The Friday’s bombing of the United Nations office at Abuja has brought a new dimension to the evil perpetrated on the long suffering nation ‘Nigeria’ by the over surfeited hypocrites. Although the image of our dear nation had been badly battered in recent time for the incessant outrageous events (bombing, kidnapping, massacre, robbery etcetera), which we have experienced on daily bases the united nations ordeal spells doom for us for the international attention that comes with it. Just like the episode of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab the United Nations bombing is one injury too many for a nation like Nigeria. As we await the action and decision of the world body the immediate consequences is that every Nigerian traveller is looked unto as a potential suspect. Part of these travellers are already victims as most of them confess different faith. The obvious truth is that things have never been so bad.
Every Nigerian is living under fear. At the places of worship, the market, beer parlour, motor park every where seems so unsafe. Every body is a suspect and everybody is a target. Even during the civil war things were not that bad. The government of the day seemed so handicapped in the face of the impending danger and reality that the ordinary man who had lost hope in the system seems to be loosing faith in the new government. Somehow people are beginning to feel that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may not be the messiah they are waiting for, all this while. Earlier the author had said in this forum that, Goodluck is a product of selective bargaining and therefore lack the might to address certain issues. When Boko Haram reared there ugly head in 2009 Yaradua crushed them and summarily executed their leader. Today Goodluck is forced to reopen the case file of his predecessor to the extent that he is trying the officers. When Maitasine sect erupted in Kano Babangida quashed them and their leader Mohammed a Cameroonian ended the way of Yusuf. Obasanjo cleared the Odi people in Benue and almost erased a town in the Niger delta. The position of this paper is not whether these approaches were appropriate or not the issue is that these problems because of their unique nature were solved in a unique way. Since the bird has learnt to fly without perching the hunter has learnt to shoot without missing. It was Chinua Achebe who said in his book, ‘the trouble with Nigeria’, that Nigeria is not yet ripe for democracy.
Whether Nigeria is ripe or not for democracy is insignificant at this point the locus is that nobody should hide under the guise of democracy to foment trouble. Nations have different orientation and system; therefore every nation should abide by the system that suits it. Nobody made Elizabeth the queen of England, it suits them and that’s why the have it. No price is too much for the unity and security of Nigerians. The people that suffer most are innocent people who have no stake in the root cause of the problem. Goodluck therefore should rise up to the challenges of the time. Arms trafficking are done by the rich and powerful in the society. Locating them is not such a difficult task. If as the president of the federal republic of Nigeria he does not have enough information, it means he is unqualified to lead. If he has enough information and fails to act he is betrayer. Atiku said before the election that, those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable. Buhari on his part said that, if he does not win the election there will be trouble. Wanton killing and destruction started immediately it was clear that he was going to loose the election. Buhari and Atiku may not be the culprit but their interrogation will make a good start. We can not afford any more embarrassment and loss of life. Let Goodluck know that history will forgive him for taking a wrong decision but will not forgive him for not taking a decision at all. Goodluck must realise that the destiny of Nigeria is in his hands. He therefore must act and the time to act is now.
Good time.
Paul
