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New Nigeria
Third Term or NOT
This column is not for the faint-hearted. The line here is bold and brass,
and this surely is the place where we call succubus by name. Dare you to
read on; or would/could you go the extra mile and step forward to be counted.
"Fellow Nigerians"
The gravity of our predicament compels me to call your attention with this
heading, which is more reminiscent of an unfolding military coup than the
working democracy that we would like to believe we are in.
The future of our nation is balanced precariously. None of us can
afford to ignore General Obasanjo's third-term ambitions. If we do,
it could mean the end of Nigeria as we know it. There is discontent and
violence in the Delta region, perceptions of political marginalisation
in the South East as a whole, endemic moral decay, break down of
law and order, and the constitution under attack from those who should
be defending it. Whether we accept it or not, we are currently
between the devil and the deep blue sea; we are faced either with dictatorship
or a break up of the country.
... continuation
Dictatorship a La Anciem Regime
One argument being put forth by the supporters of the third term is that the
incumbent is a good president, and in the absence of better alternatives,
it is best to let sleeping dogs lie. This argument is invalid as
there are better persons ready to serve; if only the incumbent had created
an atmosphere in which the rule of law and fair play reigned. In any
case, why give him just one more term, why not leave him there till such
a time as the "right" replacement appears miraculously from the skies!
If PDP activists do not realise it already; the president is an old man,
and while he has achieved certain things to put us on our way to democracy,
the democratic state has not arrived; many Nigerians are yet to be
emancipated economically, and there is yet so much more to do. We need
radically different ideas and policies, backed by commitment and drive in
a leadership that is ready to die for the interest of Nigeria and
not to die to have Nigeria (in the pocket). Our situation today is
not entirely dissimilar from what obtained in pre-Napoleon France under
the Ancien Regime. Like them we suffer under the hegemony of a few
old men and their moral and political offspring, and we too must be ready
to agitate for our emancipation.
Breaking Up A Country That Never Was
What of the other alternative; the breaking up of Nigeria. Well there are many
that will argue that Nigeria has never been a country, but rather an amalgamation of
peoples with much stronger tribal than national loyalties. This truth cannot
be denied. However, so much water has passed under the bridge now that to break
up the whole will be comparable to separating the milk and the cocoa from the Bournvita.
The process of going our separate ways will be messy; and by the way, how many
parts are required to complete the dismemberment? Two (North and South); three
(North, West, East); four (North, Middle-Belt, West, East), five (North, Middle-Belt,
West, South-West, Biafra), etc, etc. It is also worth remembering the atrocities
that were committed in various parts of the country prior to the Biafran war, never mind
that only the Igbo and Hause people were targetted in those massacres. The mind
boggles to think what would happen in already lawless parts of the North as helpless
individuals start trying to cross Nigeria to get back to their own newly created countries!
Will we still be satisfied to maintain close contacts with our friends and family
from the other countries after hostilities have finished and the tally of lives and
property lost is known to all, as well as the likely perpetrators? An amicable
break-up is an idle fantasy; the reality is frightening, especially when seen from the
perspective of those living away-from-home in Nigeria today - what a contradiction.
To Acquiesce This Time May Not Be A Wise Decision
So what can we do? To our left we have Atiku, to our right we have Obasanjo,
behind us is Babangida, and straight ahead we catch glimpses of shadowy figures,
nondescript and of unknown provenance; time is against us and the ground on which
we stand is not certain. If we do nothing the ground could open up beneath
us; yet if we stood up to agitate, we are faced with a vindictive and wicked
cabal that would not suffer opposition/resistance gladly. What must we do?
The online dictionary at www.dictionary.com
defines acquiesce as, 'To consent or comply passively or without protest'.
To do nothing is not an option; we need to remember that the Germans and
the Hutu of Rwanda have all been tarnished with the same brush of genocide, and
you never hear anywhere of the many people who did not participate in the evil
that was going on around them. Silence at this time will be taken for
support by those who do not know us personally, and how many people in this
world can any one of us know personally? Seeking to take this cohort
head on will not be expedient; we do not have guns, thugs, money
or the state security services (army, police, SSS) on our side. However,
we have GOD on our side, we have the force of right, we have the moral upper
ground, we are more intelligent than they are, and above all, we have a voice
and a conscience that they cannot silence, especially in the Diaspora.
Overcoming Evil With Good
As a Christian I cannot advocate violence, even against agents of evil
such as constitutes the core of the vile beast called the PDP, however,
the pen can be more powerful than the pistol, and great armies can be
swept aside by an idea/belief whose time has come. For those in
the Diaspora, the greatest potential lies with you. Please take
a few minutes to write to your representative in the legislature of the
country in which you are resident. Alert them to the following facts:
- A third term carried through by Obasanjo could be the beginning of a president-for-life
- The reality of open-ended rule by one tribe could lead to a breakup of Nigeria
- The precedence of pogroms that preceded the Biafra war bode ill for any breakup
- The international community will not escape the consequences of such a fallout
- Oil prices will soar
- Refugees will multiply
- Neighbouring countries may be destabilised
- Pressure on the PDP and incumbent will be more productive before the third term begins
- The PDP and incumbent may be more inclined to respond to international criticsm than to local agitation
- Nigerians are prepared to knock on every door in government to see that action is taken now
Be prepared to picket the Nigerian embassy/high-commission in the country
in which you live; it will only cost you a few hours/days, but it could be
the difference between life and death for people you know back home.
More information will be made available as the year progresses, but please
be on standby to help the situation by using every legal/moral/ethical means
to work against the plans of these few evil men who want to destroy our
already frail democracy.
Still standing up for the truth. "Otolorin" April, 2006
In the battle for the very soul of this great country,
men and women must choose either to be for, or against their people. The
complacency of the majority for the last forty years has brought us to this nadir
of nationhood. We pray and believe that GOD's time has come for the
redemption of Nigeria. Will you join in, and line up with the hope of GOD
for this country, or will you stay at home, and wait for others to save the country?
Remember; if you are not part of the solution, then you must be part of the
problem.
Time is now to step forward and be counted.
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