Abducted Christian Chibok Girls in Boko Haram Custody

Boko Haram: Forgiveness, Justice and the Church

A few days ago, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dogara, implored Christians in the North of the country to forgive Boko Haram members. Mr Dogara, while acknowledging that "…the rights of our people as entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, to worship and choose their religion has been violated …" goes on to say "Christians would need to forgive those who, especially in the last six years, have promoted, strengthened and supported the massive destruction that the Church and others had suffered…" - Because, according to the legislator, the blood of saints cannot be shed in vain. But all these dulcet platitudes are mere regurgitation of the timeworn principle of "turning the other cheek" that is designed to make Christians compliant, so that they suffer - peacefully.

Whenever there is 'religious crisis', which is nothing but economic crisis [fuelled by ethnic tensions] turned inside out, other faiths, apart from Islam are normally at the receiving end of injustice. You will be forgiven for thinking that Nigeria is an Islamic state that is intolerant of other religions in its midst. From the furthest reaches of northern Nigeria to the coast, Islam influences the way Nigerians live - for better or for worse. The constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria was written in such a way that Moslem sensitivities were generously taken care of, by entrenching deliberate ambiguities, leaving other interest groups with the illusion of inclusion. Christians and other non-Islamic religions have had no choice but to forgive, or suffer, for most of Nigeria's chequered history - more than five decades. Christians are encouraged to forgive Boko Haram; a so-called rag tag band of zealots, after about six years of maniacal onslaught on Nigeria's sovereignty, in a nation which theoretically is among the top five military powers in Africa. But even to the casual observer, there is something deeper and uglier going on - the lack of justice and equity amongst the people of Nigeria. 

In case you are not aware, the Chibok girls were mainly, if not all, Christians. A possible theory is that the abduction of the girls was deliberately planned, in active connivance with the authorities responsible for keeping them and the security forces that looked the other way. Why gather so many children in a dangerous place without adequate security when exams could be conducted elsewhere? How were the trucks able to evade 'security forces' both to and from Chibok? And why was there no effort in the immediate aftermath of the abduction to chase down the trucks before they disappeared, either into the forest or over the border? These questions and their possible answers lie at the heart of the Chibok tragedy - the fact that a nation betrayed its children and its future! For all the atrocities committed in the name of Islam against Christians in Nigeria, there have been no real efforts to investigate or bring perpetrators to book. In fact, the killings are sometimes officially sanctioned or for the most part condoned. When any of the killings happen, government speak includes 'investigating the remote and immediate causes' of the pogroms, but the results of the 'investigation' never sees the light of day. Because in most cases, over the years, the most powerful forces able to suppress or ignore the truth in Nigeria resides in sympathetic Muslim hands. 

The Speaker further urged clergymen to "live above board" and not "look up to the world for leadership" - whatever that means.  Well, Sir, that train has left the station, a long time ago, because the clergymen and the worldly leaders are bed-mates. It may surprise the Speaker that Church leadership is not in the business of true emancipation of Christians but cajoling them into the fatal complacency, normally called 'looking for breakthroughs'. It is easier to point away to heaven, when you are ashamed of pointing at, or examining yourself in the light of its demands. The clergy have hoodwinked us into thinking that the 'prosperity' of God looks better on them than on the faithful parishioner.  The clergy fly in jets, while we crawl on all fours, begging for bread and jobs in such a rich nation - and yet, they expect us to bray 'praise the Lord'.

Mr Speaker; we are better off without the leadership of clergy, who for all intents and purposes, have betrayed and abandoned us over the decades. They have encouraged forgiveness without justice and equity, and have colluded with political leaders, to rob us of our commonwealth.

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria

Buhari: A Personal Cabinet

At last, the month most Nigerians have been expecting is here and they are waiting for the man of the moment to unveil his dream team. While there is a cautious and somewhat sanctimonious air to Buhari's delays and appointments thus far, the president made it clear in a recent interview that his appointments have been, and would continue to be, compensatory and personal. He suggested that his appointments are skewed to benefit those who stuck by him through thick and thin during his political journey. The appointments also seem to favour those that were most strident in criticizing the former government of President Jonathan. While there is nothing wrong in appointing loyal associates; cliquism and exclusivity might destroy the best of intentions in a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society such as Nigeria. If according to the president: 'I appointed those I could trust' - does PMB bother about those who could trust him? 

When our leaders have to explain their actions or inactions as it affects the country, they cite examples from well-articulated 'democracies' to explain their inadequacies.  Buhari recently defended why it has taken him so long to appoint a cabinet by comparing his actions to that of Obama's USA.  Buhari said "…when cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim.” But comparing the Nigerian and American political process is disingenuous. For one, America is not in such a desperate situation as Nigeria. Their society virtually functions on autopilot because intrinsic in the American socio-political system are mechanisms for checking inefficiency, corruption, evaluation of progress and implementation of policies. Most of their institutions are in private hands with government acting as regulators. This is the reason why the fundamentals of American foreign, economic, internal, defence and trade policies have been linear since it became a superpower - irrespective of who is president. The president can therefore afford more time for deliberation in appointing a cabinet without grinding the engine of state to a halt. Having said that, the United States President wastes no time, when it comes to what is most important to his presidency. Obama, for example, hit the ground running when it came to the provision of universal health care for Americans. After the ineffective Jonathan government, one expected Buhari to have taken actions that would give some respite to the suffering masses of Nigeria but it all became a waiting game. 

Nigeria has been in the doldrums for over three decades and PMB has been part of this history as a soldier who served in various capacities, including head of state. He has a vantage position to know who to appoint to get the best results - depending on what is most important to get Nigeria out of its mess. But PMB has busied himself with being retributive to the Jonathan led government. The most important credential for you to have in Nigerian politics today is to be known to have opposed Jonathan and supported Buhari. Those calling the shots in Nigeria's political firmament never accepted Jonathan as a bonafide president. Jonathan was thus without a real power base and had to quickly build one or get lonely. He surrounded himself with those he can 'work with' without checks or control. Without political backbone, and surrounded by self-serving officials, Jonathan became a weak and rather indecisive president. However, all of Jonathan's faults are simply symptoms of a deeper malady buried within the Nigerian socio-political structure. 

PMB has started off, after a long delay, on the same course as Jonathan, by appointing a 'personal' cabinet he can work with. A personal cabinet dominated by northern elements with token compensatory roles for the other geopolitical zones of the country. Theoretically, it does not matter where cabinet ministers come from, as long as they serve the people. The problem with Nigeria is that, serving the people is the least of our cabinet minister's worries. The hope is that PMB's dream team ultimately brings us sweet dreams. But in a society with 'oga' syndrome, an illiterate electorate, profound rich-poor gap and massive unemployment, the dream team might become dreamers while the majority of Nigerians are having nightmares.

email: jrotimibgood@gmail.com

Aylan Kurdi: The Deliberate Cultivation of Human Misery

                                                   Aylan Kurdi - the picture of Health

A couple of days ago a Syrian child was washed ashore in Turkey; one of a family of three, including his mother and brother who perished at sea while trying to make it to Greece. They were part of a desperate batch of refugees trying to flee internecine wars in their homeland of Syria. Unnecessary wars caused by the manipulation of weaker nations by the powerful. The same problem of refugee deaths assails the citizens of Libya, Mali, Somalia and the economic migrants of sub Saharan Africa. 

The nations of Syria and Libya were to large extent stable political and economic entities before the perennial meddling of the big powers in their internal affairs. The pattern of intervention is standard: weaken the military or defensive capabilities, ostracize the leadership and sponsor rabble-rousers with mercenary support to topple the government.  The only reason Syria has taken so long to succumb completely is probably due to Russian and Chinese help - something the west generally dislikes. As soon as weapons of mass destruction [chemical and biological] stockpiled by both Libya and Syria were effectively neutralized, the 'free world' moved in to eliminate the leadership of these countries through subterfuge. 

Three dominant 'forces of nature' cannot be ignored by nations in today's world, namely; oil, the dollar and the military industrial complex. The 'free world', whose members are the most influential of the G8 [G4 is probably more appropriate] use the weapons of economic power and military might to dictate the world narrative on war or peace. These nations hold all the aces, when it comes to sociopolitical thought, media control, education, scientific advancement, monetary policies and an avowed sense of supremacy that is almost mystical. Part of the real reasons Assad and Qaddafi became pariahs include attempting or threatening to use other currencies to shore up their economies in defiance of the mighty dollar and the US. In addition, Libya sits on top of a vast amount of liquid gold - oil. But his management of the oil industry was becoming too Hugo Chavez-like. Apart from the politics of oil and the dollar, war is probably the biggest business on the planet. Banks are the nexus while warmongering politicians and contractors are their footmen. The cost of vehicles, tanks, aircraft, arms, ammunition, rations, uniforms, etc, in a regular fighting force is enormous and lucrative for those handling the financial transactions that make it possible.  Those who lived in parts of Libya and Syria before the current sorry state, tell stories of modernity, stability and enviable welfare packages for the citizens. And yet, the 'free world' has managed to convince the other worlds that the leaders of these two nations were tyrants who needed to be destroyed. For all the propaganda against Middle Eastern dictators, the 'free world' keeps in power and habitually nurtures those it considers 'good dictators'. Through time-tested propaganda and veiled threats, the 'most advanced' nations on the planet went willy-nilly into Libya and Syria, directly or through surrogates, to create hellish conditions that has resulted in the destruction of the Kurdi family and countless others. 

One wonders why 'advanced countries' or 'world powers' in history are usually at the vanguard, when the world slides into infamy. The imbecility of the German nation which ironically harboured some of the best minds that dominated the arts, philosophy and scientific thoughts of the day, led to the deaths of more than fifty million human beings during the second world war. Today, inhuman policies, conspiratorial political alignments and the Saudi Wahhabi alignment with the 'free world' are causing unnecessary upheavals in the Middle East and other parts of the world. It does not make sense to create Islands of peace in a sea of misery. The ecstasy experienced by people with such distorted worldview is a temporary mania that history tells us afflicts only deluded human minds.

Though it is commendable to conquer space, build sophisticated cars, rails, airplanes and make fantastic scientific discoveries about the human body, it is probably more urgent and constructive to prevent the tragedy that befell Aylan Kurdi, his mother and brother. If humanity does not move away from the precipice of injustice and inequity, the plunge into the abyss will destroy both the 'free world' and the other worlds - the refugee crisis currently bedeviling Europe is just the beginning, because the poor and disenfranchised will not always be patient.

Part of the speech of Emperor Haile Selassie at the United Nations, in New York City, on October 4, 1963, is still relevant today; "...until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained…"

Aylan: dead and swept to shore

Bolingo Junction And The Careless Former Governor

Former governor Godswill Akpabio narrowly escaped being history; at least for now, a couple of days ago, while trying to catch a flight to God knows where, to see his wife and children. Akpabio's vehicle was involved in an accident, trying to beat time, by being oblivious of traffic rules and despising other road users. He reportedly ran into a convoy of vehicles belonging to the United States embassy. In Nigeria, where ogas are treated as special and above the law, he was immediately attended to by FRSC officials and taken to the hospital where he was evaluated and given a private ward to recuperate. The governor's acolytes and friends were all full of goodwill and sympathies. Well, Mr Akpabio, we wish you 'soonest recover'.

This is not the first time the voluble and controversial governor was involved in crass traffic violation. About a year ago, Akpabio's convoy sped against traffic in order to; you guessed it, beat time, when former president Jonathan was visiting somewhere in the FCT. Quoting reports; "…while other road-users halted movement to make way for the presidential convoy, Governor Akpabio’s convoy, coming from Asokoro, was unwilling to queue. According to a witness, the Governor’s convoy made a detour and drove against traffic at a high speed, blaring siren and swerving from side-to-side".  The convoy was 'arrested' by security agents, but let go with a warning at that time.

Why are government officials always trying to beat time by beating the rights of other citizens? Because they believe that their personal affairs, projected as affairs of state, trumps the rights of citizens. And where their personal needs are concerned, the very life of the citizen does not matter. Shootings and floggings are common when citizens; through no fault of theirs, either did not give way fast enough, or found it impossible to manoeuvre out of the way because of other road users. Many accidents on our roads (wherever we have one) have been caused by the unscrupulous and murderous convoys of government officials. I sometimes wonder who or when the anachronistic idea of sirens and high-speed vehicular movement by government officials was introduced to Nigeria. Obviously, the British must have introduced it. Britain is a hierarchical and feudal society despite its veneer of modernity, and Africa, Nigeria in particular, is similar in societal norms. On a daily basis, siren blaring government officials force ordinary Nigerians out of the way or prevent them from carrying out their daily businesses during visits. In more regulated and lawful climes, you only hear sirens when emergency public service vehicles such as ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles or the police are responding to someone or something.  In so-called advanced countries, blaring sirens warn other road users that there is an emergency [medical, fire or potential crime] and every road user is obliged to temporarily move out of the way until the vehicles pass. But this is done in a very orderly manner. Government officials in 'advanced countries' travel in convoys but never in the disruptive and obtrusive ways of Nigerian leaders. It is instructive to note that elsewhere, vehicles blaring sirens at high speeds are for the citizen's welfare and safety while it is the opposite in obodo Nigeria where the only well in welfare is for government officials and potentates.

Nigerian officials treat time as a servant instead of a respectable master. They waste other people's time but are impatient when they have to wait. They brook no resistance to fulfilling their needs and wants while denying basic rights and privileges of citizenship to other Nigerians. They can afford private jets, foreign medical trips, and send their children to some of the best schools in the world, while denying the majority of Nigerians a decent living. Akpabio should have known how much time he needed to get to the airport considering the traffic and adjust accordingly. The governor was reported to have been shaken after the incident and I wish the same shaking happens to the leadership of the Nigerian state. The man who claimed to have 'uncommonly transformed' Akwa Ibom state should know that there is something common to all mortals; high and low - birth and death.

                                                                  Akpabio's vehicle