Naij.com’s guest author
Yusuf Jimoh Aweda rebukes President Goodluck Jonathan for his seemingly
“divisive” policies aimed at tearing Nigerians apart, and for letting
the current administration to unjustly paint Muhammadu Buhari, his main
opponent in the presidential race, in a black light.
I was once a Nigerian, right from my birth in Lagos in 1985 till 2011. I enjoyed beautiful relationships with every other Nigerian despite any ethnic and religious diversifications.
Since independence, successive governments have made various achievements, fighting dearth of social amenities, deterioration of academic integrity, security problem, corruption, and many other challenges. Despite all the difficulties, Nigerians still had their unified and collective identity under the shared hope for improvement and positive change.
In 2011, my genuine citizenship was taken away from me by a government who decided to divide our nation into “we” and “they”, or “us” and “them”. The Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, with their divisive policies, reduced me to just a Yoruba man from a Nigerian. I believe it has happened to many.
Jonathan’s “anti-North agenda”, as typified by the National Confab appointments and his handling of Boko Haram insurgency, led it to fester. Similarly, his “anti-West policies” are displayed by tilted appointments and award of contracts, witch-hunting of opposition personalities and their structures. Psychological destruction of collective heritage of our ethnic harmony and the much-celebrated “unity in diversity” are other case studies.
When Asari Dokubo makes inflammatory statements, no comments are issued. Governmnet Tompolo imports ammunition and gets government’s cover. Alison Madueke, Stella Odua and Aruma Oteh are suspected of stealing public funds, but the presidency keeps mum. Ayo Oritsejafor and his foot soldiers, like Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, make seditious and treasonable comments or get involved in shady arms deal in South Africa, and a criminal silence is observed. Not only the State Security Service comes out to defend the pro-government personalities, they also accuse the opposition of “intent to cause mayhem” and cry to high heavens when the opposition threatens to resist rigging.
After the horrible October 1st 2010 bombing, GEJ promptly made a hasty exoneration of Niger Delta militants in a supercilious speech: “MEND can do no such thing”. This was obviously done to make Nigerians doubt and accuse the Northerners, who have been wrongly “represented” for some time now, of the disturbing scenario.
The GEJ administration threatens the ethnic cohesion that has existed among Nigerians. The level of hatred towards the Northerners, particularly within Jonathan’s geo-political zone, is at its highest. The much-cherished, much-preserved delicate unity since independence has been terribly eroded. Recall that the Yorubas of the West were most critical of Obasanjo, their own. Today, anyone who criticizes the presidency or any of its policies is branded a disloyal citizen, an enemy of the nation. Giving support to a Northern
candidate is regarded as a betrayal.
When Australian investigator indicted Jonathan’s close associates (General Azubuike Ihejirika, a former Chief of Army Staff, and Ali Modu Sheriff, a former PDP governor) of complicity in the Boko Haram crisis, the DSS stoutly came to their defense even before any investigation was carried out. The presidency kept mum when the DSS invaded the APC secretariat, vandalised their equipment and traumatised their staff. This is typical of the situation when the opponent is handcuffed and the aggressor, who keeps punching, is also the one that first cried foul accusing his opponent of intent to wreak havoc, even the latter is already in captivity.
Though many Niger Delta indigenes still live under the shackle of economic deprivation and academic degradation, the President virtually empowers some divisive elements in the area to actualise his ethnic agenda. There have been yet un-debunked allegations of the presidency sponsoring of ex-militants on military training abroad and giving them license to secure and import weapons ostensibly for the country!
It would be difficult for the presidency to wriggle out of these allegations especially considering the presidency’s disposition to the missing school girls, the 15 million dollars scandal in South Africa, the many dances from rallies and campaigns even as citizens are being brutally murdered, the criminal neutrality of Nigeria at the UN in the vote for the liberation of the Palestinians (and thereby, promotion of the state terrorism of Israel), vicious toleration of corruptions in his cabinet (particularly when it affects his kinsmen).
A clandestine incitement of one ethnic group against another is even worse than terrorism. Citizens no longer see themselves as collective Nigerians anymore. This administration has promoted ethic patronage, having exchanged it to merits in political appointments.
The GEJ-led government has also succeeded in confiscating our genuine Nigerian identity and replaced it with ethnic religious persuasions.
The fulcrum of Mr President’s presidential campaign have been incitement of religious bigotry and call to ethnic sentiments. As the incumbent President, Jonathan has an advantage of campaigning with his achievements. But, instead of riding on the back of this opportunity, Mr President chooses to embark on clandestine meetings with carefully-selected religious leaders seeking to have a share of their national cake and incite their members against the opposition’s candidate and label him as an “Islamist” who is bent on “Islamising” Nigeria.
Such loyal clerics ordered their blind followers to kill and spill the blood of anyone who “looks like them”, threatening to open the gate of Hell for whoever vote for a change at Aso Rock, as if they have Hell at their backyard. This, indeed, is another case of disgraceful absurdity, gross abuse of the pulpit and high level of pastoral irresponsibility.
It is so sad that, at the sensitive times like these, our government still displays crass immaturity in handling issues of election campaign. Supporters of Mr President have also shown a near-perfect semblance of toddlers. The childish meddlesomeness of the likes Governor Ayodele Fayose, under the guise of campaign advert on the pages of newspapers, does not only constitute an embarrassment to the PDP. It also portrays GEJ as a desperate man who is keen to cling to power at all cost. It keeps many wondering where the man, who looks helpless and downcast in the face of the dreaded national security challenges, suddenly got his wit.
It’s a paradox, but the attempt to destroy, denigrate and rubbish the personality of Buhari by tagging him a religious extremist and tribal irredentist eventually made the upright former Petroleum Minister and the incorruptible chairman of the PTF to become more popular. The secondary school certificate of a man who rose to the rank of General in Nigeria Army suddenly becomes an issue.
The initiator of the famous War Against Indiscipline and the enduring monthly environmental sanitation exercise unexpectedly becomes an unsuitable candidate for the position of presidency. But on the contrary, the monogamous and de-tribalised Buhari, who tolerated and never had issues with his daughter marrying an Ibo man despite contrasting cultural values, is a man who never placed one ethnic group above the other.
Contrary to the recently-aired warped and wicked documentary, despite the numerical advantage of the ‘Muslim North’ over the ‘Christian South’ in the Army then, GMB, whose regime witnessed highest degree of uprightness and discipline, had more Christian governors than Muslim.
It is on record that Buhari’s regime neither tolerated stealing nor exonerated stealing from corruption. It neither recorded any case of missing 20 billion US dollars nor unexplainable depletion of foreign reserves that our present government can’t explain. The Buhari government ensured security of Nigerians. Buhari went beyond paying lip services to burning national issues without playing to the gallery or making hasty and unfounded commitments that are never matched with actions.
Above all, he had no tolerance for corruption and never could withstand the sight of corrupt officers, unlike the present administration that surrounds itself with extremely corrupt individuals and convicted local and international criminals.
Buhari, who never was involved in money laundering or shady arms deal in foreign landa, could explain any foreign exploits in the shade of national interest. He strengthened the economy and naira. Above all, as a military Head of State, Buhari earned respect for Nigerian citizens at home and abroad. The nation became highly respected within the comity of nations, be it ECOWAS, OAU or UN. Then, citizens of the most populous black nation in the world were proud to identify themselves as Nigerians.
They showcased the green passport with pride and candour across the globe. I was proud to be a Nigerian then and I wish my Nigerian identity can come back soon. I earnestly wish for the change to come so that, as a Yoruba man, I would see Ibo, Hausa and other tribesmen or women as fellow Nigerians, rather than the belligerent way the GEJ government is making us see ourselves at the moment.
In preparation for the restoration of my proudly Nigerian citizenship, I have got my PVC and my thumb is agitating to usher in an inevitable change come February 14, 2015.
It is my strong feeling that the man we all believe is the God-sent messiah will bring all of us back as Nigerians in one Nation, instead of the scattered entity we have found ourselves in this present blood-thirsty administration.
There probably are individuals who expect a “catastrophe,” a “war situation” to occur if, after the Nigerians would have spoken through the ballot box, the result of the election does not comply with their expectations. I can only wish them well. I can only pray that God Almighty bestowes upon them all that they wish Nigeria. I equally urge such individuals to pray that the Creator of this world, the Lord of the Unverse and Fashioner of Nigeria governs and directs the affairs of their lives the same way the chief Driver of the present administration has directed the affairs on Nigeria.
Mr Aweda is a student of University of Lagos. Opinions expressed in this article are author’s own and may not coincide with the viewpoint of the Naij.com editorial team.
I was once a Nigerian, right from my birth in Lagos in 1985 till 2011. I enjoyed beautiful relationships with every other Nigerian despite any ethnic and religious diversifications.
Since independence, successive governments have made various achievements, fighting dearth of social amenities, deterioration of academic integrity, security problem, corruption, and many other challenges. Despite all the difficulties, Nigerians still had their unified and collective identity under the shared hope for improvement and positive change.
In 2011, my genuine citizenship was taken away from me by a government who decided to divide our nation into “we” and “they”, or “us” and “them”. The Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, with their divisive policies, reduced me to just a Yoruba man from a Nigerian. I believe it has happened to many.
Jonathan’s “anti-North agenda”, as typified by the National Confab appointments and his handling of Boko Haram insurgency, led it to fester. Similarly, his “anti-West policies” are displayed by tilted appointments and award of contracts, witch-hunting of opposition personalities and their structures. Psychological destruction of collective heritage of our ethnic harmony and the much-celebrated “unity in diversity” are other case studies.
When Asari Dokubo makes inflammatory statements, no comments are issued. Governmnet Tompolo imports ammunition and gets government’s cover. Alison Madueke, Stella Odua and Aruma Oteh are suspected of stealing public funds, but the presidency keeps mum. Ayo Oritsejafor and his foot soldiers, like Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, make seditious and treasonable comments or get involved in shady arms deal in South Africa, and a criminal silence is observed. Not only the State Security Service comes out to defend the pro-government personalities, they also accuse the opposition of “intent to cause mayhem” and cry to high heavens when the opposition threatens to resist rigging.
After the horrible October 1st 2010 bombing, GEJ promptly made a hasty exoneration of Niger Delta militants in a supercilious speech: “MEND can do no such thing”. This was obviously done to make Nigerians doubt and accuse the Northerners, who have been wrongly “represented” for some time now, of the disturbing scenario.
The GEJ administration threatens the ethnic cohesion that has existed among Nigerians. The level of hatred towards the Northerners, particularly within Jonathan’s geo-political zone, is at its highest. The much-cherished, much-preserved delicate unity since independence has been terribly eroded. Recall that the Yorubas of the West were most critical of Obasanjo, their own. Today, anyone who criticizes the presidency or any of its policies is branded a disloyal citizen, an enemy of the nation. Giving support to a Northern
candidate is regarded as a betrayal.
When Australian investigator indicted Jonathan’s close associates (General Azubuike Ihejirika, a former Chief of Army Staff, and Ali Modu Sheriff, a former PDP governor) of complicity in the Boko Haram crisis, the DSS stoutly came to their defense even before any investigation was carried out. The presidency kept mum when the DSS invaded the APC secretariat, vandalised their equipment and traumatised their staff. This is typical of the situation when the opponent is handcuffed and the aggressor, who keeps punching, is also the one that first cried foul accusing his opponent of intent to wreak havoc, even the latter is already in captivity.
Though many Niger Delta indigenes still live under the shackle of economic deprivation and academic degradation, the President virtually empowers some divisive elements in the area to actualise his ethnic agenda. There have been yet un-debunked allegations of the presidency sponsoring of ex-militants on military training abroad and giving them license to secure and import weapons ostensibly for the country!
It would be difficult for the presidency to wriggle out of these allegations especially considering the presidency’s disposition to the missing school girls, the 15 million dollars scandal in South Africa, the many dances from rallies and campaigns even as citizens are being brutally murdered, the criminal neutrality of Nigeria at the UN in the vote for the liberation of the Palestinians (and thereby, promotion of the state terrorism of Israel), vicious toleration of corruptions in his cabinet (particularly when it affects his kinsmen).
A clandestine incitement of one ethnic group against another is even worse than terrorism. Citizens no longer see themselves as collective Nigerians anymore. This administration has promoted ethic patronage, having exchanged it to merits in political appointments.
The GEJ-led government has also succeeded in confiscating our genuine Nigerian identity and replaced it with ethnic religious persuasions.
The fulcrum of Mr President’s presidential campaign have been incitement of religious bigotry and call to ethnic sentiments. As the incumbent President, Jonathan has an advantage of campaigning with his achievements. But, instead of riding on the back of this opportunity, Mr President chooses to embark on clandestine meetings with carefully-selected religious leaders seeking to have a share of their national cake and incite their members against the opposition’s candidate and label him as an “Islamist” who is bent on “Islamising” Nigeria.
Such loyal clerics ordered their blind followers to kill and spill the blood of anyone who “looks like them”, threatening to open the gate of Hell for whoever vote for a change at Aso Rock, as if they have Hell at their backyard. This, indeed, is another case of disgraceful absurdity, gross abuse of the pulpit and high level of pastoral irresponsibility.
It is so sad that, at the sensitive times like these, our government still displays crass immaturity in handling issues of election campaign. Supporters of Mr President have also shown a near-perfect semblance of toddlers. The childish meddlesomeness of the likes Governor Ayodele Fayose, under the guise of campaign advert on the pages of newspapers, does not only constitute an embarrassment to the PDP. It also portrays GEJ as a desperate man who is keen to cling to power at all cost. It keeps many wondering where the man, who looks helpless and downcast in the face of the dreaded national security challenges, suddenly got his wit.
It’s a paradox, but the attempt to destroy, denigrate and rubbish the personality of Buhari by tagging him a religious extremist and tribal irredentist eventually made the upright former Petroleum Minister and the incorruptible chairman of the PTF to become more popular. The secondary school certificate of a man who rose to the rank of General in Nigeria Army suddenly becomes an issue.
The initiator of the famous War Against Indiscipline and the enduring monthly environmental sanitation exercise unexpectedly becomes an unsuitable candidate for the position of presidency. But on the contrary, the monogamous and de-tribalised Buhari, who tolerated and never had issues with his daughter marrying an Ibo man despite contrasting cultural values, is a man who never placed one ethnic group above the other.
Contrary to the recently-aired warped and wicked documentary, despite the numerical advantage of the ‘Muslim North’ over the ‘Christian South’ in the Army then, GMB, whose regime witnessed highest degree of uprightness and discipline, had more Christian governors than Muslim.
It is on record that Buhari’s regime neither tolerated stealing nor exonerated stealing from corruption. It neither recorded any case of missing 20 billion US dollars nor unexplainable depletion of foreign reserves that our present government can’t explain. The Buhari government ensured security of Nigerians. Buhari went beyond paying lip services to burning national issues without playing to the gallery or making hasty and unfounded commitments that are never matched with actions.
Above all, he had no tolerance for corruption and never could withstand the sight of corrupt officers, unlike the present administration that surrounds itself with extremely corrupt individuals and convicted local and international criminals.
Buhari, who never was involved in money laundering or shady arms deal in foreign landa, could explain any foreign exploits in the shade of national interest. He strengthened the economy and naira. Above all, as a military Head of State, Buhari earned respect for Nigerian citizens at home and abroad. The nation became highly respected within the comity of nations, be it ECOWAS, OAU or UN. Then, citizens of the most populous black nation in the world were proud to identify themselves as Nigerians.
They showcased the green passport with pride and candour across the globe. I was proud to be a Nigerian then and I wish my Nigerian identity can come back soon. I earnestly wish for the change to come so that, as a Yoruba man, I would see Ibo, Hausa and other tribesmen or women as fellow Nigerians, rather than the belligerent way the GEJ government is making us see ourselves at the moment.
In preparation for the restoration of my proudly Nigerian citizenship, I have got my PVC and my thumb is agitating to usher in an inevitable change come February 14, 2015.
It is my strong feeling that the man we all believe is the God-sent messiah will bring all of us back as Nigerians in one Nation, instead of the scattered entity we have found ourselves in this present blood-thirsty administration.
There probably are individuals who expect a “catastrophe,” a “war situation” to occur if, after the Nigerians would have spoken through the ballot box, the result of the election does not comply with their expectations. I can only wish them well. I can only pray that God Almighty bestowes upon them all that they wish Nigeria. I equally urge such individuals to pray that the Creator of this world, the Lord of the Unverse and Fashioner of Nigeria governs and directs the affairs of their lives the same way the chief Driver of the present administration has directed the affairs on Nigeria.
Mr Aweda is a student of University of Lagos. Opinions expressed in this article are author’s own and may not coincide with the viewpoint of the Naij.com editorial team.
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