The rise of ethnical organizations such as Amotekun, Independent People of Biafra, Eastern Security Network, Northern People’s Consultative Forum and many other is as a result of resentment against incompetent leadership at all levels of government. Simply put, poor leadership provides room big enough for rebellion. Unfortunately, the Nigeria syndrome does not readily hold her leaders responsible for wrongs committed. It is an open secret. Everyone knows this but only a few have dared the power that be.
If all were to be well, I am pretty much sure that there’s never going to be an agitation and formation of nations within a nation. I do not allude instances of kidnappings, cow rustling, banditry and whatever to a race or religion. Doing so is ethnocentric. After all, no one is excluded from perpetuating evil. However, I believe that some set of persons are much more prone to committing crime due to certain factors such as faith, financial status, history, certain impact and many more. Salient as they seems, they’ve never stopped sprouting out ugly heads in forms that does not befits humanity.
Talk about political cross carpeting and I will tell you about greed. In essence, it is right to infer that the collusion of political big weight is for the most part driven by self interest. An interest that relegates insecurity to the background but readily puts matters such as elections, National Assembly renovation to the fore. Tell me, if as a father you were faced with the issue of buying some piece of clothing material for a friends wedding and also house rent bills, what would you prioritize? Any right thinking individual would prioritize the latter. In instances too many to count, we have seen how a governor downsize the number and remuneration of her employs only to have an overwhelming entourage of political advisers who are simply well fed idlers.
Sometimes, I ask myself this ” Why is it so easy to meddle with Nigerians politically?” Poverty! The mind is poor. We slave because we are very much ignorant of what is attainable elsewhere. There’s been too many years of subjection in many sphere. The educational holds very relevance when compared globally. Same applies to health, infrastructural facilities, life quality… This feature has helped us to remain loyal to underdevelopment. After all, the Fela effects mirrors Nigerians as those who love to smile while suffering. Many decades have passed but late. Fela’s theory continues to stand the taste of time.
Shall we continue to say amen when the Pastors and Imams say “Nigeria shall be better?” I laugh because an amen is not big enough to rewrite a new narratives. Writing about it on pages only helps to tell about our before now and expectations. Actions are very much needed. While it is regrettable to see a Nigeria getting divided against self, we are duty bound to seek for the betterment of our nation because this is our home.
– Olayinka Kayode Kingsley
Email contact: olayinkakayodekingsley@gmail.com