NIGERIA DANCING ON THE BRINK

    NIGERIA DANCING ON THE BRINK

      When two brothers fight, a stranger inherits their estate. - African proverb.

   17,155 days has now passed since Nigeria fought it first and only civil war of the post independence period. Ever since then peace has been restored even though we still sailed through the sea of military coups.
There have been several alarms  regarding the unity of Nigeria.
When you have a deviance, a social deviance, what ever type when it comes to power and politics, I believe you have to take a very good look at the system in which a country is operating on.
  From the past there had been several revolutions. What was the cause of these revolutions? Which system were they really operating on? We have the French Revolution, Manchester Revolution, Industrial Revolution, even in Nigeria we had the Aba women Riot of 1929.
   What lessons have we actually learned from these significant epochs?

Coming to the agitation of the IPOB, Indigenous People of Biafra, is it constitutional or unconstitutional?
The system in which Nigeria operates on is non but a Democratic one.

   For better society, a good Democratic society, two things most be the corner stone: accountability and legitimacy.
  If really democracy is a government for the people and by the people and furthermore encourages free and fair election, I think the first priority of any party in power will be to deliver it's citizens from social and economic calaboose. Social and economic misery.
Creating a society free of poverty, supply of public goods, infrastructures and more of it's like. Such is the accountability.
 
Legitimacy in the sense that you come into power legally rather than mobilisation of illiterate and ignorant Youths to achieving ones own aims through creation of violence and chaos.

Failure to do so, in a democratic society, will definitely make the party loss it's mandate to rule. And if seen performed effectively, they, the citizens, will not only vote the incumbent into power but will also vote those they recommend. 
  
    How about failure to do so often and often? This was what cause the Revolutions we mentioned above earlier. If the government performs better for ordinary people, then they are less likely to take up arms against it.
In today's Nigeria, those in power only see themselves as good when they benefits few ethnic groups at the expense of the masses. However, we must learn to tolerate one another and see what they see from their own binoculars.
  Peace cannot be achieved using violence. The issue of Biafra is like a candle it's keeps on burning in the minds of the Igbos. It rekindle it's self often and often. I am not one of them, yet I speak for the country.
  Labelling the IPOB, as a terrorist network, to me, is not rational.
  Nelson Mandela was once named a terrorist and imprisoned in Robin Island for more than 26 years when fighting for South African freedom by the British government. Later on he was freed and given the Nobel price for peace.
  I fear for history to repeat it's self. We need to a round table to discuss the problems of our country.
  Resulting to a Civil War as our last resort will only invite foreigners to come and inherit our father land. Furthermore, it is nothing but an anachronism.
  What people expect to be world War three turn out to be world world wars--civil war.
 

    We also have take note of those that are benefiting from such chaos. Those producing weapons will never pray for peace in the world. Because doing so will decrease their demands for weapons and they will, as a result, be unemployed. Now who are those controlling the supply for arms in the world? They don't sell to those with license alone. Rather they sell to those that pay most. What if they are the ones setting us against ourselves?

  The most sophisticated problem I think Nigeria as a country is facing is "poverty."
  Democracy cannot thrive in poverty. And that poverty is the deliberate tool of the government. This problem of feeling of being marginalized is not only in Nigeria.  It is also akin to other African countries all over the African continent.
  If every Nigerian can develop the courage of the Biafra agitators, I think we can collectively fight our corrupt leaders.
 
  Even if the Biafra agitators were successful, I bet, they will also fall on this dilemma of error. The problem is how do we cure poverty? When we are able to increase our per capita income and increase the living conditions of every citizen by stimulating social and economic needs, education, infrastructure and even health I don't think their will be one who will start agitating for division. Save those that are aiming for political power and using the citizens as the means to an end.

  I pray for Nigeria’s unity. Praying alone will not solve our problems. We have said few, we need more actions.
   
          Yusuf Nasir Ahmad.