Is Nigeria the Problem?

As another year comes to an end and the world continues to witness the many wondrous actions of her inhabitants, certain things have remained constant. 

The world still looks the other way as crises engulf Congo, Mail and Somalia (the other way being the Middle East). Barack Obama has ensured the Republican Party has been made to accept the errors of their ways, after they stubbornly stuck to the latest blueprints of the Tory and Labour parties in 'how not to choose a leader'. 

Putin still has an iron grip on Russia, the Politburo do same in China. North Korea still has a comical buffoon in charge (albeit a much younger and chubbier version), Brazil and India are still on course to justify their 'nations to watch' statuses, and yes, the answer to Nigeria's perennial  problems is still blowing in the wind.

I must apologise, but due to my inherently narrow-minded and selfish instincts, only one of those issues has any resonance with me and as such, I would like to unapologetically move on to the crux of this piece. So, to paraphrase a song from that ubiquitous film from my childhood; how do you solve a problem like (Maria) Nigeria?

Clearly, this has been a conundrum for many greater minds than mine and if sheer effort invested in writing about the country's malaise, were a guarantee for the nation's progress, then our dear country would probably be on par economically, with any of the BRIC nations at the very least. 

That of course is one of the downsides of criticism - it does not always achieve what we crave for it to do. Not everyone reacts positively to it. In fact, in some extreme cases, it often exacerbates the unacceptable behaviour and a kind of ‘siege mentality’ style of government ensues. A leadership pattern reserved solely to a class of people who believe they have an almost divine right to dominate others, without question. 

Don't get me wrong, I am quite willing to have a Nigeria where there is a form of dictatorship, as long as it is steeped in benevolence....a country (not much unlike Putin's) where our rulers have a fierce nationalistic streak which means they push Nigeria forward, but may break the rules every now and then. 

Don't pretend you don't know what I mean...look at China. Opaque, repressive, but committed to an unassailable greatness.

The People's Congress will let you conduct your business and do all they can to provide security and a viable social terrain, just as long as you do not question their authority. It seems to work for them and judging by the amount of us who can't wait to jump on the first plane to Guangdong in search of the next big thing, it definitely suits us too.

Unlike when a foreigner plans a business trip to our country, a Nigerian going to China doesn’t have to review his or her Will, or place security at the forefront of their fears. The governments in Brazil, China and India have ensured (well, maybe not so much Brazil) foreigners are considerably safe in their countries. 

They have taken steps to guarantee constant supply of electricity, adequate security, relatively clean and non-violent surroundings. Basically, environments where business can be conducted in comparative peace. Not so in our so-called giant of Africa.

If you ask me, the systems of governance in place in countries like China, were not much different from the systems in place prior to the arrival of the colonialists in Nigeria. We spoke our own languages, worshiped our own gods and most of all, we had our own nation states. The difference of course, is that the Chinese have stuck to their identity and have made external influence, virtually impotent.

Before the advent colonialism, what we now call Nigeria was a collection of proud and subsisting societies. Fast forward to 2012 and tell me exactly what we have. 

National pride - zero, Cultural pride - zilch. Can somebody please tell me:

1. How highly can you rate a country where speaking a foreign language before your mother's tongue, is   considered a status symbol?

·    2. How seriously can you take a people who leave their shores and start to change the spelling of their names to fit into their new environment?

·    3. Are we victims of extreme assimilation or colonial mentality?

·    4. Finally, why are we the ones always changing to fit in?

Could it be most of us are acutely aware there really isn’t much to be proud of?

So, yes, I would favour a divine rewind which should at least guarantee a semblance of a worthy society. Say what you will about the Chinese and Russians, but at least their countries are not tittering on the abyss, nor are they somebody else's diplomatic bitch! 

Of course the irony in all this centres around the fact that unlike China and Russia, Nigeria in its current state, may have slipped past her expiry-date. Like a bumbling, senile patriarch burdened with the wear and tear of juggling 36 children, it appears the game is up. In most sane environments, the havoc wreaked by the 36 children should make Nigeria stop conception and more child birth. But, on the contrary, some regions clamour for creation of more states.

We have moved from the relatively proud spot of 'developing' nation and achieved in reverse, catapulting ourselves to the golden standard of 'underdeveloped,' with the wanton relish of a deranged and reckless prince who threw it all away. 

That recklessness, which ensured that in spite of a quarter of a trillion dollars in oil exports, Nigeria's leaders have somehow managed to fritter most away and keep the rest in spurious Western banks. Banks that then went on to do everything in their power, not to return the money to us when the illicit funds were tracked down. It beggars belief and this is why I believe that perhaps, it is time to start to rule Nigeria with a different approach. 

I remember a few years ago, Lauryn Hill of the celebrated band, the Fugees, released her debut album; a Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was a remarkable eclectic collection of styles and genres, laced with heavy social commentary and spiritual lyrics. I played it non-stop in my car for a few months and believe it or not, these three lines in the last track always stayed with me:

"I look around my environment

And wonder where the fire went

What happened to everything we used to be…"

They are poignant lyrics that continually invoke the sorry state of a country destined for greatness, but one that is now defiantly heading for mediocrity. So:

·         What happened to put Nigeria in perpetual reverse?

·         What happened to our purpose?

·         What is so defective in our DNA?

·         Why is chaos and anarchy our watchwords?

Well, a millions words detailing our ills have not changed anything, so perhaps we should concentrate on how to move forward. Yes, Mr So and So is responsible, and this and that have to be done. All of the verbal and written decibels ala Shakespeare has been full of sound and fury, unmistakably signifying nothing.

Our current system of government is evidently unfit for purpose. There is too much power in Abuja (in a few hands) and that centralisation means it is inevitable for people feel marginalised and out of the loop. What we have on ground today is an 'us and them' scenario where certain ethnic groups feel they are not genuine stakeholders in the idea of Nigeria.

In his much heralded book; "This House has fallen - Nigeria in Crisis," Karl Maier, that obsessive observer of Nigerian affairs concluded the following:

“One of the most eloquent arguments for redrawing Nigeria’s map to collapse the currently unworkable federation of thirty-six states into six powerful regions from an unlikely source: northern businessman. Their fundamental premise is that simplification would be more efficient; six regions would mean leaner, more efficient government. As long as you keep that structure going, you are going to have problems in Nigeria”.

Yes, Mr Maier is often seen to be prone to hyperbole, but I think he hit the nail on the head, on this one. Let the regions take care of each other's affairs. It is time for the autonomous region discussion. All the BRIC countries have it and like us, they possess many ethnic groups and endless resources, so the least we can do is use them as viable templates.

It cannot be worse than what currently subsists and admittedly, it will not stem the generational plundering of resources. But it will surely move us all closer to the various seats of power and induce our sense of involvement. An audit trail from Lagos to Ibadan is clearly easier to track than one from Onitsha to Abuja. 

If there are those amongst us, who are worried about the six-region idea leading to the end of Nigeria, please do not fret. I am aware there are some who propagate the break-up of the country, but I am not in that number. I don't want Nigeria to cease to exist. I am not suggesting any form of secession. We all live with the lingering effects of the last time that occurred - no one truly benefits in the end.

I have no fight with Nigeria as an entity. Clinically, as far as I am concerned it is a word that just distinguishes us from the guys in the Republic of Benin, Chad, Niger and Cameroun. In my opinion, we need to start seeing it as nothing more than that.

Maybe Maier is not completely right....maybe the house is not collapsed, but may I be allowed to announce that the house is definitely fragmented. 

Nigeria itself is the problem.

It may not go down well in some quarters, but it is time to accept we do not have the organisational capacity to handle Nigeria in its current form. It is too big to govern for our short-sighted way of doing things. 

We need to take off our cloak of self-denial, so we don’t end up like the derided family down the street, who harbour their carjacker son and tell their neighbours their child is a successful mechanic. 

To paraphrase the Yorubas of Western Nigeria; "the pungent smell is currently emanating from our own garments". 

In essence, we are the victims of a self-inflicted wound. More importantly, nobody is coming to save or deodorise us. We have to sit together, stink each other out and tell each other the grim facts. 

We are not a great nation. What we are is a potentially great nation. A nation that can lift itself if only it observes the first rule of conquering an addiction….we need to own up to it and say yes, we have a problem.

Our problem is not corruption or nepotism or Boko Haram - All great countries have similar niggling delinquencies. 

Our issue is not division or hatred or backwardness - We have all the resources beyond imagination, we have individuals universally recognised as leaders in their respectively fields, we have highly competent people backed with first-class education and social exposure. 

We have all the equipment to stop; breathe and reprogram our stuttering polity.

Our problem is Nigeria.

Can anyone really justify why we have so much political power at the centre? Federalism's strength is surely in the summation of its many parts. As noted earlier in this piece, China, Russia and even India have it. Are these not the countries we are trying to outstrip? 

Why can’t the Eastern, Western and Northern regions have their own Police Forces? Why do we have to rely on Abuja for every meaningful aspect of our lives? Why do we have to wait until the big boys in Abuja decide to repair the Lagos to Ibadan expressway, before we can sort it out ourselves? 

Granted, we are not going to resolve all our ills with a sole panacea - no other country does. The difference though, is they know how to manage a bad thing. They know how to break down responsibility and delegate power. The simple truth is; we are not at that point yet, but we can at least begin the conversation.

We can begin by admitting that maybe after all is said and done; Nigeria, in its current arrangement and state, may indeed be the problem.

The Time of our Lives

In another validation of the Shakespearean words spoken through Julius Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia; the heavens have indeed blazed forth the death of pop princess Whitney Houston.

Once more, in an uncanny similarity to our reaction on the passing of Michael Jackson and Luther Vandross to name a few, we (well, a majority of us anyway) are consumed with accolade-tinged grief and just like Vandross and Jackson before her, we can't stop telling everyone Miss Houston ‘was the best we have ever heard.’

We bicker and exchange vitriol across the social media landscape, all the time claiming we would have done a better job than the people hanging around our dear Whitney.

Apparently, most of us are trained in the study of addiction and would have known exactly what to do to save our precious pop princess. Some of us, driven by blind pain, want to blame the likes of Bobby Brown for this latest module in Death 101. Some have even, with their novice hat on, placed some responsibility on Clive Davis’ shoulders.

But, if there ever was a demise that proved an individual is ultimately responsible for their own life; this was it. Agree, there are dastardly enablers and numerous Doctor Feel-goods everywhere you look, but none of it will happen without the co-operation of the individual. It takes you to lift that pipe to your mouth, it requires you to lift that fatal glass and consume the contents within. 

Of course, the truth in all this is somewhere, lurking around and evading our peering eyes and heavy hearts. Yes, it is unbelievably tragic that the likes of Whitney Houston - who are ridiculously blessed in so many ways - could have missed out on the gift of long life. But if we could just excuse ourselves the inconvenience of taking a step back, stripping away the emotional language and extravagant reactions, I suggest it is time to listen to Shakespeare again;

“All the world's a stage
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances….”

There was a beginning and inevitably, there would be an end. Yes, the iconic likes of Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin and Quincy Jones might call you the greatest voice they have ever heard, but no one can outwit the Grim Reaper.

In the face of this inevitability, it might be more useful if we looked around us in our everyday life and begin now to flatter-shower our nearest and dearest. The friend who is always there for you, the parent who continues to love you in spite your cantankerous ways, the child who accepts your parental flaws and that workplace colleague who always covers for you.

Why wait until a loved one is six feet under before we begin to show an emotional range we seem incapable of displaying on a day to day basis? What is the merit in you being the neighbourhood medical expert, when the guy next door has just died from his excesses? Would it not have been better to reach out a lot earlier and help him that night when you skipped over his drunken heap, to enter your front door three weeks ago?

Why don’t we face up to being less judgmental about people’s frailties  when we are aware of our own little dark indulgences? When are we ala MJ, going to start looking at the man in the mirror?  

As for me, I can confirm and my closest friends can attest that I might not be the King of excess, but I will definitely qualify as a prince, in the very least. One is grateful that one has a morbid fear of needles, powdery substances and anything that doesn't sprout from the soil, but trust me; we have broken bread and popped bottles with the best hell-raisers out there.

By the way, that wasn't a boast....it's just a painful fact. And even though I am still standing, there were days when, there but for the grace of God, could have gone I! This is why I believe we all require some introspection.

It’s time to take all that collective Whitney grief, especially now at its rawest and use it to propel ourselves to a better understanding of what our lives represent. We often hear we only have one life, yet most of us carry on through life (myself included), drearily living other people’s dreams and kowtowing to those who we have convinced ourselves, hold some superiority over us.

In other words, we are acting as if this is a rehearsal. Well, it isn't. This is your life and you only have one run. Use it wisely and positively impact those around you.

We remember people simply by their deeds and what connection we had to them. I grief for my younger sister every day of my life, but I cannot add or embellish her achievement. All I have is memories…vivid and extremely clear distinct memories. I can only recount the things she did until the untimely end. I cannot flip or spin it.

To paraphrase John Lennon; the instances and events that marked her 33 young years were the things she did whilst Life was happening. I can only reminisce about her in the days she lived in. Her passing, more than anything else, made me realise one will only be remembered for the mark you make and the type of spirit you invoked whilst you were here.

We are living in privileged times. It is not inconceivable that we or even generations to follow may never see the likes of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston again. So if you know anyone around you doing something amazing, we need to let them know whilst they are with us.

Because in the final analysis, all we have is our memories….the smile your wife, husband, child or best friend flashed you on that memorable trip. That funny dance move your favourite uncle or aunty does whenever they have too much. That glance, that incident, that joke you cannot stop laughing to….those memories.

Bottom line….you have to let people know how much you love them…..and you have to let them know now. Summon the imagination and think about the things you would say if there were no longer here…..and say those things to them during their time here.

During the time of their Lives…

Are the gods to blame?

Those of you who have read or watched the late Professor Ola Rotimi’s great play; “The Gods are to blame,” may or may not be aware that the great man’s play is actually an adaptation of the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles’ work; “Oedipus Rex.”

In the original piece of work, Oedipus, the King of Thebes suffers an unbelievable reversal of fortunes when he discovers his whole life is built on a foundation of falsehoods.

He finds out to his horror that he has killed his father, Laius, married his mother, Jocasta and worse still, he is his children’s half-brother! Wracked with guilt and inconsolable shame, Oedipus considers his fate, and is finally pushed to the limit when Jocasta, on finding out the truth, hangs herself.

Oedipus, upset at not being able to have seen the facts before his very eyes, blinds himself with the pins from Jocasta dress. Orphaned, widowed and blinded, Oedipus loses his throne and is placed under house arrest by his successor and brother-in-law, Creon, who leaves it to the gods to determine his fate. They decided to exile him.

But were the gods themselves to blame?

If I may continue to stretch the artistic license so perfectly applied by the great late professor; now that Nigerians have been blinded, humiliated, orphaned and most definitely on the brink of exile from their birthright, who is to blame for our perilous position?

Increasingly, I see quotes posted via social media pointing to the fact Nigerians have the leaders they deserve. Conversely, every now then, I read articles and quotes stressing opposing views and blaming our situation on the very DNA of the entity we all strive to improve. Nigeria, they say, was put together to serve an economic master who has no interest in the country working out its problems. Continuous strife, disunity and pervasive corruption, are apparently the only currencies that work in the master’s favour.

Well, here’s the thing; everything that happened in Oedipus’ sad story had been predicted years before when Laius, the then King of Thebes had travelled to the oracle at Delphi. Distraught by the predictions, Laius had given baby Oedipus away and ordered him killed.

Alas, this was not to be….destiny is a bitch! As the Yorubas say; “the man destined to eat pounded yam before going to bed, may slumber, but the noise emanating from the mortar and pestle will definitely keep him awake.”

So I wonder whether Nigeria’s current disastrous situation was always ordained in the heavens and all we are only victims of an unfortunate fate. The only way I believed I could satisfy my yearning for an answer, was to go back and read about the early days of country and see what our founding fathers thought of the task before them.

In the end, I found myself asking; was Nnamdi Azikwe actually playing the psychic when he observed;

“I have one advice to give to our politicians. If they have decided to destroy our national unity, then they should summon a round-table conference to decide how our national assets should be divided before they seal their doom by satisfying their lust for office…….it is better for us and many admirers abroad that we should disintegrate in peace and not in pieces. Should the politicians fail to heed this warning, then I will venture the prediction that the experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be a child’s play if ever it comes to our turn to play such a tragic role.” 

Or was Obafemi Awolowo already hinting at the vacuity of our patriotism when he said;

“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English,’ ‘Welsh,’ or ‘French.’ The word ‘Nigerian’ is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria and those who do not.”

Or let us consider the haunting words of Amhadu Bello;

“The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future”.

One could quibble at my selection of quotes, but could one not also argue that if these were the words emanating from the men who fought for our independence, then perhaps the very foundation of the house we sit in was as false as Oedipus life? Is it a far-fetched argument to postulate the current issues in Nigeria are entrenched in the fact that it could be an untenable entity? Could the truth be this straightforward or are the complexities too great for us mere mortals to decipher?

With the incessant conveyor belt of dark information now emerging about the spurious operations and underhand tactics employed by the custodians of the black gold that holds us continuously captive, is it not becoming quite obvious that our fate has been decided long before the country was born?

But where lays the blame?

Are we really as blameless as Oedipus who (rightly) was only willing to take responsibility for his blindness? Can we take a leaf from his book and blame the gods for the majority of our ills? And if we do, who exactly are these gods? And how do we achieve retribution?

Apollo, the god of the sun, took the brunt for Oedipus’ fate. Some reckon the Apolline predictions obviously spelt out what was to come and surely Apollo could have averted such a tragic ending for a clearly innocent man. There are modern-day Greeks who still subscribe to this belief.

So where do we turn?

Ogun, the god of iron, was the ubiquitous deity in the Ola Rotimi play….maybe we can blame him. Although I wager he will strike out in revulsion, as many of us have deserted him and his fellow chums since the advent of the Bible and Koran carriers from the West and East.

 Hmmm….conundrum!

Okay, I am going out on a limb here and assert our gods are no longer the traditional deities who were the parallels of the Apollos and Zeuses of Ancient Greece. Only an insignificant number of us see the likes of Amadiora, Ogun, Sarki and Sango, to name a few, as channels through which we can dialogue with the Almighty. I submit that today, our gods are mere mortals who we have spent the last few decades clothing with extraordinary undeserved powers and reverence.

From the ever-present faces in our ruling classes to captains of industry who have somehow managed to convince us (with our permission) that one’s life means nowt, until you have accumulated incomprehensible riches and inexplicable resources. Put in that mix a few men of God who are always on hand, to continuously bless this collective and you end up with a well seasoned band of brothers.

These are the new-day Nigerian gods. I could name names, but I do not want to give my poor mother a heart attack! She already believes writing about these things is precarious enough.

Having said that, this is one of those situations where identification will be tantamount to overkill. Everyone knows the people we are talking about…….and as to the question of whether they are to blame. Well, let me put it this way.

Is petrol N97 a litre?

There you are then!

When the Falcon Ignores the Falconer

George Washington, a man constantly regarded in the United States as one of their top three presidents of all time, once said the following;

" “Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master"

I don’t know about you, but I read this quote a few times just to ensure I fully digested it. Why, you may ask. Well, the first GW to rule the world’s most powerful country is regularly described as "the father of his country" for his crucial role in fighting for, creating and leading the United States of America in its earliest days. Notably, in spite of his strong belief in governance, he appears he was never blinded to its perils.

Naturally, he was the choice to serve as the country's first president in 1789 after the new United States Constitution was ratified. He accepted power (albeit reluctantly), served two terms, turned down the opportunity for a third and returned to his Virginia farm.

The Nigerian in you may break out in a smirk at the thoughts provoked by the last part of that statement. Here was a man who grudgingly became Commander-in-Chief, ruled his people with a listening ear and left the stage when the ovation was loudest. Novel, isn't it?

The trouble of course with the situation people now find themselves in Nigeria, is a continuous parade of leaders who have flipped the script and treat their constituents with unbelievable disregard and neglect.

The deference required to understand the people is shockingly lacking and the people in charge have somehow convinced themselves the gravy train will run forever, even though it is becoming increasingly evident the stimulus and maintenance requisite for such endless largesse is slowly but surely running out.

The only words of wisdom emanating from our country seem to be from those who are fearless enough to put their heads above the parapet and willing to take the uncertain risk of trying to talk this government into action.

Warnings from writers, political observers and bloggers on imminent issues - the dangers of impending religious conflict, the slide of Nigeria into a potential occupied country and the inevitable uprising amongst the dissatisfied - way ahead of these events occurring; have all clearly fallen on deaf ears.

Like the Pharaohs before them; our leaders have lost all powers of patience, reverence and perspective. Maybe the situation is a lot simpler and the people at the top are just devoid of ‘No’ men who could bite the bullet and tell the President what he needs to hear, rather than what he wants to hear..

Maybe no one in Aso Rock is given the task of picking up newspapers (like in most civillised governments) and gauging the mood of the people on the ground and reporting to the President. Maybe those of us who have not tasted power are not equipped to comprehend what it takes to rule so badly....maybe it's a power thing!

Maybe it is just a case of the powerful joining the ignorant school of thought that believes Nigerians will never risk their lives to achieve change. Only God knows what occupies the minds of the privileged!

But if I were affiliated to this government, I would be warning it about the fact that no army; no matter how efficient and no force; no matter how expedient, can handle a Nigerian ‘spring’ (for the lack of a better phrase).

I would tell the President it is extremely hazardous to underestimate the damage that can be inflicted when lawlessness becomes the currency of the day. I would draw the attention of the executive and legislative fat cats to the swift and brutal ending of the Gaddaffi network. If he could fall, I would suggest no power structure should allow itself to be lured into a false sense of security.

It is not a matter of' 'if'……things are beginning to fall apart. The subsidy protest is just the tip of the iceberg.....a distraction compared to the imminent avalanche gathering momentum, from decades of stewed resentment and revulsion for everything government in Nigeria.

The Falcon is increasingly ignoring the Falconer and unless things start to change now; it may not be able to find its way home.

Gaddafi: a death full of sound and fury.

Let me begin this piece by stating clearly; I was never a fan of Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi.

Yes, I read his Green Book cover to cover, probably a few more times than necessary, but then I have also devoured Mein Kempf and a few dodgier pieces of literature in my time. It’s the price you pay for a voracious seeking of knowledge; powered on by a desire to spout something remarkably different when the inevitable family debates ignite.

I turned whatever little books and articles my big brothers had left in their trail, into the jewels of my literary garden. Valued copies of Newswatch, Newsweek and Time stashed away from prying and grubby little fingers, as I built my imaginary library. Heroes, villains and half-baked banana republic dictators; but I must admit Gaddafi stood out.

So deranged in his ramblings and unhinged in his writings (try reading Green Book); Gaddafi blazed a maddening trail across the Arab world, ensuring the world reverberated to the tune of his infamy and demented deeds. His oppressive rule birthed in extreme violence and total domination of his own people, sometimes left even his most ardent supporters completely befuddled.

So why does his brutal demise leave me so flat?

Could it be because I am not a Libyan who has lived under his despicable rule and lost half of my family in the process or I am now so detached from reality that I do not recognise the world will be a much better place without him? I doubt either is the case, but watching the Misratah-led chapter of the NTC dragging his bloodied body through the streets of Sirte only served to buttress my greatest fear about this installment of the so-called Arab Spring.

Granted, Gaddafi deserved his miserable end; but what does his killing actually achieve? Will Libya now rise and become a shining democracy which we all long for? Or is the land of the sweet crude at, as UN leader Ban Ki-moon wisely observed, “Only the end of the beginning?”

Ki-moon’s weighted words, reflecting the gravitas expected from his lofty office, was in contrast to the Bushesque words of the various Western heads of state. Even the usually measured Barack Obama reckoned the Libyans had “won their revolution!”

I am not an expert in Arabian politics, but I doubt if anything but a psychological victory has been achieved here. With pictures of young battle-hardened men from a variety of tribes roaming around the streets from Tripoli to Sirte, all armed with dangerous weapons and questionable temperaments, one wonders when the unifying force is going to emerge.

Recent constitutional talks in Tripoli exposed what lay ahead, as the fragments of what is left of Gaddafi’s army effectively blended into society and the rebels from Misratah cement their ‘first amongst equals’ status.

Some say the head of the snake has been severed, but my cynical self sees this as a mere head transplant. The political and economic jigsaw pieces will be rearranged; and somehow, I do not believe Libya will be the winner.

In the end, although hardly any foreign blood was shed to bring Gaddafi down, the fact every strategic moment of NTC victory was preceded by significant NATO activity, probably means we have already seen the pattern of things to come.

The sound is unmistakably loud and the fury clear on our TV sets, but I fear just like in the case of Saddam, it might, post the euphoria, signify nothing!

How the West could take over Nigeria (2/2)

So, here we are in 2011 and as if we haven’t got enough problems to deal with, we are now the inevitable focus of Western governments – who if the truth was known, never really took their their eyes off us anyway – due to our increasing pariah status and penchant for all things bad. 

The money-laundering, the tales of 419 emails and drug-trafficking status that has been donned upon us globally is clearly too dull for our voracious appetite for self-destruction. We are clearly not content with being on every negative index drawn up by our so-called Western allies; we are now dabbling in terrorism.

In a country where the copycat attitude is prevalent and everyone wants to outdo each other, an introduction of any new negative trends has to be something of concern for our leaders and citizens alike. Today, it’s the Police HQ in Abuja; tomorrow, how do we know it will not be our airports, hotels, night clubs and cinemas? After all, these are the types of targets we have been informed are the chosen aim of Boko Haram and their frenzied accomplices.

What would we do if a reign of terror begins to rise through the length and breadth of our country? Is it beyond the realms of possibility that marginalised groups like the Delta militants could introduce the suicide option into their repetoire? 

And if this is the case, what actions are our people in Aso Rock taking to forestall the coming storm?

I only ask, because if the Nigerian governing elite is not coming up (and be seen to be coming up) with a robust strategy, you can be rest assured our Western ‘friends’ are already in an advanced stage with their analysis and you can be even more rest assured, that none of their entry or exit strategies will be drawn up for the benefit of Nigeria.

Call me cynical, but recent history backs me up to the hilt and I am not aware of many Nigerians who want our beloved country to resemble Iraq, Afghanisthan or Libya! 

Can you imagine house to house searches in the middle of the night, by occupying armies of people who look nothing like us and understand us even less? So, if there is a time to prepare to mobilise our vanguard to secure our territory….the time is now.

In these times of vicious economic adjustments, every sector known to man is cutting costs and doing everything they can to generate revenue and believe me when I state that no sector is as chilling in reaching its goals than the Western Intelligence community.

With its shadow perpetually cast across Africa at the best of times, the principal stakeholders are already in the genesis of negotiations on how to provide us with their wonderful ‘complete security’.

Spurious security units like those operating in Iraq, with their ridiculous names like Black Watch, could import their dubious operations to our cities and towns under the guise of providing protection to the highest bidders and chaos can truly begin to reign supreme.

Of course they are those of you who will read this and remain in the ‘Nigerians are not suicide bombers’ camp, and judging by Mutallab’s foolish ‘bomb in pants’ venture,  you may be justified.  

We may be advanced in other dubious areas, but agreeing to place the bomb in one’s underpants, especially when most martyrs dream of their 72 maidens in heaven, doesn’t exactly inspire confirmation that this is our area of expertise.

But on a serious note, the main weapon of these disenfranchised groups is their supposed impotence, but we should join never underestimate the likes of Boko Haram and their seemingly disjointed foot soldiers. 

For history shows us what occurred when the CIA and FBI, despite warnings from the likes of David Philip Schippers, declared Al-Qaeada had no capacity to inflict any domestic terrorist act in the US. 

Earlier in 2000, he had received some information from two FBI agents, who warned of an imminent terrorist attack in New York. They were so confident about their intelligence; they went as far as givng the names of the terrorists and their source of funding…..incredible, right? 

And yes, you have guessed it, despite several attempts by Schippers to contact the Attorney-General of the day and various federal officials, he too was completely ignored. Well, not completely, he did get one reply…..a Justice Department official replied stating; 

“We don’t start our investigations from the top.”

Well, I hope our investigations at the top are well underway, because if we nod off for a single moment, by the time we come to some form of conciousness, our country will be in the hands of foreign powers once more and by that time;

‘The labours of our heroes past will definitely be in vain.’

Also published at:
http://www.dailytimes.com.ng/blog/how-west-could-take-over-nigeria-22

How the West could take over Nigeria (1/2)

In late 2009, I was jollifying in one of my usual Lagos spots, when, as it often is in these gatherings, the subject gradually veered from the trivialities of whether Agbani Darego is as pretty as Helen Prest; which tastes better; Star or Gulder. To the considerably chunkier issues of the day like - is Lamido Sanusi the real deal, or a Mujahideen in disguise?

Is GEJ capable of the guile required to manoeuvre his way to the Presidency or will his good luck finally run out?  You can imagine the variety of emotions you are bound to witness in such an assembly.

But as convention entails in these types of situations, there will always be the awkward period when necks become decorated with veins and handkerchiefs make several appearances, despite the efficient air-conditioning units happily blasting away in the background.  

I guess my stating that suicide bombing would soon become the staple trademark of the politically disenfranchised in Nigeria was not exactly subtle or demanding of a gentle reaction. As with most topics I raise when I am in the company of my cerebral ‘Naija Posse,’ it was designed to provoke, irritate and eventually inspire discourse. 

And boy did it just do exactly what I desired....

The first person to go for my proverbial jugular was an old school mate of mine (for this article, we will call him Nnamdi). An accountant by trade, Nnamdi was never lacking when ‘coming forward’ was the requisite character trait. 

Blessed with a special brand of unwavering confidence, fuelled by a successful career to date and an unhealthy self-belief, he never knew when he lost arguments.

“All you London boys are full of imaginative theories. So you believe Nigerians will kill themselves because of this country? You have seriously disappointed me with your position on this one. I guess the years outside this country have started to affect you.”

The slap-down was quite emphatic and aside from one other person within the gathered group of ten, the derision for my take on the issue was overwhelming and consistently acerbic.

After one hour of such a one-sided verbal pummelling, I must admit I began to experience moments of doubt as to the efficacy of my position. But I was driven on by my belief of what I had garnered from some determined eavesdropping from a few years before:

Al-Qaeda and its affiliate terror groups were putting together plans for using Nigeria as their international communications hub!

In theory, of course I lost the argument that night, but two years later and a few suicide bombings to boot, all of a sudden; I have been transformed from crazy alarmist to someone who might actually have a pulse on the political direction of Nigeria. 

A conciliatory text, from one of the baying crowd of that fateful episode, did arrive, but yes, you've guessed it.....nothing from Nnamdi.