Elections Under Force

A Voter Casts Her Vote in Nigeria's Election

It is quite clear that the elections currently going on in the country has nothing to do with taking the country to the "next level", bridging the gap between rich and poor or better governance. The clear desperation of all concerned shows that the country will not fundamentally change its trajectory from a failed state to an egalitarian and progressive one. 

Nigeria is still an unapologetic plutocracy and the will (if they still have one) of the people is ruthlessly gaslighted through shameful impositions orchestrated through monetary inducements and thugs who masquerade as security forces. And the tragedy of the whole scenario is that the people are active participants in their own oppression. In fact, the rather psychotic tendency of Nigerians to live vicariously through their leaders is legendary. They will risk their lives for "oga", some potentate or someone they consider a benefactor without counting the ultimate cost because of the immediate pecuniary advantage. The rulers get away with misrule mainly because the majority of people in Nigeria do not enjoy any form of stability in their lives and no matter what issues you consider in the form of basic index of human needs, most Nigerians are in dire desperation and willing to sell their souls in order to survive.  

What many overlook is that the nation or its geographical area was subjugated and its future mortgaged more than a hundred years ago. What happened at independence was simply a renegotiation of the original agreement between our leaders and the real masters of the country. The agreement was that the country should have the semblance of self-governance but with extremely weak or non-existent institutions that could accelerate its evolution into a self-sufficient and progressive entity. Though beneficial to the ruling class, this arrangement has challenged our effort at becoming a real nation. For example, how could an organization saddled with conducting elections be as ill prepared as INEC despite the nauseating resources at its disposal and the fact that this is not the first election it is conducting? Postponing elections have become a national pastime without national protest. In fact, some of the most vociferous comments about the fairness of our electoral process are from outside the country. When American and European politicians or their surrogate institutions hover over our elections as "observers" and "approvers" of the legitimacy of our electoral process it is time to question our so-called independence. But don't be fooled. These angelic foreign powers have no iota of interest in our "national development", they care only about one thing - their political and economic interests. Just see how much care they have had for the Congo since its "independence".

The way Nigeria's leaders treat citizens during elections is a study in the absolute contempt they have for those whose permission they need to govern.  Citizens abandon their personal comforts to stand in the sun, rain or cold for hours (sometimes the whole day) in order to perform a civic duty without the guarantee of coming back home alive. Elections have become a theater for the demonstration of self-hatred that is at the heart of the African tragedy. They keep the people in the dark as to who really has the power to change Nigeria. They do this by enforcing a strict and ruthless hierarchy that is maintained by keeping the majority poor, ignorant and uneducated. It is from this army of disenfranchised horde that the political class recruit into their brigades of shame. These thugs have become the bane of our political ascendancy.  Electoral violence never affects the leaders, only the pitiable and ignorant electorate. The day Nigerians wake up to the fact that their leaders are paper tigers who cannot last more than a couple of weeks at the onslaught of "people power" the country will change.

The current process of voter registration, card collection, card readers, accreditation and voting is an egregious citizen-abuse. It is too cumbersome and time wasting to participate in Nigeria's electoral process. The fragility of the system is so obvious that only a ruling class bent on maintaining political instability and a manipulatable, corrupt electoral process at the expense of the progress of the nation will continue with the current electoral process. 

The current president of the country has had the chance of signing a new electoral bill into law but failed to do so. The current electoral process ensures that the ruling class continues to be the beneficiary of a warped system that is an encumbrance to a hapless and obviously ignorant electorate. 

JR can be reached at jrotimibgood@gmail.com

 

Pastor Adegboye's Ekiti Call Was Right

Pastor Adeboye

 

Adegboye's so-called endorsement of Governor Ayodele Fayose appears to have generated negative responses from zealous pundits. The main complaint was that the general overseer of the redeemed Christian Church of God was endorsing a criminal, corrupt and thuggish politician who has been unnecessarily opposed to the government of the day because of the skeletons in his cupboard. 

During a recent visit to Ekiti state, Reverend Adegboye was quoted as saying to Fayose that, "We thank God for your courage, for your boldness. We are grateful to God for your being willing to take risks so that your people can be protected. You have been a governor who knows when to say enough is enough in defense of his people. And I am sure you know what I am talking about and I am sure the world knows. I don't want to say more than that but be assured that we are praying for you and you will succeed in Jesus name. We wish all other governors who stand for their people, defend their people and know when to say enough is enough and we thank God for their lives."

It is evident that the Pastor was referring to the bold stance of the governor against the incursion and brigandage of Fulani Herdsmen in Ekiti state and other parts of the country in recent times. Governor Fayose took the somewhat theatrical step of organizing local hunters into a security force and logically sending a bill to the state legislature to enact laws that would make it an offence for Herdsmen (local or otherwise) to violate the rights of farmers and other citizens of the state.

 If we agree that the chief security officer of a state in Nigeria is the state governor, then Fayose was within his constitutional right to defend the citizens of Ekiti state. By taking the natural step of standing up to the challenge of insecurity brought about by Fulani Herdsmen terrorism, Fayose predictably incurred the ire of those who think they own the country. Fayose was threatened with lawsuits and told that Nigerians have the right to go anywhere in the country to do whatever they like as guaranteed by the constitution. To these people, murder and destruction of people's livelihood through invasion and banditry obviously constitutes a right in a failed country like Nigeria.  

Fayose appears to have been the only governor in the country whose actions nipped herdsmen terrorism in the bud. After the governor made it clear that herdsmen terrorism will not be tolerated in Ekiti state, there has been little or no such incidents in the state. Adegboye obviously noticed this and commended the governor for his actions. The praise of the governor by Adegboye was limited to Fayose's protection of the state through the aforesaid actions. I had personally hoped that other similarly affected states would take the same action as Fayose did, but nothing of such happened. Other states that were targeted by the terrorist Herdsmen in the central and eastern parts of the country merely kept warning of reprisals without doing anything meaningful, perhaps in fear of Abuja where they get their daily bread. Because of the inaction of these governors, particularly in Benue state, entire villages have been sacked and inhabitants displaced and replaced by Fulani Herdsmen. In the east, despite the militant and political advocacy of IPOB and MASSOB, Fulani Herdsmen enter villages and commit atrocities at will; sometimes kidnapping monarchs and killing them.

Fayose deserves commendation, despite his other failings for stopping, at least for now, the Fulani Herdsmen rampage in Ekiti state. Adegboye was therefore right in commending the governor for the singular act. It also shows that Adegboye is not entirely a dovish priest who urges prayers for the enemy but is comfortable with the principle of "an for an eye" - or at least the wearing of steel protective goggles. Criticizing Adegboye for praising Fayose who carries some legal baggage and is a one-man opposition to PMB's government is somewhat disingenuous. The praise was for a specific action of the governor and I am sure Adegboye was not advocating that other governors go around getting mired in financial and political controversy, but to be more proactive in defending their states against a common enemy. To oppose this because of Nigeria's so-called federalism is an indication of political and moral cretinism that is at the root of our inability to mature as a nation.  

If communities and state governors in Nigeria begin to resist sponsored brigandage in words and deeds (especially deeds), the federal government under PMB would be forced to treat the problem of Fulani Herdsmen with the urgency it deserves. Playing the victim to unwarranted aggression only emboldens the aggressor. Nigeria belongs to every Nigerian and no tribe, religion or trade may impose itself at will on the rest of the nation because there is a friendly government in Abuja. A couple of days ago, a writer urged the southern Kaduna people to defend themselves (I pray they do) or die. It has become obvious that the government of Kaduna state was more concerned about dealing with cattle rustling or killing Shiites than protecting the people, especially the "expendable" people of southern Kaduna who have borne untold hardship at the hands of Fulani Herdsmen. 

In Nigeria, change in government does not necessarily bring any positive change in the lives of the people. Fayose's success in Ekiti, despite all odds, is due to his dexterity at involving the people in governance. He knows how to talk to them in a way that makes them feel he is part of their struggle. This is the reason why the first people he contacted after Fulani Herdsmen attacked a village in Ekiti were the locals, not the inspector general of police. As other governors look towards the proverbial hills for help, Fayose has proven that help is nearer to home - the people and the state legislature. Adegboye simply recognized this.

Ancient Africans Were Writers
By Farouk Martins Aresa

Ancient Africans had artists that were prolific writers on almost everything they could get their hands on including human bodies, slate, rock, caves, potteries, trees, mud and sand. Though the knowledge was confined to some classes and royal houses passed down along those lines, enough record and evidence remain that survived unstable nature of the rain forest until today.

Many African scholars find it hypocritical that while some colleagues and Africanists have been forced to acknowledge Iwo Eleru 10,000 B.C, ancient iron, terracotta, 8000-year-old ancient boat of Dafuna and black Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, they still hold on to the misconception that the ancient black Africans were not “sophisticated” enough or even meet their criteria to put down their civilization in writing. It is one thing to be ignorant of what you cannot read, another to deny it completely.  Is it logical that ancient Yoruba counted in thousands but could not read!

While Africanists diffidently accept Meroe writing most cannot read or understand, there are many more writings on the staff of Oranmiyan, Idi, Ifa in Ile-Ife Western Nigeria and Nsipidi among the Efik of Eastern Nigeria. We see some of the most striking African writings on arms, bellies, backs and faces to relating back to the place of origin or to identify classes of the nobles and warriors. They are derided as less than hieroglyphs or expression of thought and process.

Differences are made between pictures, signs and writings. If they stand alone as structures they pass as pictures but when crowded together, they can pass as writing. Anyone ignorant of Arab or Chinese writing may wonder if they are pictures when separated. The same is true of musical writing or other writings some are unaware of. A writer of these letters or languages may put them together easily while others may see them as pictures, individually.

What many call tattoos on the bodies are scarification to others and if they convey thoughts and processes, they are writings many cultures used to communicate. Over the centuries, many of these different forms of writings have been simplified on materials that do not fade or are not easily destructible. The ease of writing numbers in Roman figures or Arabic figure is a case in point. Indeed, living language are still being shortened to make it easier and faster to write.

It is interesting that archeologists and anthropologists interpret African artifacts into modern form of writing but missed the interpretation of its original writings, no matter how crude they find them to translate. It is much easier if these are found in signs and pictures than to interpret some musical or Greek alphabet they cannot understand when scribbled together. This is why it is surprising that in the year 2000, we are not devoting enough research to African writings.

Senegalese-born Cheikh Anta Diop (1923 – 1986) is an exceptional scholar without whom many African cultures could have been lost forever. The blame must start with African scholars. Some spend their whole academic life studying other cultures and languages except theirs. While it is true that funds and research grants are harder to get for Africa’s study, we must remember scholars like Diop that used his foreign training to advance African cultures and languages.

Professor Babatunde Fafunwa (23 September 1923 – 11 October 2010). A Nigerian advocated that school children should be educated in their native language first in order to facilitate their thought processes making it easier to learn other languages and subjects. Their thinking and logic become easier to adapt for invention and discoveries locally. This is how children that cannot speak a word of English or French become great scientists and Nobel prize winners.

Most of the mineral or oil rich countries in Africa, export foreign currencies they do not print or mint. Whatever is paid to them in foreign currency for their crude diamond, gold, oil or uranium is exported back to those paying countries to acquire gadgets, cars and mansions they hardly live in but kept for their families and friends while foreign taxes are paid to maintain schools   they ignore in their home countries. More foreign currencies legally leave Africa than come in.

These are funds that could benefit research, discoveries, inventions and infrastructure at home. Funds that could be used to improve schools so that gifted children with God-given talents that lack the opportunities children of the rich have, could use to benefit their communities. African politicians would rather donate U.S dollars to foreign universities in return for award they could showcase. This is how we stifle our culture and deny future generation of their place in history.

African children today can hardly speak their native languages. The rich, famous and politicians train their children outside Africa. Actually, many of the children at home speak English, French or Portuguese as their first language and communicate with their parents in those languages. It shows class and prestige in Africa. Those that do their best to make sure their kids speak their languages have a daunting task. Many of their children answer them in foreign languages.

If we are losing a whole generation of African speakers and many of them are highly educated, who are going to interpret ancient Africa writings? Indeed, many Nigerian colleges do not teach history anymore despite the plea of informed Africans that the repercussion on our life, culture and language will be devastating. Aiyelala, Chi and Nemesis will catch up with us.

Let us face it, some African countries have been lucky and blessed. It is not enough. What we do with what we have, no matter how small or great in that limited time will dictate the future of the next generation. As we squander their future endeavors, Aiyelala is watching. This is why we always say that until Africans clean up their act and help themselves, nobody will help us. Indeed, no African will be respected anywhere until Africans make their own progress at home.

Oil, diamond, gold or uranium may be located in certain part of a country, within one or more ethnic groups, it will not matter much to the next generation of African children. The country, group or people that squander our resources will be held responsible for shaming African children around the world. After all creation of boundaries and countries were made for the benefit of colonial masters not for the benefit of the local African people.

Yoruba of the Western Nigeria lead the world in civilized co-existence among people regardless of their religion by the old definition of civilization and they do have ancient writings. Some will continue to deny ancient Africa writings until more scholars like Diop rise up everywhere. 

Chibok Girls Rescue: Just 21? Not impressed!

Rescued Chibok Girls

 Nigerians, especially the ruling political class and their backers within and outside the country were in a virtual state of euphoria about a week ago when Boko Haram eventually released 21 out of over 200 girls to the government. This is more than two and a half years after their obviously well planned and articulated kidnap by the terrorist Boko Haram and their collaborators within the Nigerian establishment and security forces. 

No true nation would allow such a crass and brazen assault on its sovereignty by psychologically challenged bunch of criminals such as Boko Haram.  It appears as if Boko Haram was deliberately allowed to flourish.  Even today, while the government claims Boko Haram has been technically defeated, they seem to tenuously rise from defeat to cause havoc. The help of the so-called international community is also suspect, because none of our major "helpers" would allow the travesty of Boko Haram for a month on their territories, while Nigeria has battled a nebulous enemy for nearly a decade with no end in sight. 

The largely Christian Chibok girls were kidnapped on school property, at night, in a part of the country that was under military emergency. The kidnappers needed information as to the precise location of the girls and obviously got it. They also had to cover some distance to get to the school and make good their escape. They accomplished all these fits except for a few girls who luckily managed to escape. And for nearly three years, the misgovernance of Nigeria, the inefficiency of its security forces and the duplicity of internal as well as external collaborators has been on display.  A security agency that was able to organize "sting" operations against hapless Judges was unable to locate or "sting out" the Chibok girls, or provide any coherent strategy for liberating them. In saner climes, it would have been virtually impossible to pull the Chibok stunt. And should it happen, those girls would be located within 24 hours or less and rescued. Where do you go with nearly 300 abducted girls in Britain, France or even Ghana for example?

As a country, we appear not to have any prestige or honor to defend or protect. We are content to allow the destruction of our people and have our sovereignty impugned because of our internal contradictions and an ill-defined national philosophy. Sometime back, Israel went to war over the abduction and killing of three of its teenagers. And the United States started a media and political blitz against the workings of the Italian justice system over an obviously flawed young woman's possible involvement in the murder of her roommate in Italy. In contrast, Nigeria and Nigerians have watched helplessly, for nearly a decade, the extermination of over 20,000 of its citizens and the rendering of countless others as refugees. 

The rescue of 21 kidnapped girls out of over 200 (probably a thousand more unreported), after nearly three years of abduction is a less than stellar performance for a nation that spends so much on defense.  Our Generals tend to have large girths but little hearts: they have huge mansions but little compassion or patriotism. When given the opportunity, many are ready to screw the nation over instead of stretching their necks out to defend it. Boko Haram and its antics is a clear indication of the worth of Nigerian lives and the sovereignty of the Nigerian state.

The negotiations to release the girls after these years; no matter how it was achieved, is a clear confirmation to Nigerians that when trapped in the "valley of the shadow of death" a citizen's life is not considered sacred but negotiable or expendable.