FEATURE ARTICLE

Sam AwedaWednesday, February 15, 2017
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Lagos, Nigeria

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FEUDALISM: IS IT WHAT WE NOW PREFER?

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his article was published earlier in the nigeriaworld.com on March 25 2008. https://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2008/mar/252.html

I am requesting it to be republished in the light of what happened in Delta state in the last few days, which reached a climax at the thanksgiving service held at Oghara Baptist Church, Ethiope West Local Government on Sunday February 12.

The celebration was even louder than what happened in Bayelsa state in 2008 when the late former governor of the state, DSP Alamieyeseigha jumped jail in the United Kingdom (UK). He was jailed for laundering the state money.

In the two cases, I wonder what the outside world, particularly, the government and people of the UK will make of the long list of who is who in the society who were present at the celebrations. What name do they call us that do not fit us; idiots, a set of people cursed with poverty, people who are born and satisfied to be slaves or second class citizens all their lives, people with no ambition to develop or progress, barbarians irrespective of their chains of College degrees, cowards?

It is only Nigerians of my age and older that will know that in the beginning it was not so. In the time past in Nigeria, people distanced themselves from people of questionable character. Unfortunately today, we roll drums to meet them.

A thanksgiving service for someone who skinned, pauperized the largest majority of his people, who turned them sub-human?

It is disturbing and worrisome that the thanksgiving service took place in a Church and particularly a Baptist Church, a denomination, which is noted for integrity and one, which upholds Biblical truths. Worrisome again is that the South South Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria took active part in the thanksgiving service.

I have always had it at the back of my mind that our commonwealh cannot continue to be looted the way it has been except there are accomplices who are not just ordinary people in the society but big wigs. We saw few of them at Oghara, Delta State last Sunday. The likes are there in every state.

Committed Christians will want to know however what action the Nigerian Baptist Convention under the able, spiritual leadership of Rev. Dr. Supo Ayokunle takes over one of his erring congregation. Incidentally, he is also the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The public will want to know what action the executive of CAN under his able leadership takes over the South South Chairman of CAN.

Feudalism in Nigeria is best understood or illustrated with a true story of what one former USSR dictator did with a live chicken.

Joseph Stalin USSR (1878-1953) was the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1929 to 1953. ...

On one occasion, so it was narrated, Stalin called for a live chicken and proceeded to use it to make an unforgettable point before some of his henchmen. Forcefully clutching the chicken in one hand, he started to pluck the feathers of the live chicken off one by one.

The chicken trembled in pain, blood tricking out of its pores. It gave grievous cries, but Stalin being a cruel dictator continued without remorse, plucking the feathers out until the chicken was completely naked.

He then threw the chicken on the ground. The naked chicken was staggering in pain. Stalin reached his pocket and from his pocket, he took out some bread crumbs and started to throw it at the poor & hapless creature.

The poor chicken in pain started eating and Stalin started walking towards his seat. As he walked away, he kept dropping some feeds on the floor & the chicken followed him and sat feeding from his feet.

Joseph Stalin then turned to members of his political party leadership. He said "the bird is even thankful for the human warmth coming out of my palm" This is the way to rule the people. Did you see how that chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture? People are like that chicken.

"You must disempower them, brutalise them, beat them up, starve them and then leave them".

"If you do this, go into your pocket & give them peanuts when they are in that helpless and desperate situation, they will blindly follow you for the rest of their life, worshiping you. They will think you are a hero forever. They will forget that, you're responsible for their predicaments, for their sorrowful situation in the first place"

Connecting this story with our case in Nigeria, one John Zibiri posted on Whatsapp. I quote in part "Take a look at those they call their heroes. They are the same people who plunged Nigeria into the situation she is. They are the same people who are responsible for their predicament. Did you see the numbers of people that throng to ??'s house during this Christmas period to go collect peanuts? Did you see the crowd that welcomed Ibori? Your guess is as good as mine. And the likes of many others, we all know about.

Nigerians kill those they should defend and defend those they should kill"!

For the initial article of March 25 2008, refer: https://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2008/mar/252.html

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