FEATURE ARTICLE

E O EkeTuesday, April 19, 2016
[email protected]


ANNOUNCE THIS ARTICLE
TO YOUR FRIENDS

A DARK SUN RISES OVER NIGERIA

advertisement

fter the election of Muhammad Buhari, a new mood took over Nigeria. There was a feeling that he would be the messiah that finally starts the building of Nigeria into a united country.

Even though I saw the choice between Jonathan and Buhari as that between bad and worse, I thought Buhari would at least do something about corruption and prayed that he can hold back his ethnic and Islamic objectives.

Less than one year after he gained power, the evidence would suggest that I was right about the former, but my prayer about the later appears to not to have been answered.

Nigeria is in its worst state since independence. A climate of fear is gripping the country and people are afraid to speak truth to power.

The economy has taken a nose dive, sectarian clashes are on the increase. Discrimination on the basis of religion and ethnicity is on the rise, and there is more attempt to Islamise Nigeria than has taken place, since independence from Britain. Indeed, a dark sun of religious extremism and ethnic nationalism and conflict is enveloping Nigeria.

Some people may think I am unnecessarily alarmist, but if you understand the teachings of Islam and what people who hold their faith in the way and manner people like Buhari and El-Rufai do, what they are prepared to do in the name of Islam and what they believe Allah' wants them to do, you will sleep with one eye open, whenever you find yourself in the same room with them.

It is not by accident that Buhari has been quiet about Fulani herdsmen terrorism. He can stop it over night. He is the head of cattle owners association of Nigeria.

It is not a mistake that at a time Fulani herdsmen are committing crimes against humanity all over the country that El-Rufai warns that the Fulanis, would not forgive any person who kills one of them and then goes ahead to propose a bill to control the freedom of worship. At the same time, there is another Bill in the National Assembly to establish enclaves for Fulani herdsmen all over Nigeria.

The question is why should cattle rearing business(Fulani business) be the only business, which the country wants to pass a law to subsidise?

What the evidence would suggest is that the project to administer Nigeria as an estate of Othman Danfodio may be on. Everything happening in Nigeria today is classic of what happens, whenever a central government has sectarian objectives.

It is clear that president Buhari's foreign policy, leans towards the gulf states, and China, and these are countries which do not give confidence to those who believe in human rights, democracy, equality and civil values, another evidence that all may not be well for those who believe in civil values, Hunan rights and self determination in Nigeria.

All these go to heighten the suspicion that Buhari's true loyalty may not be to the the whole Nigeria and the Nigerian constitution, but to the north, Islam, sharia and his ethnic group. It would seem that Nigeria is about to unravel like former Yugoslavia, unless it gets the just, equitable and honest leadership it needs.

Above is just one way to understand the deafening silence of president Buhari, in the face of Fulani herdsmen terrorism and disproportionate uses of lethal force to quell peaceful protest for self determination in East Nigeria and hardening of attitude towards Igbo region.

All these Leaves one without doubt that there may be a diabolical plan by the Buhari administration against Igbos and to advance the cause of Islam in Nigeria by use of political power.

The statement by Buhari that he would govern for those who voted for him, his loop sided appointments, the exclusion of Igbo region from the planned East West Rail line and failure to see a second Nigeria Bridge as an economic necessity are further examples.

It is a fact that Buhari is irritated by the agitation for Biafra and may be eager to find reason to justify a military solution. His body language, when he was asked by Aljazera journalist to watch the video of the extrajudicial killings of peaceful Biafran protesters says it all.

It is therefore not difficult to figure out that the attempt by the DSS to label groups agitating for Biafra as violent and murderous, may be the first step to categorising them as terrorist group, in order to justify the continued use of lethal force against unarmed protesters.

Sadly, it would seem that Igbo and other ethnic groups leaders are yet to realise that the old Nigeria is dead and that with the subjugation of the Kanuris by Boko Haram, that the next stage is to subdue the Igbos.

I have no doubt in my mind that the Fulanis(north) in Nigeria have a sectarian agenda and we ignore this at our peril.

My question is: where were you when it all started?

When they said, they want to administer Nigeria as estate of Othman Danfodio, many laughed and thought it was a pipe dream.

When they swore that they will never rest, until the rest of Nigeria is under sharia, some people thought it was a joke, but I knew there will be trouble, and spoke out.

When they declared Sharia laws in the north, I knew the Jihad has started, and raised alarm.

When they banned the teaching of history in our schools. No one raised his voice, but I shouted. Now they plan to teach our children their history and Islam.

When they threatened that the blood of baboons would flow, Many thought it was the empty threat of men who lost an election, but I knew they are determined and cried out aloud.

Then, they begin to kill and ethnically cleans the Christians minorities of southern Kaduna, and no one cared.

When they came after the Biroms and other ethnic groups in the Jos plateau region, I protested and could not believe the passivity of my country men.

Then they unleashed Boko Haram on the Kanuris, and I knew hell has come home and was outraged.

When they attacked Agatu, I knew they will never stop, and I asked. Where is the government?

Then they moved down to Enugu, and the security agency arrested the 76 victims instead of the perpetrators, and I knew, the army is on their side.

Now, they are preparing to establish enclaves in the rest of Nigeria to finish the job, and my people wonder what they are doing.

It would he the greatest mistake since Jews ignored Hitler, for Nigerians to underestimate the hatred of Mohammadu Buhari for Igbos and his determination to use his position as president of Nigeria to advance the cause of Islam, punish Igbos for not voting for him enmass at the last election and for some of them having the temerity to mention Biafra.

Finding our voice and articulating a narrative based on justice as fairness, equality and respect for human rights and civil values would be a starting point.

The dark cloud may yet be defeated, only if we are ready to rise up and stand for peaceful coexistence based on equality, justice as fairness and the rule of law.

Where were you, when they started this Jihad? If you don't care, you die.

advertisement
IMAGES IN THE NEWS