By Richard Odusanya
An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propaganda, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.“ Mahatma Gandhi
Reminiscence of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s song “Sorrow, Tears and Blood”, the current situation in Africa today, particularly the Nigerian issues, are encapsulated in the song of Fela Kuti many years ago.
The precarious situation of many countries in Africa, particularly the troubled Nations and the plight of its citizens, deserves global attention and should not be ignored by the civilised world and relevant international organizations.
Nigeria bleeds profusely and bears countless stigmas ranging from a nation certified by the global community as world headquarters of extreme poverty with high infant mortality rate, ignominious number of out of school children, third highest ranked in terms of terrorism and very recently adjudged the worst place to raise families.
Recently, kidnappers, bandits and insurgents killed over one hundred of our citizens in a gruesome manner in broad daylight. Last week, Saturday, more than 110 rice farmers were killed by insurgents in the worst brutal assault in Zabarmari village in Borno state.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja on Thursday, November 26, 2020 lamented the high rate of insecurity in the North, saying it was the worst place in the country to live.
The Sultan’s stated that “People think North is safe but that assumption is not true. In fact, it’s the worst place to be in this country because bandits go around in the villages, households and markets with their AK 47 and nobody is challenging them.”
In Ethiopia, Uganda, Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria and others in the 54 African countries, the issues of poor leadership, corruption, nepotism, and dictatorship leading to war, Killings, kidnapping, humanitarian crisis, banditary, insurgency, hunger, infrastructural decay, healthcare in comatose and complete system collapse is reoccurrent.
To most African leaders, the poor masses must bear the brunt of their cluelessness, leadership failure and irresponsible responses to life threatening situations. Imagine a Presidency blaming the 43 rice farmers killed in Borno over the weekend for not getting military clearance before going to their farms.
The Nigerian Military Under the Control of seemingly “clueless” mindsets, has been overwhelmed or abdicated its responsibilities of securing the country’s territorial intergrity, but instead they are playing the game of loyalty to individuals and indulging in criminality, harassment and extrajudicial killing of the citizens, particularly the Nigerian youths who have proved that they are not lazy.
Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s Government appears insensitive to the plight and safety of Nigerians. The worse part of the problem is that his aides are so insensitive with their combative mood and comments, while trying to absolve him of the blames.
For as long as anyone can remember, the primary reason for governance and its core responsibility is the business of securing the lives, welfare of its citizens and protection of the territorial integrity of the Nation. In Nigeria situation today, sadly, the opposite is the case.
The executive branch of the government is “incapacitated” completely insensitive and possibly on autopilot. The 9th National Assembly (NASS), is not living up to its responsibility given that the current NASS openly said they are happy to be a “rubber stamp” Assembly, and the Judiciary is equally compromised.
This calamitous regime has completely squandered the goodwill it enjoyed at inception, for all it can produce now are; trust deficits, lack of transparency and accountability.
Over time issues of the Nation’s security architecture have been in the front burner, generated serious concerns and robust debate in the parliament; yet there are no changes. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein
Arise ‘O’ Mother Africa! Arise ‘O’ Nigerians and save your motherland from the shame she is being subjected to by her prodigal sons and daughters!! Revive the spirits for which we were known and break the shackles of modern slavery.
Odusanya is the convener of AFRICA CONVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE (ACRI)
