In his characteristic cowboy braggadocio the president of United State of America , Donald Trump fired a verbal salvo warning the Nigerian regime of Bola Tinubu to brace up to deal with the unfettered acts of terrorism that made Nigeria a “terrorist nation” , a term Nigerians vehemently opposed even as it’s citizens lived terrorised lives .
The recent branding of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by the POTUS (PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES) has rattled many feathers and invited the ire of many notorious citizens visibly not in their right senses. Their discontent need certain clarification. The US president did not threaten to fight Nigerians or Muslims as some people want to make. He wants the callous killings to be checked. He wants to deploy US power to stop the killings that have been going on for more than fifteen years.
What is wrong if his intervention would stem the wanton killings? It is terrorist ,rapist,killers and even worse that he is talking about eliminating. Who are those against such action? It must be collaborators ,sponsors or active and those that are benefitting from the acts that can go against a humanitarian act such as this. These terrorist kill both Christians and Muslims. The victims and their loved will care less about the source of help and rescue. Those living in their safety zone have nothing to fear and can therefore talk about body-bags . Who will do the fighting,? Themselves and their families will not be involved. Where will they flee to? They are afraid that the attack by Israel in Qatar and Lebanon has made it evident that with the relevant technology they won’t be safe anywhere hence their fears. It is in this light that they view the unfolding drama and have become panicky and therefore want to cover their atrocities by shifting blame on others and calling on our patriotism help fight those that want to expose them. Having failed to do the needful,why are they afraid to allow someone else to do what they have failed to do over the years?
The average Nigerian is fast losing his attitude of accepting tribal and parochial interest covered with religious sentiments.
Used to their association with inept and sometimes comical characters in the Nigerian theater of the absurd, the El-Rufais,Dokubos and Gumis tinker with words of the U.S president as a joke not to be taken seriously. The office of the president in the United States is an institution not to be taken lightly. In the U.S, the institutions are so powerful and stand beyond and above the occupant at any given time .That is why when charlatans that abound in our country beat their chests and say that the Americans will go in body bags ,some time back(El-,Rufai said so) and recently Asari Dukubo,one is inclined to believe that they don’t know what modern warfare is all about. They should be excused and be made to understand the arms that our forces bear are Iron-age tools compared to what Iran boasted of. Hezbollah’s claim that it is ten thousand times stronger than the last time it confronted Israel has proved that while they might have become as strong as they claim,their enemy has multiplied his capacity much more than they assumed.
The humiliation of Iraq in a matter of days,of Iran by Israel and the incapacitation Hezbollah and Hamas clearly show that a stomach full of rice or pounded yam and a rifle in hand is nothing to boast of. People like El-Rufai will for long be remembered for his infantile acts that are responsible for Nigeria’s predicament today. He and his cohorts sowed the seeds of political discord along clear religious sentiments that cover more sinister motives. They worked hard to undermine Good luck Jonathan. A plan was worked out beyond party considerations to unseat him . By the time he realised that his close associates were working against him the game was over. Knowing that their chances of getting to the Villa are slim ,they want to play him as a spoiler in the next election.
At a time when the president ,Good luck Jonathan was reeling in shock over the fact that his cabinet includes Boko Haram members,he remained powerless and was apparently overpowered by recognised sponsors of terrorism that muzzled him and kept the populace captive. Later , Muhammadu Buhari went a step further by appointing. Ali Isa Pantami, a renown Boko Haram apologist that once on public media declared his delight when “arna” (infidels) are being slaughtered was appointed was made a minister. His delight at the killings was explained away as an act of”youthful exuberance” and overlooked by Buhari who nurtured him against public outcry for his fundamentalist stance. These events and the subsequent killings gave rise to a state of lawlessness that became Nigeria’s stock in trade. With jihadist on the rampage and so-called bandits on the loose,it became increasingly visible that behind the scene, very powerful figures are pulling the strings. Muhammed El-Rufai, Buhari’s
minister owned up to the fact that they imported fighters,and how they went off the leash .
How and when those marauding beast came to Nigeria and the tribal agenda they came to engender ceased to be a secret . In muffled tones common Nigerians whispered their fears while greedy politicians too afraid to call a spade a spade,as they still do turn their eyes away from glaring facts and claim that all is well. For some time the powers that be in be the country burrowed their heads and claimed ignorance of the horror being unleashed by terrorist imported to perpetrate a tribal agenda. Supported by mercenary clerics,the self serving tribal agenda received a religious coloration that beclouded the vision of guilelless faithfuls that fell victims and became pawns in the hands of a ruthless power- mongers pillaging the economy and recruiting hordes of restless impoverished youths to do their bidding in the name of religious beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that a few weeks ago a certain African government made bold to threaten the release of the names of some sponsors and collaborators of terrorism in Nigeria. The Nigerian government showed no interest to this claim.Why such disinterest? Visibly those in power are either too careless about the safety and security of its citizens or are complicit in the macabre and wanton bloodshed in the country.
Well, many orchestrated wanton killings, kidnappings, abductions and a lot of atrocities committed on common Nigerians remain unsolved, there have been continued conspiracy of silence around apprehending perpetrators and sponsors of these dastardly acts! Alas, the day of reckoning is here. The Americans are coming ” Guns a blazing” . Common Nigerians are crying out loud to say apart from the fight on terror, the Americans should also help them tackle corruption, elections malpractice, and all general ills meted on the masses as a result of bad governance.
Kushi write in from Dong and can be reached on kushgeorge19@gmail.com
