World Igbo Congress

Boko Haram and Nigeria

BEFORE BOKO HARAM TO THE NIGERIA OF TODAY!

AFTER BOKO HARAM……………….WITHER NIGERIA??

We are also delighted to note that, at last, the world has awakened from a long slumber to ask, ‘What exactly is going on in Nigeria?” The ongoing craziness by Boko Haram is only the latest in the episodic manifestations of the imperfections that burden the country. From its “creation” by the British through a merger of their northern and southern properties, fancifully described as “protectorates”, the imbalances, the ethno-religious, cultural and political differences have frequently manifested themselves through violent upheavals. Some of these were so repulsive and breathtaking in scope that they make the current kidnap saga look like child’s play. Taken in totality, these recurrent upheavals tell a story that has not been listened to, UNTIL NOW!

 

A compendium of some of the more egregious cases of the above-mentioned violence is presented in the accompanying document titled “Nigeria’s Cycle of Violence”. A careful reading of that document and the piece by Chinweizu, “Caliphate Colonialism”, will bring Nigeria’s macabre dance with evil into bold relief. The world should feel a sense of guilt, just like it did after Rwanda not minding that it won’t do the millions of victims and their families any good. A lot of the previous events were well publicized but the world chose to pretend that it was simply Nigeria’s internal problems and “we have to respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity”!

If not for the above mindset, why would the evisceration of pregnant women and kicking around of their fetuses by the “butchers” elicit nothing more than shrugs and murmurs of disapproval? Why would the slaughter of millions of innocent men, women and children in a so-called counter-coup be regarded as simply “revenge for the killing of their leaders”? Why would the bombing and strafing of churches, hospitals, schools, markets and feeding centers be regarded as legitimate battlefield actions? Why would the use of “starvation as a weapon of war” not be condemned and treated as an indictable war crime? All these happened in Nigeria to a people for no other reason than who they are. Yet the world did not say to Nigeria “enough already!”. The world did not mobilize to stop the atrocities. Instead, the perpetrators and their sponsors were accorded places of honor at every possible world forum and made to feel like all-conquering heroes who deserved unending accolades. But such absolute impunity and power doth indeed corrupt absolutely. Hence we are where we are today and things have fallen apart (apologies to Chinua Achebe).

 

If the world had shown the slightest interest in defense of justice and fairness; if nations had not, by their inaction, condoned mass murder and genocide; if Britain and Russia had not come together in a most ungodly alliance (such as had not been heard of before or since) to crush a people simply trying to defend themselves from annihilation; if Arab pilots had not been given carte blanche to bomb and straf innocent civilians; may be, just may be, we would not have Boko Haram today. If we didn’t have Boko Haram, may be the moniker #BringBackOurGirls would not have been coined. If the powers that are in Nigeria had been made to respect simple human rights and common decency, a culture of respect for life and property would be prevailing in today’s Nigeria. Instead we have a situation where a certain group believes that it was “born to rule” and to control all the political and economic levers of power or it has the right to “make the place ungovernable”. This is the genesis of Boko Haram and the main cause of the malaise that bedevils Nigeria.

 

When these girls are found and returned to relative safety, relative because they will still be returning to a Nigeria that cannot guarantee anyone’s safety and well being, Boko Haram will continue to ply its trade in violence and mayhem. If Boko Haram is contained, or perchance liquidated, another entity will rise to take its place because the “cause” must be defended by true believers. UNLESS AND UNTIL!!!

Another “Boko Haram” will arise and the evils that prevent Nigeria from enthroning a fair and just system will continue to thrive UNLESS and UNTIL the issues that gave rise to them are addressed. The world should not pat themselves on the back and go back to the status quo if and when this current situation is addressed adequately. The Nigerian question should be clinically examined and all stakeholders should be compelled to face the truth and seek a solution that leads to peace with justice. The victims of the genocide of the sixties should be recognized and their feelings assuaged. Our African beliefs lead us to declare that unless there is atonement for the innocent blood spilled by the wanton killings during the pogroms, there will not be peace in the land! It is not a curse, it is simply a belief rooted in truth and justice. Call it karma or call it anything you like, what goes around does come around.

 

If Nigerians and the wider world desire a peaceful Nigeria that fulfills its potentials and obligations to the comity of nations, a concerted and sustained effort must be made to address the structural imbalances that cause the periodic flare ups and the ever-present criminality that manifests as kidnappings, armed robbery, corruption and other antisocial activities. Why should the Niger Delta region that produces the bulk of Nigeria’s wealth continue to exist as a cesspool of oil pollution, poverty, environmental degradation and abject neglect? Why should the bulk of the oil block ownership be vested in the hands of people from outside that region? Why should the money from the oil used mainly to develop Lagos and Abuja while the cities and towns of the oil producing areas remain in squalor? Why should people from certain areas be held back by a quota system that is euphemistically referred to as “federal character” meant only to promote the interests and aspirations of others who have had the same opportunities but chose not to use them? Boko Haram did not materialize from a legitimate agitation for redress by a group that had been wronged. No, it is the vehicle by which a particular group hopes to achieve (regain) political power.

If the will to defeat Boko Haram had been there from the start, it would not have mushroomed into this burgeoning enterprise with links to Al Qaeda. When the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Ihejirika, unleashed a force strong enough to force Boko Haram into retreat, influential voices in Northern Nigeria were raised in protest. In fact, some threatened to take him to the International Court of Justice at the Hague and charge him with war crimes. The president of Nigeria, ever willing to look for ways to please the “masters” removed Ihejirika and replaced him with one of the “anointed ones”. The results are there for all to see. Where is the Nigerian Police in all this worldwide mobilization to rescue the Chibok girls? The answer is not difficult to find. One should simply look at the list of the officers at the uppermost echelons of that organization. The inbreeding that produced most of the senior officers has sapped all vigor out of them and when this is coupled with the corruption that is endemic and systemic throughout the Nigerian landscape, it is easy to see why Boko Haram can drive into town in as many big vehicles as they needed to ferry the insurgents and the 300 girls without anyone saying “boo”! How exactly did they manage that feat? Where were the soldiers and police that were supposed to be maintaining the state of emergency that the government imposed with fanfare? There are more questions than answers, but this time is better spent in finding the girls than in trying to get to the root of the rot.

It may also not have escaped the careful observer that the initial push to publicize the evil of this latest atrocity came from people from a particular part of the country. The “Bring Back Our Girls” rallying cry is a phrase used by Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister and current world bank executive during a speech in the early days of the outrage. Onyeka Onwenu, a popular singer and political activist, was seen leading the first mass protests by Nigerians demanding that the government do more to bring back our girls. I don’t mean to suggest that only people from a particular area showed concern for these girls, rather, one wishes to point out that the same people who led the nationalist fight for independence (only to be marginalized and hunted like game animals) are the same ones who have risen to the occasion severally to pull the country back from the brink. Instead of being admired for their patriotism and nationalist outlook, they are butchered at every turn simply because they are widely traveled and make for easy targets.

If Nigeria hopes to become a peaceful and prosperous nation worthy of universal admiration, the causes of the illness it suffers from must be treated. Boko Haram is only the latest symptom. Fairness and equity in all things must be instituted in a peoples’ constitution that will guarantee all peoples the right to freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – wherever they live in that country. If this is not done, Nigeria after Boko Haram will bear a very strong resemblance to Nigeria before and during Boko Haram.

Now is the time. The world has been roused from its long slumber and the momentum should not be lost. Today Paris, tomorrow???? Let peace come and let it come with justice and fair play. Again, we assert that Boko Haram and all the evil they have perpetrated are simply the latest edition of long running drama. To end the continued show of shame, we must “man up” and face the issues squarely. Tiptoeing around the issues with diplomatic niceties will only encourage more of the same. It did not start with Boko Haram and will only end with them if we do the right thing. ENTHRONE JUSTICE, EQUITY, FAIRNESS, MERITOCRACY, AND FREEDOM!