The Drums Of War……? Nigerian History
Since Pre-independence - Muslims And Christian Biafra
Separatists
06 April 2012
By Ali Abubakar Sadiq
aleesadeeq1@yahoo.com
In ancient Africa, drums were used as the most
reliable means of communication, announcing marriages,
festivals, sports and war etc. In fact in those times,
drums serves as equal to modern day media. The drums
of war are as varied as wartime activities, because
there are drums that signify the invocation of war,
praising and energizing warlords, of impending attack
and heralding of victories.
War has been an art only mastered by the human species
on this planet and wars had been fought as long as the
history of the human race. From local wars, at the
dawn of the last century, we saw the breakout of a
global war in 1914 that claimed millions of lives and
vast (needed) resources. War has now become a
business, monopolized and masterminded by the global
elite in ensuring their agenda of amassing the vast
resources of the world under their finger and
controlling the fate of the human race.
Oil resources have become a curse to modern nations
because of its tendency to attract war merchants. In
the recent past we have seen the protracted war
between Iran and Iraq, the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq
and the subsequent gulf war. We have seen the
orchestrated 9/11 attacks that paved way for war on
two fronts, Afghanistan and Iraq. Just recently we
have seen the collapse of Ghaddafi and the threat of
civil war in once peaceful Libya.
Students of history are aware that all wars were
instigated by a single incidence; take the First World
War: It began when Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the
heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated
by a Serbian nationalist. The Second World War: Was as
a result of Hitler's over ambition and the preaching
of racist brand of fascism. The invasion of Kuwait by
Saddam resulted into a big war in the 90's. And the
9/11 attacks led to the global war on terror by George
Bush. Reasonable uprising led to the death of Ghaddafi.
All of the above wars could have been avoided if
people were sincere without an ulterior motive. As I
said earlier, war has become the biggest business for
the global elite as millions of dollars worth of arms
were sold to both sides and billions of dollars
siphoned through the warring economies. The money
spent by the US in the last ten years on Iraq and
Afghanistan would have eradicated poverty on the globe
(we are talking of trillions of dollars).
Back to the home front, here in Nigeria, we have our
own experience of a war. The civil war has many
reasons, principal being the secession of Biafra by
Ojukwu. It was the largest conflict on the African
continent resulting into the loss of a million lives.
Not taking too much of your time on history let us
turn to the issue at hand; The drums of war are once
again roaring in this country. If we can carefully
discern the writings on the wall we can see it
clearly. It began in 2007 when a leading American
diplomat declared that Nigeria is on a collision
course with destruction come 2015. Five years later
and halfway to the predicted year of our doom, you can
agree with me that at least 50% of us believe it is
surely coming to pass. If our troubles were to be
likened to a tree, this is where the seed of our
current crises was sown. Lest we forget that Elitist
ideology once declared "If you want to predict the
future…create one"
Despite being a true nationalist, Obasanjo, in his
desperate move to cling unto power convene the
National conference in order to smuggle the third time
agenda. This conference opened a can of worms as he
lost the bid and it reawakened the deep mistrust
between the North and South as some South-South
delegates walked out. The cry from South-South for a
turn in the presidency immediately after Obasanjo was
the root that took hold of our current situation. As a
Nationalist, Obasanjo knew that if someone from
south-south were to succeed him, it will be a recipe
for disaster thus he refused, but not without a
contingency plan. He anointed Yar'Adua knowing all too
well he would not last his term and push Jonathan as
his VP.
The stem of our present crises reach maturity when
Jonathan, as acting President decided to cast away the
tacit agreement by PDP for rotational presidency. This
single act has been the most disastrous decision to be
taken by any President in our entire history. Some may
accuse me of exaggeration but let us face the facts.
Throughout Nigerian history since pre-independence,
due to our heterogeneous nature, we always survive
under tacit agreements and alliances. In the first
republic in the 50's we saw the alliance of NCNC and
NPC when parties were formed under ethnic/geographical
unity. In the second republic when parties became
national, we saw the old alliance re-emerged under NPN.
The federal Government under its civil service created
the Federal character commission. Political parties at
the national level always consider it when pushing
candidates for the presidency. That had been the only
unifying force for our corporate existence but
Jonathan and those in league with him, out of
selfishness, kicked against it.
Nigerians are some of the most patient people in the
globe and they always give leaders the benefit of
doubt. When Ironsi took power from the Major Kaduna
led insurgent, Nigerians welcomed him and gave him a
chance. When Gowon took over from him it was the same
thing, likewise when Murtala sent Gowon packing. After
Murtala's assassination Obasanjo was welcomed…it goes
on like that up to the time when Yar Adua died. Every
new Government is welcomed with open hands by
Nigerians except Jonathan's…Why?
You cannot rule out bigotry from the Northerners
surely, but the reason why their bigotry was kindled
was the breaking of the rotational presidency by
Jonathan. Trust is the most important item in any
relationship; between God and Man, parent and child,
husband and wife, friend and friend, leader and the
led. Jonathan had broken that sacred trust…and the
whole country is now paying.
Divide and rule had been the most effective tool
leaders had been employing to subdue masses since the
dawn of time. Nigeria was no exception from the time
of colonial masters to date, but unfortunately we
chose the wrong means. Nigerian leaders capitalize on
religion as the basis of their divide and rule and if
care is not taken it will consume each and everyone of
us. Before the 2011 elections I wrote an article
warning Nigerians not to vote PDP and my reasons were
simple; let us judge what they did in the last twelve
years, is their score card worth being trusted again?
And in my prediction in that article was the first
thing that Nigerians will suffer from PDP Government
will be fuel price increase. (Unknown to me they are
planning a deadlier punishment - subsidy withdrawal)
but due to the divide and rule and our gullibility,
especially our southern brethren went ahead and vote
PDP en masse. The PDP Government has made sure that
their policy of impunity transcends regional,
religious or party affiliations. It should be clear to
all (northerners and southerners) that Politicians
only uses religious sentiment to garner votes and when
in power impose their merciless policies on all.
Nigeria is now in chaos due to the twin problems of
hardship and insecurity propagated by subsidy
withdrawal and Boko Haram (the branches of our current
crises). Both are avoidable if our leaders were
sincere and committed to the people. There is no need
for subsidy removal if leaders were to curve their
wanton spending of public funds. Imagine the VP buying
3 billion worth of stationary in his office or 150
billion spent on food in the villa or 250 million
salary of a lawmaker. Subsidy is "Fraud" as alleged by
Prof Tam David West, who is one of the leading Guru's
in petroleum matters. Besides we can root out the
subsidy by making new refineries with the subsidy
money? Estimate says we could repair all the existing
refineries and make 4 new refineries with a trillion
Naira. As for Boko Haram, I blamed late Yar'Adua for
the current crises. When Yar'Adua was rolling red
carpets in the villa for Militants in the Niger Delta
charged with treason, boko haram members were hunted
and killed extra-judiciously. Whoever saw the clip on
Al-jazeerah on how securities murdered suspected Boko
Haram in Maiduguri, will certainly know that it will
come back to haunt us sooner or later. Sincere and
well-meaning Nigerians (regardless of region or
religion) condemn the barbaric act and call on
Government to do something…as usual nothing was done.
Exportation of Boko Haram to Kano at this point in
time raises serious questions? They struck on the eve
of another wave of Anti Government demonstration over
the fuel subsidy saga slated for Saturday in the city.
During the week-long anti subsidy demonstration, every
day millions of people, including women, swarmed the
streets of Kano. No one in the country, Kano in
particular, was talking about the subsidy removal
anymore, as all eyes are now on Boko Haram. Isn't that
a bit too convenient? In his recent article, Gordon
Duff, Editor of US magazine – Veterans Today - A
veteran intelligent analyst himself, who worked in
Nigeria for decades has talked about a conspiracy
hatched in two powerful western capitals with the sole
aim of destabilizing three powerful African
continents; two are down, Egypt and Libya. Nigeria is
next.
The threat of Boko Haram will be nothing because
elements that are bent on destabilizing this country
will use their modus operandi to raise tension between
Christians and Muslims that will eventually cause
another civil war. If History is anything to go by, we
should be very scary of recent trends because history
may be trying to repeat itself. The 1950s election
results led to violence in the Southwest as it did in
the North in 2011 after the presidential elections.
Mistrust between North and South were heightened then
as it is now (One only need to look at comments posted
on internet sites like Sahara reporters or Facebook.
The tone of hatred emanating from both side is
shameful). Already people are beginning to migrate
from both sides across the Niger now, as they did
then. The only card not on the table was the pogroms
of the sixties but instead of it others are in place,
as some low key explosives were planted at a garage in
Sabon Gari area in Kano where Luxurious busses shuttle
to the southern part of the country. Text message were
circulating in the south scaring people to be wary of
food items brought from the north (e.g. Tomatoes) and
similar text message circulating in the north on the
same effect (e.g. Palm oil).
I salute the leadership of senate and house when both
David Mark and Tambuwal call for dialogue between
Government and Boko Haram, Tambuwal even went further
to call for total amnesty to perpetrators of Friday
attacks in Kano. That is the only way forward because
you cannot fight and win against faceless enemy; we
have seen how organized and committed societies fail
in their war on terror. As I write this, even the
world chief of police (America) is engaging on talks
with the Taliban. Besides we have a precedent
considering the relative calm hovering over Niger
Delta since the amnesty and empowerment of the
militants. If those powerful voices were ignored, we
will soon see more organized attacks, not only on
security personnel and establishment but on religious
establishment and personality. When that happen, we
will begin pointing accusing fingers or, as the recent
proclamation by CAN leadership, we will see some
section of society beginning to protect themselves…and
we know all too well what sort of a harbinger that
would be.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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