with Germany on the mistaken belief that the Second World War would be fought like the one before it. The subsequent circumvention of the Maginot line by the German forces easily exposed them for exactly what they were at the time: relics to the stupidity of mankind.
The next target for Hitler was of course Britain which he planned to invade after the Royal Air Force had been rapidly decimated to achieve air superiority over the island as a prelude for the landing of ground forces. With much of Europe under the Nazis Britain stood alone.
The lesson here is that the fact that Hitler never achieved the air superiority he craved owed much to the valiant fight put up by the Royal Air Force in 1940. The invasion of the island by Hitler could not therefore proceed as planned. It was a major turning point that inspired Churchill’s timeless tribute to the men of the Royal Air Force at the time. Their courageous fight prevented their nation from being invaded. Britain was indebted to them. They were the heroes of their time.
Now, I spent much of my adolescence reading about the valiant efforts of the brave men and commanders the fought to keep this potentially great nation united during our Civil War. I read about the fear and courage the late Benjamin Adekunle inspired in his men. I read about the failed amphibious crossing of the Niger at Onitsha led by the equally deceased Murtala Mohammed.
I read about Muhammadu Shuwa, IBM Haruna, and a certain ‘Hauka da Bori’ and the way these men confronted death on a daily basis without fear or retreat. I read about General Gowon whose legendary leadership at the time belied his age. They were like cult figures to us back then. We even thought they were super-humans. We even heard tales that they were given special intravenous injections that made them brave and almost invisible.
For those of us who grew up with such mental images of our military, the recent tales of our military fleeing in the face of the advance of the ragtag ‘army’ of Boko Haram is the stuff of great anguish and embarrassment. It is also more difficult to explain to our children that our military once had a glorious past. Yet we cannot deny the way they prosecuted the civil war or how General Victor Malu led ECOMOG forces with such distinction in the sub-region. So how do we explain the impotence of our armed forces in the North East?   
Beyond the conspiracy theories and tales of nocturnal supplies of arms and ammunition to Boko Haram by mysterious helicopters, and despite the endless stories of corruption and low morale in the rank and file; one fact we can hardly escape the obvious role or lack of effective leadership in this sordid impasse.
When Churchill praised the Royal Air Force in 1940, he also inspired them at a time his nation was most vulnerable. There were few doubts about his resolve and commitment to confront Nazi barbarism. General Gowon was also clear about what his goals and objectives were during our Civil War. The same certainly cannot be said about President Goodluck Jonathan in these troubled times.
When he doubted the abduction of the Chibok girls for several weeks, he betrayed the lack of leadership and tenacity required to fight the serial rapists and cutthroats of Boko Haram to a standard still. Fewer and fewer Nigerians now even believe that he is committed to even keep Nigeria one. When Nigeria fought the civil war our commanders were at least sure about the resolve of their supreme commander. The same cannot be said in these troubled times by any stretch of the imagination.
It should surprise no one therefore that it took the valiant efforts of those elderly hunters to liberate Mubi last week. In the coming days and months, the fate of Gwoza and other occupied territories in the North-East, may depend on what we do individually to liberate ourselves from the raging infamy.