Under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the many voices clamouring for a united nation keeps towering. Regardless, except for the period in which Nigeria experienced a civil war, for many, the arguable claim is that Nigeria has become very polarized under the President Muhammad administration.
A number of parameters as evidently seen under the current leadership suggest without doubt that the people, for which the leadership was made are not happy.
To the dismay of most, the Fulani have become the senior citizens of the country dishing out a ‘take it’ or ‘leave it’ instruction to all others. The gut with which Badejo, a leader of the Miyetti Allah, told the nation on 24th of 2021 that the “Fulani own all Nigeria land” and that “no one can remove…” is a testament to the fact that they have gotten great deal of backing and will chew as much as possible since they can bite.
So we ask, who, why, when, where, what and how did we get here. Indeed there must be some secret hidden somewhere.
Supposedly, a man who houses a guest does so on the basis of his humanitarian capacity. No one is coerced to do so. However, in the event that his warming welcome is thrown to the dustbin, he is in fact permitted to send such a guest away. This is the situation existing between the herders and farmers across the length and breadth of Nigeria. The new excellence is no longer in tolerance and hospitality but in ‘leave so we can live’ ideology.
About who, where, what, when, how and why. I have had the opportunity to visit a number of geopolitical zones in the country. The gospel that preaches ‘Unity in diversity’ summarizes my encounter.
More importantly, we are a ‘good people’ and a ‘great nation’. At least, it is a course we all have sworn to pursue and uphold irrespective. To keep the vehicle conveying all Nigerians going, many have had to sacrifice a lot.
Even so, we are yet to reach our destination. The president is only considered as good as the result he commands. Arguably, successful results is relative. In Nigeria, scoring the president’s administration is for the most part tied primarily on the basis of tribe, religion and other means of affiliation.
With this bit of background, it will be correct to say that the president listens unreservedly to the cry of his kinsmen more than others. Of course, I do not expect every reader to agree on this neither am I coercing anyone to agree with me. It is my opinion. But without sentiment, we all know that calling the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) a terrorist group without doing so with the others who have at many occasions dared and revolt against constituted authority is a subtle way of aggravating a cold war.
In the words of my brother, Olayinka Segun, ‘it is synonymous to beating a child and telling him not to cry’.
The Igbohos, Kanus and Yesufus we see today did not emerge for the sole purpose of answering the name ‘activists’. Rather, they emerged because a rot which needs thorough and deliberate salvaging has been identified. So, they bring this to the knowledge of the government. If all sanity were to be employed, instances of complaint are meant to be looked upon objectively. For instance, if a Nigerian story is told about the brutal killings on the high ways of Kaduna Abuja road down to villages in Ibadan and even Katsina, the ideal thing to do is to look out for the credibility of this claims and thereafter swing into action promptly and not some prerecorded
‘The government sympathizes…’
In doing so, the government does and should be seen as taking sides as this will only add oxygen to embers disunity.
Since this is not the body language of the current administration, the whirlwind of violence is gradually getting a strong hold on the very core of things that hold us together as one. According to Prof. Jega, he admitted that ‘President Muhammadu’s administration is disappointing and many are worried’. Yes, we differ in a lot of ways but a message that seeks to captures the errors of the government shouldn’t be taken in bad fate.
In mathematics, to eliminate a negative figure, a bigger positive number is added. However, when government downplay drums of warning, they may be surprise to wake up to the sounds of warning.
In my opinion, maybe Igboho, Aisha Yusufu, Bishop Kukah and a host of others were wrong in their modus operandi. But one thing is definite, they all had their unifying reasons and they are good enough.
Without mincing words, there is a crucial need to solidify all the catalyst that puts our nation on the path to greatness. An unequal union existing between the north and the south is definitely not in the best of interest for all Nigerians.
– Olayinka Kayode Kingsley
Email: olayinkakayodekingsley@gmail.com
