Feelings from Europe..

The Dark Days are here; It is Time to Act

My name automatically gives away my tribe. Yes, I am Igbo and have no apology to render for being Igbo. It is common knowledge that one cannot determine his or her tribe, we are from whatever tribe GOD assigned to us. Having make this declaration, I must also add that I was ‘bred’ and ‘buttered’ in Lagos in an ethnic diverse environment. My best pals are mostly yorubas, though I have friends from diverse ethnicity. Interestingly, my wife is not Igbo. The reasons for this background information, is not an attempt to prove that I am not tribalistic but for the readers to be able to understand the thoughts behind this write up.

I grew up in an environment and era in which tribal lines have become blurred. I have however noted the crazy resurgence of tribalism since PMB government came to power in May 2015. I have never seen Nigerians so divided along ethnic/religious line in all my adult live. The situation has become so bad that I have began to question my life long held believe that every tribes have both good and bad people and no particular ethnic group has monopoly of good or bad people. I will like to challenge all men and women from every tribe that are devoid of tribal sentiments to come to the rescue of the country from the current government that have made the ethnicity/religion the basis to divide the country; pushing the country in the direction of ethno-religious war which is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

During the run up to the 2015 election, I explained to everyone that Buhari would not make a good President, he is not only incompetent but would divide the country along ethnic/religious lines, and certainly lack the capacity and ability to address Nigeria economic/social problems. Buhari was voted to power in 2015 by error of judgement based on misinformation supplied by the political elites for their own interest. Buhari second term is surely a disaster and I cannot imagine how Nigeria can survive another 4 years of Buhari’s government (especially if the result of the most rigged election in our history is allowed to stand). PMB and his incompetent cabal have succeeded in causing unprecedented divisions in the country and ran the country aground in every aspects- security, economic, unity and national cohesion, weakened our democratic institutions and electoral processes etc. Our military has been compromised and infiltrated by terrorist groups. This is evident by the lack of professionalism that our military has exhibited recently. The military that is supposed to protect the citizens now supervised the killing of citizens. The military and other security agencies are deployed at will to harass and subdue political opponents and perceived enemies of the government. The attempt to forcefully take over the legislature in August 2018 that was averted by wise and timely counter actions of the leadership of the National Assembly, good people of Nigeria and support from international community have now been completed by the current government massively rigging the Presidential and National Assembly election on the 23rd of February 2019 securing stronger majority that will only be used to further push Nigeria along the dangerous path of ethnic/religious divide. Buhari has already declared next level of economic woes, killings and insecurity, and social unrest by his recent comment that the next four years will be tougher. The senseless killings of Nigerians has resumed in Benue, Enugu and southern Kaduna. The Judiciary has been seriously compromised by the manner in which the head of Judiciary was recently removed without due process. NJC decision on the petitions against Walter Onnoghen and Tanko Mahommad is a testimony to the fact the judiciary has been compromised. The least decision that would have been reasonable is for both Walter Onnoghen and Tanko Mahommad to resign. NJC has simply rubber stamped the dodgy manner in which the unscrupulous Buhari Government removed the CJN without due process. With Buhari and his incompetent cabal government now in control of all the three arms of government in Nigeria; the feared Dark Days are here with us. The Dark Days of democratic dictatorship is suddenly before us. Every stakeholder that have a stake in the affairs of Nigeria need to stand and be counted in the effort to evert the coming next level of suffering for already improvised citizens, that are not even safe in their homes. Not even the international communities would be spared from the aftermath of the next level of democratic dictatorship that have now become the new norms. The world should get ready for the worse humanitarian crisis from Nigeria in the coming days.

Patriotic Nigerians should put aside ethnicity, religion, social status and personal interests to fight to take our country back. The direction of travel is an ill wind that will blow no one any good. We should learn from history. The German experience with the Nazis is a good example; most Germans, including Jews, were either too busy to care about the Nazis take over or were enjoying the euphoria of German pride the Nazis brought. Most Germans just stood by and passively allowed the Nazis to take full control and we all know the disaster that followed. I see similar attitude in Nigeria today. We are either too busy too care or enjoying the crumbles and the poisoned chalice the Buhari government is offering. Some of us are still living in denial that Nigeria is too big and complex for the current Government  to succeed with their infamous plans. We should not forget the words of James Madison ‘When tyranny and oppression come to the land, it will be in the guise of fighting crime.’ They have come to us under guise of integrity and illusion of fighting corruption when in actual sense they are acting a script that is detrimental to the wellbeing of every Nigerian. Since 2015, Nigeria’s economy has continued to decline, we have the greatest number of poor people anywhere in the world. Nigerians are slaughtered in cold blood in their thousands, We are divided along ethnic and religious lines more than ever before (a very good tool in the hands of Buhari). We just witnessed the worse election in recent history, and Nigeria has gradually become a banana republic where the government of the day can no longer be subject to the rule of law. They have weaponised poverty and called it a virtue. We have to reject this poisoned policy they are advocating. After all, according to Pope John Paul II, Poverty is man injustice to man.

As I watch the state of our dear country, I begin to wonder if there are no more brave men and women in Nigeria; where are the patriotic and honourable Nigerians; have we all now been hypnotised by PMB fake integrity and dishonest fight against corruption? where are voices of reason? What is happening now and direction of travel is certainly not the wish of our foundering fathers. Let’s not allow ‘labour of our heroes pass to be in vain’. It is time to take our country back. Let us recall the words of Zora Neale Hurston ‘if you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it’.

We need to restore dignity of every Nigerian regardless of ethnicity, creed and social standing. We need to restore and preserve multi-ethnic and religious nature of Nigeria. There is strength in diversity. We say no to those dividing us along religious and ethnic line. Sectional/religious agenda is a lose-lose for all Nigerians. Just like in the German-Nazis case, if we allow them to achieve their infamous agenda, both those that actively participated and those that were passive would bear the negative consequences. It is time to act to ensure the country is restructured along principles; Justice, Equity, Fairness to all Nigerians regardless of ones ethnicity or religion. A Nigeria that works for every ones and merits are not sacrificed on the alter of ethnicity/religion.

From Ogbuji Anyim