DECLARATION OF WAR

There arrives such a time when a madman, having been cornered with nowhere else to turn, spins around and spoils for a fight. That time arrived a painfully long time ago; social disruptions of volcanic proportions would have broken out, but for the legendary reticence of Nigerians. The country is now in such a precarious situation that the dam of self-restraint and forbearance may soon be broken, and the consequences distinctly untellable. The not-too-long ago #EndSars nationwide protests could be like a garden party in comparison. The Declaration Of War on the security, peace, safety, liberty, wellbeing and the right to the pursuit of happiness of individual Nigerians is all apparent. Fear of the present and the apprehension of the future are indelibly etched on their faces.

It is trite to say that the prime responsibility of government is the security of its citizens. Is it then not an incontestable indictment on the government, having unconscionably failed Nigerians for far too long in our expectations of the delivery of this most basic, and yet the most important, of its responsibilities and constitutional functions. Where security is missing in action, could it be countenanced that peace, safety, liberty and the individual right to the pursuit of happiness remain unbreached? Some may be of a counter opinion, but my conviction (and I am most certain that of an overwhelming majority of Nigerians) is that this government and previous ones are guilty of crimes against humanity. Now you get my drift; this jeremiad is not particularly about Buhari's government (though it may be argued that it's got much worse under him) but about the culture of palpable nonchalance about the security and general wellbeing of Nigerians by successive governments since a generation or so ago.

I'm straining all sinews to make this not a direct attack on this APC government, nor an animadversion on Buhari's conduct in these most dire of times (justifiably or not), but it's fair to say, without fear of contradiction, that Buhari and his APC government have spectacularly failed in this basic area of governance. This government has fluffed its lines and lost the plot; it obviously doesn't have a clue nor the wherewithal to arrest the situation any time soon. The government is unbelievably overwhelmed and it's a direct consequence of, not its inability in the first instance, but chiefly its unwillingness and timorousness to rein in the evil perpetrators and fomenters of heinous crimes (against patriotic, peace-loving and hardworking Nigerians.) They visit, upon Nigerians unspeakable terror with such indescribable brazenness, and with alarming regularity. When has kidnapping become a multi-billion dollar business in Nigeria? Kidnapping is no longer a monopoly once enjoyed by Boko Haram, the irrational and patently deranged terrorist group masquerading as an aggrieved religious one that has turned religion into derision.

Kidnapping is now frighteningly quotidian in most parts of the country and no sane Nigerian feels either safe or secure, with the attendant impact on the fluidity of business and the salutariness of life.

Governments, the world over, are meant to combat such egregious crimes, not govern them. These enemies of the people have perverted all reason and annihilated all ideas of morality, humaneness and peaceful coexistence. Still, the government folds its arms across its chest, as if watching a contest between sense and nonsense; between progression and retrogression; between lawfulness and lawlessness; between order and disorder. If the government were to have acted effectively much sooner and swifter I doubt we would have found ourselves in this unenviable T-junction of trepidation and despair, nor would a sense of hopelessness have conquered the spirit of man.

In the face of all these atrocities being waged against the nation and its honourable citizens, the so-called legislative assembly (assembly, they certainly are; legislative, they veritably are not. What a misnomer!) deliberate while they unwaveringly injure our commonweal. The Nigerian edifice is being torn down by insecurity, deprivation, and hunger; sovereign bankruptcy is knocking ever harder on the barn door; inflation has so long ago been let off its leash, and the vast majority of Nigerians are forever battling harder than ever to feed themselves and their families. The prices of basic household commodities and foodstuffs are rapidly getting out of the reach of most. As if this were not a most debilitating set of afflictions, primary healthcare is in a state of an almost irrecoverable coma. Mass unemployment dances unabashedly on the streets. Private businesses on their knees under the burden of seemingly unstoppable deterioration of the economy. So then, what exactly do these people in the State parliaments, the House of Representatives (what a sick joke!) and the Senate (an even sicker joke!) deliberate upon? A fair and pertinent question to ask, I may opine.

As much as I do fear fatiguing your attention and over-indulging your patience, please permit me to throw my widow's mite into the bowl of opinions about how extricate ourselves from this bondage of undeserved insecurity and unmerited desperate want? If Nigeria was meant to be some sort of Paradise at its inception, it is now, unquestionably, Paradise Lost.

In the first instance, the onus is obviously on the Federal Government, and without a shadow of a doubt, on Buhari's shoulder and conscience, because the buck stops with him. He needs to immediately shed the appearance of being in government but not in power. He needs to begin to fulfil his oath of office, to the Constitution (with all its imperfections), and to the people of Nigeria. This is a time to be bold and be brave, and not be intimidated by a cabal that will only lead him to ruin. This is no time for equivocating. His first loyalty must be to Nigeria and Nigerians. The insidious influence of the so-called cabal, under whose spell he has been for quite a while, is destroying his reputation (or the little he has left), and will most certainly tarnish his legacy in any way imaginable. As a person that fought tooth and nail for both of his Presidential terms, I could not be accused of being anti-Buhari in any shape or form. May I also add, I have no party affiliation nor do I desire nor need one. This is for my love of country and its people; for their upliftment, their peace, and their happiness. Let there be a Declaration of War on insecurity, avarice, want, unemployment, hunger and, of course, corruption that courses through the veins of this government every single day. (It's funny that Buhari's and the APC's battle cry is no longer corruption!)

I could not overemphasize the uselessness of the current setup of governance, but that is not Buhari's issue but a Constitutional impediment that he has to grapple with. In my honest opinion, the legislative arm of government is hideously bloated and absolutely unfit for purpose. Its disbandment couldn't come sooner; its total and complete reformation can't be put forward for much longer; it's a despicable drag on the nation's coffers and advancement. However, that is not the matter under discussion now.

Secondly, a serious, honest and urgent review of the security situation in the country should be carried out so that current threats may be decisively dealt with without fear or favour, but with fervour. The review must also identify potential threats to any part of the country and swiftly nipped in the bud. This should not be a review that is not populated by career politicians, pettifoggers and obscurantists, but by people with proven integrity and renowned expertise in the area of security (of which there are thousands in Nigeria) and dedicated revisionists. The aim should not be to vilify, but to vivify. Any attempt to influence the review should be robustly rebuffed. The review has to assess the efficacy of the policy of giving amnesty to terrorists that have been captured. I'm no security expert and I don't profess to be one. However, I find the policy rather bizarre, naïve and self-defeating. Quoting the great Samuel Adams (1722-1803) "He who has strength to chain down the wolf is a madman if he let him loose without drawing his teeth and paring his nails." Why set terrorists free only for them to return to their lairs with renewed vigour? Is the silliness and dangerousness of that policy much too complex to comprehend, or much too obscure to perceive? The review also has to pay acute attention to the vexing and taxing issue of the Fulani herdsmen, who maraud and savage villages and towns, displacing locals and decimating their livelihoods. This menace should be tackled head-on once and for all. Their audacity and brazenness is unparalleled in the history of this nation. It would be great to know what and who lie behind their mind-numbing savagery. They are nothing but untamed terrorists; uncultured and uneducated in any meaningful way. For goodness sake, this is the 21st century!! If all of these were to be pursued with honesty, speed and purpose, Buhari may yet redeem himself no end and leave an enviable, albeit a moderately injured, legacy.

Thirdly, I am of the firm belief that the evil of insecurity intertwines with the shambolic state of the economy which engenders hunger, deprivation, unemployment and utter hopelessness. I hate to believe that this government intends to leave Nigerians much worse off than when it got into power, because this most certainly is the situation now, and has been for years. Wouldn't it be a thing of joy if the government were to take the improvement of the economy to heart? Whatever economic or fiscal policy this government is pursuing is clearly not working and will not work. Why not review and change course (and cause) and think of the welfare of all instead of  that of a few, for once? Is the mind-boggling disparity in people's fortunes not a matter of concern? The vast majority of Nigerians live a hardscrabble life, eking out a living. It's just so unconscionable of this government to pretend that all is well. It fails to remove its earplugs; claps its eyes shut and refuses to shed its knavish countenance. I'd like to know how many Senators can stand the heat of direct sunlight for eight hours a day, just like tens of millions of Nigerians face every single day. I'd just like to know how many of the offspring of House of Representatives members hawk goods on the highways everyday instead of being in school. I'd simply like to know how many State Assembly members and Governors have to scrape the bottom of the barrel each day just to have a meal. This unjust concentration of wealth (our commonwealth, by the way) in a few pockets should concentrate the mind of a just and fair government. If injustice is inadvertently ingrained in the Constitution, isn't it time for Nigerians to demand a series of amendments to redress the balance? However, before such a time arises to do so, the government is under an obligation to bring relief and succour to the long-suffering Nigerians who daily bear the brunt of this unfairness inherent in the system. That is the least the government could do. The ebullience of the Nigerian character is being put through a slow and very painful death, and the buoyancy of its spirit is almost totally deflated. The government daily gives the impression of having shut the door of mercy and the window of hope on Nigerians.

Finally, while 2023 occupies the mind and time of the politicians, we Nigerians should wake up and smell the coffee. We should strive to educate one another on the need to assess the character of those we wish to cast our ballots for, and not assess them by how many branded tiny bags of rice or 'gari' they throw in our direction. Nigerians no longer have a need of, nor use for, 'stomach infrastructure'. What we want and have long deserved is People Infrastructure. 'Professional' political thugs need to be enlightened to realise that they ought to be fighting for their country, not the uncaring and deceitful politicians. There's honour in dying for one's country; dying for a politician is a total waste of life, a needless death and a certified dishonour. The polity is jam-packed with reprobates who deserve nothing but reprobation. 'Gimmicky slogans should be ignored; meaningful and tangible promises should be segregated from flighty and fanciful dreams. We've seen it all before and, trust me, we'll see it over and over again.

Thank you for your time and patience.

I check out.

May the good Lord bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.