“There comes a time in human existence when we must ask ourselves where we are as a nation”.
There are many times when it’s just downright difficult to be a Nigerian; let’s be honest, we’ve had more than our fair share of embarrassing moments. Sometimes, it’s when you arrive at Heath-row or Gatwick and experience the courtesy of the official at the immigration desk five minutes before he sees your passport and changes his demeanor.
Sometimes, it’s cringing in shame when BBC shows footage of our darling Dame Patience screaming “There is God o” as though that’s what all first ladies do.
In the grand scheme of things today, these seem like trivial things. The up and coming 2015 election has managed to overshadow every other event in this country. It’s almost like we’ve become blind to every other issue.
Granted, with the level of frenzy our politicians are whipping up, it’s hard to realize that other things are happening.
It’s a chore reading the newspapers these days as they seem to only contain interviews of why one person has been anointed by God to bring development to his state.
I’m tired of this God ordained rhetoric of our politicians and I’m slightly surprised no one else is equally tired. I do not honestly believe there’s any Nigerian politician who’s a true christian or a Muslim; religion is just one more issue of convenience for them to manipulate whenever they deem it fit.
Our political parties are notoriously agenda-less and lack concrete ideologies. Political rallies are characterized by senseless chants and ad-hominem remarks about the opposition.
If Nigerian Politics ever gets introduced as a course on its own, surely the most important course would be Mudslinging 101.
However we may pretend, 2015 is upon us, if the parties refuse to set an agenda then we must create one for ourselves and ask ourselves in all honesty; barring religious and tribal sentiments, who is the candidate who shows a grasp of these issues and has clear cut ideas on how to solve them?
It is without doubt that the key issue we face today as a nation is security and terrorism courtesy of Boko Haram. It’s beyond sad that because it affects only the North East, other parts of the country and even the Federal Government seem indifferent about it.
Despite the misinformation the government is intent of feeding us with, it has become clear to even the blind that our soldiers have been overrun and overpowered in Mubi; Adamawa’s second largest region and people are fleeing in droves.
There’s an uneasy calm in Yola and the realization that they could very well be next. Can we have a government that reports to us the truths about their handling of security?
Three days ago there was a ceasefire agreement, a few weeks ago Shekau was dead.
Both stories have since been dis-proven as salacious bits of misinformation from a government which has sworn to protect us. Inasmuch as the citizens of Mubi and Potiskum are concerned, the Nigerian government has failed them.
Over twenty nine people have been killed in Potiskub, Yobe this morning. Let us begin to ask our government the difficult questions; what is the true state of our security situation and the war against Boko Haram?
Where are the Chibok girls? Is any real political will to confront the situation?
Or shall we like cowards keep quiet and submit daily to this humiliation of misinformation?
After all, silence is the “common salve of timid consciences”.