By:
Caleb Zadok
07034655913
The recent continuous bombings of churches targeted at
Christians by the ISLAMIC SECT tagged 'BOKO HARAM' leaves
one to wonder what is really going on in this nation. Most shocking is the
usual response of the so-called leaders of the nation Northern Governors'
Forum-NSGF, Arewa Consultative Forum-ACF) and their hypocritical condemnation
of the attacks. The most ridiculous one is the attempt by the federal
government to engage them in dialogue. All these issues are the reasons why I
want to painstakingly write on in order to clear my conscience.
Beginning from the Sunday multiple attacks in Kaduna and
Zaria respectively. I hate the hypocrisy of our leaders in respect to issues
like these. When the leader of the Islamist Sect popularly known as Boko Haram
came out openly and declared that they are out to impose shariah law in the
northern part of Nigeria, and that they are fighting against the government and
the Christians whom they call infidels, the So -called Northern governors did
not come out openly to condemn their comment, they did not think this act will
divide this nation; later, the same group gave ultimatum to all the Christians
in the north to leave to where only God knows, there were no condemnations why?
Because most of these leaders thought that what they could not do openly, this group
is out to achieve it for them. But when it turns out that there are reprisal
attacks, then came condemnations from all angles, suddenly, every body that
matters is lending a voice! Such I consider as hypocrisy of the highest order.
Don't misunderstand me, I condemn in totally the reprisal attacks
because God said vengeance is his. NO ONE I repeat NO ONE can
fight for God. Any God I have to fight for is not worthy of my allegiance. It
is therefore important for the Northern States Governors' Forum to understand
that if they can not come out in sincerity to fight this menace that is
bedeviling us in the north, we stand the chance of losing our already epileptic
economy. In infrastructures, we are backward, in other resources, we are
backward, in education, we are backward almost in everything we are backward
yet, the few resources we have, some of the leaders out there are sponsoring some
miscreants in the name of religion to destroy. Nigeria is a secular state and
must remain so if we are to remain as a nation. Other leaders have tried to no
avail and no wonder Nigeria was smuggled into OIC.
The most disturbing thing is the recent comment of the
Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State
on the fact that the bombings in the north is beyond boko haram. Haba! How can
a leader and chief security of a state come out and make such comments? Why is
he sympathetic with boko haram? I challenge Gov Babangida to fish out those he
thinks are the ones doing this to North.
One thing these leaders fail to understand is that the
almajiris they groomed all these while has been the major that escalates the
crisis because, the children were brought up by one mallam up there who doesn't
care how they fared all in the guise of training them in islamic studies.
I ask, can't a child stay in his father's house and learn islamic studies?
These children have no affection, they don't know anything apart from violence
as a result they become prey to those who steal our money and use it to create
crisis in the nation all because their parents under the guise of religion have
relegated their responsibilities as parents. The result is what we are
harvesting in the north today.
The Arewa Consultative Forum ACF recently while condemning
attacks stated that especially as the government is ready to engage in
dialogue. This is a terrorist group for God's sake! You don't negotiate with
terrorists. They don't have to be incited before they strike; they take
pleasure in inflicting terror on innocent citizens who are law abiding and
going about doing their legitimate businesses and killing and maiming people in
their places of worship. The governor of Niger State said that the church bombings
are diversionary. Such a ridiculous conclusion! I ask, Why the churches? It is
when they might have finished with bulldozing all the churches that you will
know that they are playing a script? We are not kids in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the ACF in its plea to the
government after the Kano multiple bomb blasts stated thus:
"PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ACF ON
THE STATE OF THE NATION," which was published on
Vanguard of Tuesday February 7, 2012, Page 20.
Having reviewed the horrendous attack on Kano and the spate
of attacks on many parts of the North, the ACF makes the following
recommendations.
a. "The federal government should commit itself openly
and unambiguously in guaranteeing the security of leadership of Boko Haram
leaders when they come out for dialogue promised by Mr. President."
Note that the ACF did not condemn in strong terms the
atrocities committed by these barbaric elements.
Only a mid admonishment calling on the leaders and members
of Boko Haram to realise that no religious doctrine permits the killing of
innocent lives. In their words they stated further "It is important
to point out to them that they are inflicting terror, death and destruction
upon people not in any way responsible for whatever injustice they believe have
been done to them." There you are! Please those who are knowledgeable help
me explain further what they meant by “injustice they believe have been done to
them” and by Who? It is a puzzle to be unraveled.
Talking about dialogue. Why do you dialogue with Boko Haram?
What are their claims? What does Boko Haram Wants?
1.
Boko
Haram denounces Western education
2.
It
abhors any religion and anyone that does not call Allah. By virtue of that they
mean anybody that will not embrace Islam is to be dealt with
3.
They
also want Nigeria to be Islamised.
So I ask again, where does the federal government come in
here? Is it possible to dialogue with people like that? The dialogue, will it
be on the government’s terms or on the group’s terms? All these questions are
puzzles that need to be unraveled and I guess the ACF will be in a better
position to answer all these questions since they have been on the frontline clamoring
for the dialogue.
It should be further noted that should the ACF and the
so-called Northern elders in any compare this group with the Niger-Delta
Militants, they are wrong. The militants did not bomb any church or any mosque.
They simply fought the injustice done to them and fought for what is their
right – the oil. What is injustice is Boko Haram fighting. Killing of their leader
Mohammed Yusuf? And haven’t they killed enough? Obviously, it is not the church
that killed Mohammed Yusuf.
Check the records of the Niger-Delta people. Ken Saro Wiwa was
killed-hanged just because he asked for justice and the Niger-Delta people did not
go out there killing everybody. So what are talking about here?
Finally, in all these, my take is that the federal
government should not and never negotiate with these faceless terrorists except
if it will be on the government’s terms. It is important for the federal
government to face the threat of our indivisible nation with sincerity of heart
as only sincerity will solve this problem and not their hypocritical approach
to issues. That today the DANA air crash is being investigated with vigour is
because an ordinary Nigerian can’t afford air fares and it is only the elites,
it is what concern them; hence the government ought to pursue this to see to
the end of these devilish attacks in the name of religion. While I praise the
effort of some Christian and Islamic clerics I implore all Christians and
Muslims to learn to co-exist together for the betterment of this great nation
or stand the chance of losing the great nation our founding fathers left for
us. A look at facebook comments would
better tell our leaders the frustration of Nigerians. Both Muslims and
Christians are fed up and want a conducive atmosphere. Failure of our leaders
to adhere to this call may result in what we may not like. A word is enough for
the wise.
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